Y O U T H M A G A Z I N E O F T H E C H U R C H O F J E S U S C H R I S T O F L AT T E R - D AY S A I N T S

Cover Story:Service tothe Lordp.4

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OvercomingTemptation, p. 2

Preparing to Serve a MISSION, p. 16

The POWER of theAtonement, p. 18

Scripture StudyTips, p. 23

T H E

June 2012

Steve is my best friend. He is amazing. I want you to know that when we got engaged he pinned me with his Future Farmers of

America pin. I never wore it because it was the head of a cow! But I have kept it all these years—43 to be exact. When we married, we were both in school at BYU.

Steve had recently returned from his mission. We both had part-time jobs and very little money. Neither of us had any idea what the future would hold. I recall one sacred evening just before we were married when we shared our patriarchal blessings.

Neither of us knew that my blessings would also become Steve’s and that Steve’s blessings would in turn become mine. When we married we doubled our blessings! We didn’t have it all figured out, but we grew together as we struggled and faced challenges together and went through transitions together. It has been a great journey and I wouldn’t trade one minute of it.

Running a MarathonWe often debate this question in our family as we are traveling to run a marathon. What is the best part running the marathon and crossing the finish line or preparing to run a marathon? Each of our family members has strong opinions about that, but for me, the preparation is the best part. I love it! I love the discipline it takes to wake up every morning and to put in the time and the miles that will help my body respond to the stresses of an actual marathon. It takes desire, planning, discipline and action. It’s like life in so many respects—making a plan, strict

Dare GREAT Things

Sister Elaine S. DaltonYoung Women General President

A message for those to move out of your comfort zone and dare great thingsSister Elaine S. DaltonYoung Women General President

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training, hills, a set path, beautiful vistas, training partners, long lonely miles, people cheering, falling and getting back up, injuries, aid stations, and of course a finish line. A marathon is one thing that you cannot do virtually! You must act and be in the arena.

One of my top 10 favorite quotes was given by former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt. This quote has motivated and inspired me many times as I have wondered if what I am doing is worth it. President Roosevelt said:So today, I say to each of you—move out of your comfort zones. Dare great things! These are your days. This is the time that has been anticipated throughout eternity. You have been reserved to be here on the earth now. You were prepared and uniquely tutored for your destiny now. You are not ordinary.

You have gifts and talentsYour gifts and talents, and your preparation now will help you to accomplish your divine mission—and each of us has one. Each of you came to the earth with gifts to help you accomplish your part. Again, your patriarchal blessing contains guidance to help you remember who you are and the grand work in which you will play a unique and important part. It also enumerates some of your gifts. And we know from scripture that each of us has come with at least one gift. So find out what that is and multiply your gifts. You can do that! We again are instructed in scripture to “seek” and even “covet earnestly the best gifts" so that we can assist in building the kingdom here on the earth. Again, you are not ordinary and these are your days!

Yours are to be glorious days! They will not be easy. There will be trials and tribulations in abundance but the Lord has said, “And the saints also shall hardly escape; nevertheless, I, the Lord, am with them.”4 Your lives of preparation, righteousness, courage and purity will change the world! Your influence will be felt in the future, but also right now, in the present.

Sister Elaine S. DaltonYoung Women General President

The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

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Recently, I was with four women from Idaho. They expressed their gratitude for the righteous young women whose influence strengthens their testimonies. They wept when they told me how much they are learning from watching you. You see, we are not immune to influence from you. You inspire us! Your light gives us hope and confidence in the future. Elder Neal A. Maxwell said it best, “We not only regard you as the seedbearers of a celestial culture to come, but our own journey can hastened by your pressing forward.”

The Book of Mormon is your guideYou will recall from your reading of the Book of Mormon that an emerging generation of youth “became for themselves” and discounted the teachings and examples of their righteous parents. Many “were led away.” And then the scripture relates and emphasizes our need for each other and for the strength we receive from each other. It says, “the Lamanites…began to decrease as to their faith and righteousness, because of the wickedness of the rising generation.” Elder Maxwell observed, “Lowering standards in the rising generations can create an undertow that affects all ages.” So I repeat, dare great things What do I mean and what will this require of each of you—of each of us? It will require

that we: 1) dream big, 2) move out of our comfort zones, and 3) go forward with full confidence relying on the strength of the Lord.

Reach for your GoalsFirst, dream big—What seems impossible is often possible! Believe in yourselves. Believe in not only who and what you are now, but in what you have the power to become. You are gathered here in this university and this valley sheltered from the world. Sitting on a hill is the temple. This is not by chance. Elder Bednar has referred to a university adjacent to a temple as a “Disciple Preparation Center.” He said,

“Let me suggest that in Rexburg, Idaho, we are in the process of creating not a missionary training center (MTC), but a Disciple Preparation Center—a DPC. In this special and sacred and set apart place, you and I have access to unparalleled spiritual resources that can assist us in developing and deepening our devotion as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. That is the primary and most important reason for the existence of Brigham Young University-Idaho and for its sponsorship by and affiliation with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” So take every opportunity you can to draw strength. and inspiration by attending the temple.

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For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul;

Doctrine and Covenants 4: 7

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