From decades ago, still very relevant (if not more so) today…
“Our youth are sometimes buffeted daily in Babylon beyond what we who are older know. They need at least rudimentary understanding of the plan of salvation, especially in their tender times of growing up. For them, in a moment of needed response, the smile of one friend is like a standing ovation. A compliment can part the curtain on their unappreciated possibilities. Unfortunately, however, our youth can be almost terrorized by the disapproval of their peers. It’s as if their group’s “thumb down” were the equivalent of a Roman emperor dispatching with finality gladiators in the Coliseum. Youth can be so easily devastated by cutting remarks, as if such slights represented the irreversible verdict of the universe as to their worth. When so discouraged, the “eat, drink, and be merry” philosophy can end up being alluring, especially if they don’t understand God’s plan, His love for them, and what Jesus’ atonement did for them, personally. The less they feel of ultimate belonging, the more counterfeit forms of belonging will appeal. Of course ultimate belonging is not just for teenagers. Lacking an understanding of the plan of salvation, one may feel like a permanent resident in an airport transit lounge with its busy, ever changing, lonely crowd. ~ Elder Neal A. Maxwell
