Elder Uchtdorf on the new For the Strength of Youth guide
During October 2022 general conference, Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles announced the Church’s release of a revised “For the Strength of Youth” guide.
“For over 50 years, ‘For the Strength of Youth’ has been a guide for generations of Latter-day Saint youth,” Elder Uchtdorf said. “It has been updated and refreshed to better cope with the challenges and temptations of our day. ... It will be a significant help for making choices in your life. Please embrace it as your own and share it with your friends.”
The new guide, subtitled “A Guide for Making Choices,” focuses on gospel principles, agency and inspiration. It is available at Youth.ChurchofJesusChrist.org and in the Youth section of Gospel Library.
Here are three things Elder Uchtdorf said in his general conference talk about the new “For the Strength of Youth” guide.
1. What the new guide does do
“To be very clear, the best guide you can possibly have for making choices is Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the strength of youth. So the purpose of ‘For the Strength of Youth’ is to point you to Him. It teaches you eternal truths of His restored gospel — truths about who you are, who He is, and what you can accomplish with His strength. It teaches you how to make righteous choices based on those eternal truths. ...
“‘For the Strength of Youth’ is bold in declaring the doctrine of Jesus Christ. It is bold in inviting you to make choices based on Christ’s doctrine. And it is bold in describing the blessings Jesus Christ promises those who follow His Way.”
2. What the new guide doesn’t do
“It doesn’t make decisions for you. It doesn’t give you a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ about every choice you might ever face. ‘For the Strength of Youth’ focuses on the foundation for your choices. It focuses on values, principles, and doctrine instead of every specific behavior. ...
“I suppose the guide could give you long lists of clothes you shouldn’t wear, words you shouldn’t say, and movies you shouldn’t watch. But would that really be helpful in a global church? Would such an approach truly prepare you for a lifetime of Christlike living? ...
“Is it wrong to have rules? Of course not. We all need them every day. But it is wrong to focus only on rules instead of focusing on the Savior. You need to know the whys and the hows and then consider the consequences of your choices. You need to put your trust in Jesus Christ. He will lead you the right way. He is your strength.”
3. A higher standard
“Jesus Christ has very high standards for His followers. And the invitation to earnestly seek His will and live by His truths is the highest standard possible!
“Important temporal and spiritual choices should not only be based on personal preference or what is convenient or popular. The Lord is not saying, ‘Do whatever you want.’ He is saying, ‘Let God prevail.’ He is saying, ‘Come, follow me.’ He is saying, ‘Live in a holier, higher, more mature way.’ He is saying, ‘Keep my commandments.’
“Jesus Christ is our perfect example, and we strive with all the energy of our soul to follow Him.”
Read more from Elder Uchtdorf’s October 2022 general conference talk “Jesus Christ is the Strength of Youth.”
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