I wish to offer a bit of help to those of you who are young. I know you struggle to find your place amid the commotion of our world. You face important, life-changing decisions every day. You may see things online and wonder how to reconcile them with your testimony or with the gospel. You may wonder if your cries for help are heard—both by Church leaders and by God. You may feel like you are walking blindly through the dark as you navigate your life.
My message to you is this: Step away from the shadows of the world and into the everlasting Light of Christ. I testify that He is always there, even when you can’t see or feel His light.
The Appearance of No Light
Darkness is not an indication that there is no light. Most often, it simply means you’re not in the right place to receive the light. Perhaps you have become distracted by overusing social media. Maybe you slowly stopped reading the scriptures each day. Maybe you have slipped into viewing pornography, in any of its forms. Christ’s light will not reach you if you are not in the right place.
The truth is that spiritual light continually shines upon all of God’s creation. Satan will make every effort to create a shadow or get you into a shadow of your own making. He will coerce you to create your own eclipse; he will push you into the darkness of his cavern.
His Light Is Always There
God will not force you to embrace His light. If you become comfortable with darkness, it is unlikely that your heart will change. For change to take place, you need to actively let the light in.
It is up to you to be in the right place to see the divine light and truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Even when night has fallen and the world seems dark, you can choose to walk in Christ’s light, keep His commandments, and courageously testify of His reality and His greatness.
Step into His Light
If you open your mind and heart to receive the Light of Christ and humbly follow the Savior, you will receive more light. Line upon line, here a little and there a little, you will gather more light and truth into your souls until darkness has been banished from your life (see Doctrine and Covenants 88:40).
Every time you turn your heart to God in humble prayer, you experience His light. Every time you seek His word and will in the scriptures, the light grows in brightness. Every time you seek His guidance about what to study in school, who to date, or what jobs to apply for, the light reaches you. Every time you notice someone in need and sacrifice your own comfort to reach out in love, the light swells. Every time you act in faith without understanding the whole picture, the light expands. Every time you reject temptation and choose purity, every time you seek or extend forgiveness, every time you courageously testify of truth, the light chases away darkness and attracts others who are also seeking light and truth.
My dear young friends, I pray for you often. I understand the challenges and questions you face are significant. I testify that the answer is to come into the light. Let God open your eyes. Let Him give you a new heart. Standing in His light, you will be able to navigate the course of your life.