From Elder Henry B. Eyring’s book “To Draw Closer to God:”
“We may be tempted to be too indirect in bearing of testimony. You do not have to speak loudly or long. But you must be clear. President Gordon B. Hinkley put that as plainly as it can be put. He said:
“Teach faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Word that was made flesh and dwelt among us, the only perfect life that was ever lived, the exemplar for all men, the Lamb who was sacrificed for the sins of the world, our Redeemer and our Savior.
There is no need to try to justify, to equivocate, to rationalize, to enlarge, to explain. Why should we equivocate? Why should we rationalize? I give you these great words of Paul to Timothy: “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord.”(2 Timothy 1:7-8.)
I wish every member of this institution would print and put it on his mirror where he would see it every morning as he begins his day. “Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord.”
Teach the simple, straightforward truth that came out of the vision of the boy Joseph Smith. Teach the reality of that vision and the manifestations that followed that brought into being the restored Church of Jesus Christ—the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (“What Shall You Teach” Address to Brigham Young University Faculty and Staff, 17 September 1963, p.5.) 150-52.
When you see a spark, a response to your testimony, you will urge your students to try the experiment of doing something through which they can taste the fruit for themselves. That is the evidence they need.
I, at least, would begin urging fervent prayer and searching of the scriptures. Most of the young people you talk with about their doubts will say they are praying and studying. They may be praying and they may be studying scriptures. But if you can learn more of what they are doing, you will often find that they are not doing it the way that it works. You may have to find a moment that fits the person and his mood, but you can help him learn how to obtain the sure result that the Lord promises if we approach Him in the right way: “Thus we see that the Lord is merciful unto all who will, in the sincerity of their hearts, call upon His holy name. Yea, thus we see that the gate of heaven is open unto all, even to those who will believe on the name of Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God. Yea, we see that whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of God, which is quick and powerful, which will divide asunder all the cunning and snares and wiles of the devil, and lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of misery which is prepared to engulf the wicked.” (Helaman 3:27-29.)
Perhaps not in the first interview, but soon, you will urge your students to go beyond prayer and scripture study. You will testify to them as I now testify to you, that the effect of sincere prayer and careful scripture study is to always feel an urge to do things. You must tell them, bearing testimony from your own experience, that they need to make a choice simply to be obedient. Real spiritual sight comes to the heart softened by obedience. It takes time, but is is the sure way to see. The Lord made that clear, at least to you and to me, when he said: “My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.'(John 7:16-17.) ~Henry B. Eyring, To Draw Closer to God (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1997) 150-52.
