Good morning, my beloved young brothers and sisters. Thank you for inviting me to be here with you today. Nothing reminds me so forcefully of my advancing years as facing an audience of vibrant and wholesome young people like you. Periodic personal encounters with those of your age group reinforce my suspicions that I probably have less and less to say that you may find relevant or interesting. For instance, not many years ago, when our oldest son was a senior in high school, I noticed him one morning in the vicinity of my clothes closet.
At breakfast I noted that I had seen him examining my wardrobe and gently inquired whether I really owned something that he would consider worthy of wearing. I sincerely hope my prayers will be answered today so there will be no gaps between what I feel and say and what you feel and understand.
There is an old Jewish saying that words spoken from the heart are carried into the heart. What I wish to say today truly comes from my heart, and I hope it will have meaning and application for you during the wonderful years of your lives that lie ahead. There are principles and truths that are unchanging, eternal, and timeless. Such are those that bring happiness to our lives.
This has been a subject of interest to me for many years because although I am richly blessed and have every reason to be happy, I sometimes struggle with myself and do not always have the natural inclination toward happiness and a cheerful disposition that some people seem to enjoy.
For that reason, several years ago a Book of Mormon passage caught my attention. I wish to share with you today my tentative findings, primarily from 2 Nephi, chapter 5, and invite you to conduct your own personal search. It could be a lifelong and worthwhile pursuit. There was good reason that Nephi took his more righteous siblings with him into the wilderness. He belonged to them and they belonged to him. There is no other organization that can so completely satisfy our need for belonging and provide the resulting happiness that a family can.
