As part of Stake Conference, a special youth session was held on Sunday morning during which Elder Morgan encouraged the youth to “Choose Jesus” every day and asked them to write down three ways they would choose Jesus in the coming week. He taught that discipleship is intentional and that we should be deliberate in choosing Jesus. What followed was a group discussion on ways we can all choose Jesus, with daily repentance and regular temple attendance being highlighted as two specific examples.

On the topic of daily repentance, Elder D. Todd Christofferson has taught: “Surely the Lord smiles upon one who desires to come to judgement worthily, who resolutely labors day by day to replace weakness with strength. Real repentance, real change may require repeated attempts, but there isomething refining and holy in such striving.” Sister Kristin Yee also reminds us that, “You may feel at times that it’s not possible to be redeemed, that perhaps you are an exception to God’s love and the Savior’s atoning power because of what you are struggling with or because of what you’ve done. But I testify that you are not beneath the Master’s reach. The Savior “descended below all things” and is in a divine position to lift you and claim you from the darkest abyss and bring you into “his marvelous light.” Our need for healing and help is not a burden to Him, but the very reason he came.” I love these reminders from our leaders that none of us are lost to the Savior, that His reach finds us all wherever we are. Every day we repent, we choose Jesus and allow Him to heal us through the Atonement. When we couple daily repentance with regular temple worship, we invite His power and influence into our lives.

Elder Morgan taught the youth that the temple is a place where we have proximity to Jesus Christ because He actually visits His temples in order to manifest Himself to His people. In D&C 109:5 it says, “…to build a house to thy name, that the Son of Man might have a place to manifest himself to his people.” When we attend the temple, we can be near Jesus and feel of His spirit. President Nelson has said: “All who worship in the temple will have the power of God and angels having ‘charge over them.’ How much does it increase your confidence to know that, as an endowed woman or man [or temple-attending youth] armed with the power of God, you do not have to face life alone? What courage does it give you to know that angels really will help you?” What a marvelous blessing to know that as we attend the temple, we will have power from God, the aide of angels, and increased courage to face life’s challenges.

I’m grateful for what I have been able to learn about how choosing Jesus through daily repentance and temple attendance can bring me peace and strength in this life. It gives me confidence to know that I will be able to call upon angels to help my family stay on the covenant path and continue to choose Jesus every day.

Message provided by: Natalie Hall from the Young Women