Includes Excerpts from the Church News. To read the full article, CLICK HERE.
A worldwide devotional for young adults was transmitted live on the Church satellite system, ChurchofJesusChrist.org, and other media on Sunday, January 12, 2020, at 6:00 p.m. mountain standard time.
Elder D. Todd Christofferson, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and his wife, Sister Katherine Christofferson, were the featured speakers.
Speaking of choice and commitment, Elder Christofferson addressed three types of fears young adults might have in committing to the Savior and invited them to “be all in, giving and receiving freely.”
According to Church News, Elder Christofferson addressed three types of fears young adults might have in committing to the Savior: fear of missing out, fear of failure, and fear of sacrifice.
He invited the young adults to instead “be all in, giving and receiving freely.” shared three fears that can keep us from committing to the Savior
Fear of missing out
Don’t let “FOMO” — the fear of missing out — delay the choice to commit to the Savior and His gospel path, said Elder Christofferson, who explained that having some fear of missing out is rational, however delaying a decision for “seemingly forever” can cause missing out on other things, even better things.
Because “unless you make a choice and commit to a certain direction, your life will be pretty erratic, and in the end, you will in fact miss out on most of the very best things,” he said. In a mortal life where it’s impossible to have everything and do everything, “we must commit to particular choices, knowing that by so doing, we necessarily forego others, good though they may be.”
For example, marriage. “Because of the finality of the choice, some resist a commitment to someone they are very fond of, someone they love and with whom they could progress happily and eternally, worried that there may be an even more perfect soulmate somewhere that they wouldn’t want to miss.”
Fear of failure
For those young adults who might worry about their ability to keep “such a far-reaching commitment” to follow the Savior, Elder Christofferson reminded them of the “premortal commitment” they made when accepting the plan of salvation. “You chose Christ. Your physical birth is testament to the fact that you already committed,” he said.
Life is full of struggles and being a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ is much easier said than done, Elder Christofferson said. Failures happen, but the Savior “knows how to help us successfully walk the path of discipleship. … He will stay with us with as much help as we need and as long as it takes.”
Fear of sacrifice
Recounting the story of the rich young man (Matthew 19:20) who asked, “What lack I yet?” Elder Christofferson said some might be hesitant to follow the Savior in fear of the sacrifice that may be entailed.
“As much a sacrifice as it may have seemed to him at the time, did he have a better option than accepting the Master’s invitation? Could anything he had or might have acquired with his riches compare with what the Lord was ultimately offering him?
Commit to the Lord
Elder Christofferson concluded his message by showing a video recording of Sissel singing “Slow Down” with the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square during last summer’s Pioneer Day concert. He asked young adults to ponder the message of trusting in and committing to God.
When I was a Young Adult
I became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when I was a young adult. I was 20 years old and when the missionaries of the Church explained me about the Gospel, its blessings and commandments, I received a testimony of the truthfulness of what they were teaching me.
I learned that the Book of Mormon was true, that Joseph Smith had been a prophet and that he had restored the true Church of Jesus Christ.
However, similarly to many others, I was worried about making certain commitments. In those days, my life still seemed something that would last for a very long time, and my knowledge of the world and life in general was still limited. I wondered if I would be able to keep up with the requirements of the Gospel for my entire life.
The three fears mentioned by Elder Christofferson well describe what I felt in those days. Young adults are not the only ones who may have those fears, but surely young adults may be particularly vulnerable to them. At least, this is what I felt when I was one of them.
I felt the fear of missing out, the fear of failure, and the fear of sacrifice. Of those three, for me probably the strongest was the fear of failure. I was aware of my limitations and I was not sure that I would be able to overcome all things, as the scriptures teach us:
“Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21)
For me a great source of hope was found in Ether 12:27 in the Book of Mormon:
“And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.”
or John 16:33 in the Bible, where the Lord says:
“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
The desire of starting on the path of the Gospel, its promises, and the scriptures, helped me to overcome those fears for a time, and be baptized.
After my baptism, fears obviously emerged again from time to time, and now, many years ago, I am not yet completely free from them. Nobody is in this life. However, I have learned a few things that I didn’t know in those days, and when I have to face a new challenge, I know that if I keep trying to do my best, and look for the help of the Savior, I can eventually overcome the current challenge and move forward.
Elder Christofferson
Elder D. Todd Christofferson was called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 5, 2008. At the time of his call, he was serving in the Presidency of the Seventy.
During his tenure in the Presidency of the Seventy, Elder Christofferson had supervisory responsibility for the North America West, Northwest, and Southeast Areas of the Church. He also served as Executive Director of the Family and Church History Department. Earlier, he was president of the Mexico South Area of the Church, resident in Mexico City.
Prior to his call to serve as a full-time General Authority of the Church, Elder Christofferson was associate general counsel of NationsBank Corporation (now Bank of America) in Charlotte, North Carolina. Previously, he was senior vice president and general counsel for Commerce Union Bank of Tennessee in Nashville where he was also active in community affairs and interfaith organizations. From 1975 to 1980, Elder Christofferson practiced law in Washington, D.C., after serving as a law clerk to U.S. District Judge John J. Sirica during the trials and other proceedings known as “Watergate” (1972-74).
Born in American Fork, Utah, he graduated from high school in New Jersey, earned his bachelor¹s degree from Brigham Young University, where he was an Edwin S. Hinckley Scholar, and his law degree from Duke University.
Among other callings, he has served the Church as a Regional Representative, stake president, and bishop. As a young man, he served as a missionary in Argentina.
Elder Christofferson and his wife, Katherine Jacob Christofferson, are parents of five children. (From the website of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
