For the Strength of Youth: Understanding the why behind the rules

PROVO, Utah — An old Chinese blessing and curse says, “May you live in interesting times.” Today’s youth are subject to that blessing and curse, said Young Men General President Steven J. Lund at the 2024 BYU Women’s Conference.

With increased voices and confusion about truth, young people are left asking important questions. Specifically, youth are seeking happiness, and while the Church is an option they may consider, other paths — often louder in their proselytizing — are promising a better life, said President Lund.

This need for clear truths prompted the new “For the Strength of Youth: A Guide for Making Choices.” With the ever-changing challenges of the youth in mind, President Lund highlighted that the booklet offers principle-based responses, temple-focused applications and eternal context.

Speaking of the “For the Strength of Youth” booklet, President Lund said, “When facing a decision, rather than having the book list what they can and cannot do, this guide encourages them to learn what the Lord has said about that decision.”

President Lund was joined by his counselors, Brother Bradley R. Wilcox and Brother Michael T. Nelson, on Friday, May 3, to discuss principles found within the inspired “For the Strength of Youth” guide that parents use to help their children “discern truth and crave righteous living.”

Rules and reasons

Brother Wilcox pointed out that there is nothing wrong with rules and commandments. In fact, structure is healthy for families and society, he said. The real purpose of the “For the Strength of Youth” manual is not to do away with rules but to provide reasons behind them, thus increasing youth’s motivation to make wise decisions.

“When God and Jesus Christ came to Joseph Smith in the First Vision, it was not to restore rules. The Ten Commandments made it through the Apostasy. What had been lost were the reasons to keep them. Those reasons are found in the plan of salvation and the fulness of the gospel,” explained Brother Wilcox.

Much like Jesus Christ fulfilling and expanding the Law of Moses, youth are being called to live a higher law. Brother Wilcox continued: “The guide is not just a book of rules. It is a book of reasons.”

When children know the reasons behind the commandments, their responses to outside influences can be more widely applied. For example, truths such as “Jesus Christ will help you” (“For the Strength of Youth,” page 6) or “Your body is sacred” (page 22) can guide youth through a myriad of situations.

If youth have not already read the March issue of the For the Strength of Youth magazine, Brother Wilcox encouraged parents to read it with their teens and help them understand what makes them unique is not that they don’t drink coffee or don’t swear, but that they “stay true to Christ’s standards.”

Understanding and modeling

Learning about and understanding the laws of God is important to becoming like Him, taught Brother Nelson. Rules are good and necessary, but they cannot become the focus of young people’s discipleship.

“If we drive down the road with our eyes riveted on the speedometer, we may always stay within the speed limit, but we will miss the stunning views flashing past the windows. If all we see are rules, we will miss the glorious, mind-expanding truths Heavenly Father is offering to reveal to us.”

Parents can teach principles and then model behaviors for their children, teaching by their example. Brother Nelson shared a specific story of his daughter providing her children with a choice and then modeling correct behavior, which resulted in her 9-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter voluntarily forgoing playtime to help with chores.

Brother Nelson continued: “Heavenly Father depends on us to provide an environment where the Holy Ghost can ‘teach [the youth] … and bring all things to [their] remembrance’ (John 14:26). Remembered truths will help them to make informed decisions that will allow them to become who they truly want to be.”

Loved and trusted

President Lund ended the presidency’s message with an invitation to parents and leaders of youth to include the “For the Strength of Youth” guide in the curriculum of their midweek activities and to show the youth that they are both loved and trusted.

Quoting Doctrine and Covenants 109:73, President Lund concluded: “It is our prayer that you might help them make these learnings and practices their second nature as they ‘come forth [as they surely can and will] out of [this ofttimes] wilderness of darkness, and shine forth fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners.’”