PROVO, Utah-Monday, Elder Quentin L. Cook of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ Quorum of Twelve Apostles encouraged Brigham Young University faculty and staff to guide youth through their challenges to faith.
Elder Cook called upon educators to use “a laser-like focus” in fulfilling their responsibilities to building faith in Christ and His Restored Church.
Elder Cook admonished his audience to be grateful for diversity in the Church and to “righteously repent” while following the counsel of [Church President] Russell M. Nelson.
This occurred as part of a prerecorded message streamed during the first day of BYU’s annual university conference.
Elder Cook also quoted the managing director of the Church’s History Department, Matt Grow, who advises people of the danger of trusting sources of information whose sole focus is to tear others down.
In citing a proactive example of trusting reliable sources, such as the journals of deceased Latter-day Saints, Elder Cook lauded “Saints,” the Joseph Smith Papers texts and the Gospel Topic essays at churchofjesuschrist.org as sources that help accurately piece the Church’s history together.
Elder Cook said that members of the Church who can better understand Church history are more likely to stand up for those who are marginalized in society today.
Elder Cook next expressed concern toward those who attack the faith of others while seeking to assert feelings of supposed racial superiority or who attempt to re-frame or distort history.
Elder Cook also spoke of his concerns regarding those who seek to dismantle the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights as such documents have blessed this country and protected all faithful believers in their respective religions.
In conclusion, Elder Cook challenged BYU faculty to “lift and bless their students, light fires in their souls and to sound doctrinal calls.”
These “doctrinal calls” entail messages that will emanate through the hearts and minds of their students throughout their lives, he said.
