Youth, remember who you are
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As a deacon in his youth, Dean R. Burgess was asked during an impromptu interview with a bishop's counselor, "Do you know who you are?"
"Tonight, I would ask each one of you young men of the Aaronic Priesthood the very same question that I was asked as a young man," said Brother Burgess, first counselor in the Young Men General Presidency.
"Knowing who you are makes you spiritually strong, sound and steadfast in your priesthood duties," he said. "You become confident with faith and determination to make right decisions. You have courage to stand up for what you know is right. You realize that it is a privilege to hold the priesthood of God and have authority to act in His name."
Citing the example of Ammon, a missionary in the Book of Mormon who, through his courage and faithfulness converted King Lamoni of the Lamanites, Brother Burgess observed, "Ammon knew who he was and what his true mission was."
Posing the question "How do you come to receive a knowledge and witness of who you are?" he asked young men to consider three questions and related principles:
• "Do you know that you are a son of God?"
• "Do you know who you are in God's plan?"
• "Do you know who you are as a member of the Church?"
"You are important to a loving Father in Heaven," Brother Burgess said. "Young men, pray always! Your prayers both night and morning will help you come to know that you are a son of God."
He said that knowing, believing and understanding the mission of the Savior "helps us know who we are."
Regarding the third question, Brother Burgess said, "You have been baptized and have received the Holy Ghost. You are a member of the restored Church of Jesus Christ. It is His Church, and He has given us a prophet of God to teach, lead and guide us, and to direct His work here on earth."
He noted that the young men have been ordained to the priesthood and belong to a priesthood quorum "where you can feel the brotherhood and friendship of other priesthood holders."
