The 39th annual Sidney B. Sperry Symposium was held on the Brigham Young University campus Oct. 29-30. This is one report from the symposium. More reports from other lectures will be published in the Church News in coming weeks.

The manner in which people respond to evil shows their Christian discipleship, said Daniel K. Judd during the keynote address of the 39th annual Sidney B. Sperry Symposium held Oct. 29-30 at Brigham Young University.

"For many years I have been impressed with the profound understanding Church members have as we face the challenges of life," Brother Judd said. "Especially our knowledge of the teachings of Jesus Christ pertaining to the relationship of the gospel and good and evil in the redemption of our Father in Heaven's children."

"Sermon on the Mount" by James Tissot

Drawing from the conference's theme, "The Sermon on the Mount in Latter-day Scripture," Brother Judd, who was recently released from the Sunday School general presidency, spoke of the supreme test of Christian discipleship, drawing from scriptural, prophetic and scholarly sources that show how the Savior's example is the proper way to respond to evil.

"Latter-day Saint theology is significantly different than the teachings of every other religion and philosophical religion concerning the origin and nature of evil," Brother Judd said. "Every spirit was innocent from the beginning, and evil had its beginning not in the Garden of Eden, but in the pre-mortal world."

Sharing insights from a gospel perspective, Brother Judd spoke of opposition; defining the presence of opposition prior to Adam's and Eve's existence in the Garden of Eden.

"[God] gave His children … agency, even in the spirit world," he said. "Individual spirits have the privilege just as men have here, of choosing the good."

It is through choosing the good, Brother Judd said, that individuals are able to progress eternally. As individuals choose evil, they retard their progress.

Although no person was foreordained or appointed to sin or do evil, some choices — like Satan's — make it possible for Heavenly Father to use an individual's poor choice as a means to bring about His eternal purposes. But, Brother Judd emphasized, it was through Satan's choices alone that made him become evil

Brother Judd spoke of the great need individuals have to love and serve their fellowmen, relying on the Savior's example.

He spoke specifically of the Savior's example of how to treat people who have offended another.

In Matthew 5, it talks about the punishment of an offender as "an eye for an eye" and "a tooth for a tooth."

"It is natural to punish those who offend us," Brother Judd said. "When we take matters into our own hands, we make it worse. … We must look for the comforting and directing influence of the Holy Ghost. … An eye for an eye interfere's with the Lord and His will."

Brother Judd shared a story about a young man who dropped a frozen turkey off of a freeway overpass, hurting a woman driving below. Despite many remaining physical problems, the hurt woman decided during court procedures to forgive the defendant and prevent the harshest punishment the boy could have faced for his actions. Her response as a Christian disciple showed she was willing to listen to what the Lord would have done, and provided a way for the young boy to change and make better decisions in the future. She said it was her hope that the young man would then make "his life the best he could."

It is through loving those that may offend and using mercy as the Savior would that individuals are able to choose the good in tough situations. Instead of acting in retribution, individuals can act as the good Samaritan acted in loving their neighbors and even their enemies.

"[We can] actively love our enemies. … Through random acts of kindness to those who offend us, we can serve them, we can pray for them," Brother Judd said. "Responding to evil with love truly is what it means to be a disciple of Christ."

mholman@desnews.com