President Monson shared the results of a Notre Dame survey off 230 young adults:
- Regarding questions about right and wrong, moral dilemmas and the meaning of life they did not even have the categories or vocabulary to respond well.
- When they were asked to describe a moral dilemma they had faced, two thirds could not answer or even explain what a moral dilemma was.
- Most said that moral choices are just a matter of individual taste. ‘It’s personal.’ or ‘It’s up to the individual. Who am I to say?’
- Rejecting authority, many went to the other extreme. ‘I would do what I thought made me happy or how I felt.I have no other way of knowing what to do but how I internally feel.’
- Opinion was that the majority of the young adults had “not been given the resources - by schools, institutions [or] families - to cultivate their moral intuitions.”
Those in that Priesthood Meeting should not have these struggles. We have been taught God’s laws and they are unchangeable. So his question to us in that meeting was; “Do we have the moral courage to stand firm for our beliefs, even if by so doing we must stand alone?”
In my experience, we all will be challenged in unexpected ways to stand firm when others are espousing or demonstrating another path. There are an infinite number of choices presented in even attractive ways, but almost always there is guidance to stand firm for the correct principle or doctrine when we are confronted with this type of moral question.
President Monson as a young navy recruit had to face a dilemma regarding the definition of being a Mormon. That would be a great story to use in a Family Home Evening or Home Teaching discussion as it demonstrates that we will not usually know when the decision will be required in a public setting but we should already know how to respond as he did.
We will all have opportunities to answer the question Elder Monson received one day in Dallas on a bus. “Is there anyone on this bus who knows anything more about the Mormons?” It will never be the same but we need to be ready with our answer. For this we are being prepared and sent throughout the world. That is were the Spirit will stand with us and we will know once again that it is true.
1 comment:
As I read back over his remarks the booklet that every young person in the church has came to mind. "For the Strength of Youth". Our youth receive one of these and it is referred to often. I have even handed them out in meetings with young adults on our mission to Brasil because many of them were dating people who were not of their faith. I challenged them to read the booklet back over and share it with their friends and those they were dating. I've noticed that there is now an update of the same booklet but other things have been added that are challenging to our youth in this day and age. We are led by a Prophet of God. He wants us to be truly happy. Follow him and the morals of the world will NOT be what you follow. You will NOT have any doubts as to what is right to do to be truly happy.
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