Leading Youth with Confidence

About Leading Youth with Confidence

From unsure to unshakeable in teaching For the Strength of Youth karenpapin.substack.com (https://karenpapin.substack.com/s/strength-to-become?utm_medium=podcast)

Publisher

Karen Papin

Category

religion & spirituality · religion & spirituality

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

3 Sept 2026

Latest episode

10 Nov 2026

Latest episodes

12 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   10 Nov 2026

   For the Strength of Youth | Nov 15 | How We Can Find Truth for Ourselves

   Have you ever wondered, “How can I really know this is true?” If you or the youth you love have questions about the gospel, the Book of Mormon, or living prophets, you are not weak and there is nothing wrong with you. You are asking the same kind of questions Joseph Smith asked as a 14-year-old boy. In this episode, we walk through the For the Strength of Youth lesson on the search for truth from the November For the Strength of Youth magazine. Whether you’re a Young Women or Young Men leader, a teacher, or a parent, you’ll get scripture-based ideas for leading this For the Strength of Youth lesson with confidence. The lesson is built around three questions, and we cover each one: * Where does truth come from? God is the source of eternal truth, and He gives it to us through scriptures, living prophets, and the Spirit. * What if you have questions? Questions can lead to inspired answers. We look at Joseph Smith’s example and Alma’s testimony that he came to know the truth through fasting and prayer over many days. * Why do you have to keep learning? Testimony grows line upon line and grace for grace, not all at once. You’ll also hear a hands-on drawing activity from the For the Strength of Youth lesson that shows how testimony takes shape line upon line. Plus, a reminder for leaders and parents: our job isn’t to have every answer. It’s to foster small and simple experiences with the Spirit and trust the Lord to carry the truth to our youth. Keywords: For the Strength of Youth, For the Strength of Youth lesson, For the Strength of Youth magazine, search for truth, Young Women lesson, Young Men lesson, youth Sunday lesson, how to know the Church is true, testimony, doubt your doubts, line upon line, Joseph Smith First Vision, Come Follow Me youth Resources and references mentioned Lesson source * For the Strength of Youth magazine, November issue: “Learn More About the Search for Truth” * Lesson activity: draw or trace something that reminds you of eternal truth, then share how your testimony has grown line upon line Talks * President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Come, Join with Us,” October 2013 general conference (”doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith”) * Elder Patrick Kearon, “God’s Intent Is to Bring You Home,” April 2024 general conference (God is in “relentless pursuit” of us) Where does truth come from? * Matthew 3:17 * John 3:16–17 * Romans 8:16–17 * Mosiah 4:9 * Doctrine and Covenants 1:37–38 * Moses 1:39 What if you have questions? * Joseph Smith—History 1:5–6, 10–13 * James 1:5 * Alma 5:45–46 * Alma the Younger’s conversion (Mosiah 27) and Laman and Lemuel seeing an angel (1 Nephi 3:29–31) Why do you have to keep learning? * 2 Nephi 28:26–30 * Doctrine and Covenants 93:11–13 Get the free outline and the Becoming Pack Free printable lesson outline: Teaching this For the Strength of Youth lesson this week? Grab the free printable outline when you subscribe on Substack at karenpapin.substack.com (https://karenpapin.substack.com). The Becoming Pack (for paid subscribers): We don’t all learn the same way. That’s why every For the Strength of Youth lesson comes with a Becoming Pack: four ways to apply the lesson, so you (and your youth) can pick the one that fits how you learn best. * Journaling page: for those who process by writing things out * Action checklist: seven simple actions to check off, one for each day of the week * Quick self-assessment: check in with where you are and take your one next right step * Conversation starters: questions to go deeper together, for those who learn by talking it through Why it matters: a testimony isn’t built in one Sunday lesson. It grows line upon line, through small and simple experiences during the week. The Becoming Pack helps you carry the lesson into your everyday life, so you can keep seeking truth and lead with confidence. Upgrade to a paid subscription at karenpapin.substack.com (https://karenpapin.substack.com). Journaling page: for those who process by writing things out: Action checklist: seven simple actions to check off, one for each day of the week Quick self-assessment: check in with where you are and take your one next right step Conversation starters: questions to go deeper together, for those who learn by talking it through Next week: Becoming a covenant daughter or son of God, with Esther and Captain Moroni, and how the Lord helped them set aside the things of the world to stand up for truth. Episode transcript: The Search for Truth, a For the Strength of Youth lesson Having questions doesn’t mean something is wrong with you If you’ve ever had doubts or questions about the doctrine of the gospel, or what is actually true, or whether we have a living prophet, or the Book of Mormon—which church is the true church? Is this the true church?—if you’ve ever had questions like that, you’re not a bad person. There’s nothing wrong with you. You are not weak. You are asking the same kinds of questions that Joseph Smith asked as a 14-year-old boy when he walked into a grove of trees over 200 years ago. And the great news about this is that God loves us and He wants us to be seeking Him. These questions are a way that we can do that. And God answers our prayers. Welcome to the Leading Youth with Confidence podcast, where we are going from shaken to unshakable through the For the Strength of Youth lessons as we draw closer to our Savior Jesus Christ. Testimony grows through small and simple moments This week we are diving more into the search for truth, and I love that we are doing this. I think there are many youth, and even adults, who are wondering, “How can I really know that this is true?” One thing I have found throughout this lesson is that it’s not those big, Joseph Smith–like vision moments that help us know what’s truth. It’s actually the small and simple moments over a period of time that help us recognize and understand what is truth and grow our testimonies. I have seen how it’s been a line-upon-line, step-by-step process that has helped me grow in my testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel and of the Savior Jesus Christ. I remember praying as a youth, “Help me to know that this is true,” and seeking a really strong, powerful answer. I wanted to know without a doubt. I prayed about it over a period of time, and I remember one time reading my scriptures with this thought in mind and receiving the answer in a small and simple voice: You already know. Peace came to my mind and to my heart. It wasn’t a big, powerful moment, just a small and simple thing. Looking back, I realized I had had all of these experiences that helped me know it was true—including opening up and reading from the Book of Mormon and feeling that peace, that comfort, and that closeness to my Savior Jesus Christ, and feeling peace as I learned about the Prophet Joseph Smith in his quest to find truth. We get to dive a little more into that today as we learn about the ways the Lord helps us know what is true. A note for leaders and parents: you don’t have to solve it for them Sometimes a fear comes over us when we are leading the youth, participating in these discussions, or parenting. We see those we love struggling, and we want to solve it for them. We want to lay it all out so they really know and understand. And yet building a testimony is something very personal. If we can foster experiences that allow them to have small, simple, consistent experiences with the Spirit over time, and then trust that the Lord is there guiding them and helping them through—that is our job. Foster those experiences, and then trust that the Lord will carry it to them. Where does truth come from? With that, let’s dive into this week’s lesson. The first thing I want to share is from the November For the Strength of Youth magazine, under “Learn More About the Search for Truth.” It says: “The source of eternal truth is God Himself. He has given you truth through the scriptures and through latter-day prophets. By seeking reliable sources and relying on the Spirit, you can discern what is true, what is important, and what will lead you back to God.” Right there we are reminded that there is absolute trut… Get full access to Beloved & Becoming at karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe (https://karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

2. 

   3 Nov 2026

   A Stronger Faith | For the Strength of Youth Nov 8, 2026 | Finding Truth Through Scripture Study

   What do you hold on to when life gets hard? In this episode of the Leading Youth with Confidence podcast, we’re preparing the November 8 For the Strength of Youth lesson on the scriptures, so you and the youth you serve leave seeing scripture study as a source of strength, not just another assignment. Karen shares how daily scripture study carried her through losing her younger brother at 15, and again after losing an older brother last year, and how the scriptures became trusted friends the Lord brings to mind right when you need them. In this FSY lesson walkthrough, you’ll learn: * Why Heavenly Father has given us the scriptures, plus four questions to ponder before you teach * How to build a daily scripture study habit (even one verse a day counts) * A group activity on Lehi’s vision of the tree of life and the four groups of people on the path, including the difference between “clinging to” and “continually holding fast to” the rod of iron * How the scriptures bring light, protection, and discernment, with a list activity youth can do alone or in groups * How to end your FSY lesson with a meaningful invitation to act Whether you serve in Young Women, Young Men, or Primary, are teaching your own kids at home, or want to strengthen your personal Come, Follow Me study, this For the Strength of Youth lesson will help you feel the truth of God’s word and teach it with confidence. Scriptures & Resources Mentioned * For the Strength of Youth magazine, November 2026 lesson: the scriptures * 1 Nephi 6:4–6 * 1 Nephi 8:19–25, 30–34 * Joshua 1:8 * Psalm 119:105 * 2 Timothy 3:15–17 * 1 Nephi 15:24 * 2 Nephi 32:3 * Helaman 3:29–30 * Youth invitations: Always Be Learning, Live with Integrity Get the FSY Lesson Outline + Becoming Pack on Substack Free and paid subscribers can download a printable FSY lesson outline with discussion questions, scripture references, and activity options all in one place, so you walk in prepared and confident. Paid subscribers also get the Becoming Pack for every episode, with four ways to apply what you learned: * Journaling Page: reflection prompts for those who process best by writing it out * Action Checklist: simple steps for those who want to know exactly what to do today * Self-Assessment: a quick check-in that points you to your next right step * Conversation Starters: questions to talk it through with your family or the youth you serve 👉 karenpapin.substack.com For those who learn through journaling: For those who want a checklist of actions to take: For those who want just one next step for where they are at: For those who learn through talking: Apply what you heard in 4 different ways. Upgrade to get your Becoming Pack today. Full Transcript What Keeps You Steady? What do you hold on to when life gets crazy or really hard? When fear, pressure, and confusion start pulling you down, what keeps you steady? Welcome to the Leading Youth with Confidence podcast, where we are going from unsure to unshakable with the For the Strength of Youth lessons. Today we are preparing the November 8th lesson on the scriptures. And we are teaching this so that not just the youth, but you as well, leave knowing that the scriptures matter and wanting to hold on to them. Not seeing the scriptures as an assignment, something you just need to do, but as strength and support through the difficult times in life. How the Scriptures Carried Me Through Grief The scriptures have given me strength in the hardest times of my life. When I was 15 years old, my younger brother passed away. During that time I dove into the scriptures, seeking the peace and comfort that I truly hoped would come from the words of God. And I found them. As I read the Book of Mormon each day, I felt peace in an otherwise hard and difficult time, and it helped me grow closer to my Savior, Jesus Christ. In times when fear seemed like it would pull me under, the scriptures gave me guidance, direction, and belief in myself, because I came to see that God believes in me. As I applied those scriptures in my life, I was able to pull myself out of that fear and put my faith and trust in the Lord. In times of doubt, or feeling unsure and uncertain, the scriptures have been the guide that kept me steady in God’s love and gave me the understanding I had been searching for. Four Questions to Ponder Before You Teach To prepare yourself to participate in these discussions, take a moment to think about the following questions: * Why are the scriptures important to you personally? * Why do you feel it’s so important for the youth to have the scriptures? * How have the scriptures blessed your life? * Do you know that the scriptures are the word of God? With that last question, if you are struggling to feel the truth of the scriptures, and even if you have a firm testimony that they are true, take some time this week to pray about the scriptures and seek to feel the truth, peace, and comfort that come from recognizing they are the word of God. Pour your heart out to Heavenly Father. Ask Him to help you feel the truthfulness of His word. Regardless of whether or not you share your experiences with the scriptures this week, the conviction you feel of their truthfulness will show through. You are teaching by example, showing your love for these words of God. And even if you don’t get an answer right away, you are still showing that you are seeking truth, which is what this month is all about: seeking, receiving, and living truth. God will reward you as you take those little faith steps forward. This Lesson Isn’t Just for Youth Leaders Even if you don’t serve with the youth, this lesson can benefit you, because it can help you receive strength through the scriptures. And what’s cool is that as you feel the truth of the scriptures, whether in your personal study or your Come, Follow Me family scripture study, your kids and your family can feel it too, because they see your love for the scriptures. So with that, let’s dive into the For the Strength of Youth lesson for this week. How to Prepare: Choose One Concept As always, when preparing these lessons, start by prayerfully choosing one concept and dive into it as deep as you feel you need to go. If there’s still time, move on to another concept. I’m going to go through the different concepts in this month’s For the Strength of Youth magazine. Concept 1: Why Has Heavenly Father Given Us the Scriptures? The first learning activity you can dive into is: why has Heavenly Father given us the scriptures? The questions I asked at the beginning go right along with this. How have you been blessed by having the scriptures in your life? How can that benefit others? What are the blessings of having the scriptures? Nephi’s Purpose in Writing (1 Nephi 6:4–6) In 1 Nephi 6:4–6, Nephi explains why he is writing these words: “For the fulness of mine intent is that I may persuade men to come unto the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and be saved. Wherefore, the things which are pleasing unto the world I do not write, but the things which are pleasing unto God and unto those who are not of the world. Wherefore, I shall give commandment unto my seed, that they shall not occupy these plates with things which are not of worth unto the children of men.” Right there, Nephi is saying he’s only going to write the things that are of worth to you, and he encourages those who come after him to do the same. Will they conflict with what the world says at times? Yes, because they are truth, and they are what the Lord wants him to write. The Scriptures as Trusted Friends I love what the For the Strength of Youth magazine says in this section: the scriptures can become trusted friends that are always available when you need them. Learning, pondering, searching, and memorizing scriptures fills your life with friends, values, and truths you can call on anytime, anywhere, and they can bring peace, hope, and restored confidence. I already shared how the scriptures helped me in my grief when I lost my younger brother. When I lost one of my older brothers last yea… Get full access to Beloved & Becoming at karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe (https://karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

3. 

   27 Oct 2026

   Truth Will Make You Free | For the Strength of Youth Lesson Nov 1 | When You Don’t Have All the Answers

   Have you ever dreaded the raised hand in class because you weren’t sure you’d know the answer? This FSY lesson is for you. In this For the Strength of Youth walkthrough of “Truth Will Make You Free” (John 8:32), we talk about how leaders and parents can teach with power without knowing everything. You only need to be honest about what you do know and stand firmly in it. In this FSY lesson for the first Sunday in November, I share: * How the Sacred Grove became the theme of my first year of seminary: learning truth for yourself * How losing my younger brother, Sam, led me to seek truth and draw closer to the Savior * A discussion of the For the Strength of Youth question “Is it wrong to have questions about the Church?” * Sister Tamara W. Runia’s reminder that not understanding is not the same as not believing * All three eternal truths, with their invitations and promised blessings: * Heavenly Father wants His children to always be learning * Living with integrity * You have something precious to share * How to stand for truth without offending people who believe differently * A mission story about answering, “I don’t know the answer, but I know there is one” * One simple sentence to write down before you teach Whether you’re a Young Women leader, an Aaronic Priesthood adviser, or a parent teaching at home, this For the Strength of Youth lesson will help you walk into the room ready to become seekers of truth together with your youth. Resources mentioned * John 8:32 * For the Strength of Youth: A Guide for Making Choices, “Truth Will Make You Free”: churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/for-the-strength-of-youth/07-truth * Sister Tamara W. Runia, “The Sculpting of Our Souls,” October 2026 general conference: churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2026/10/13runia * Joseph Smith—History 1 (the First Vision and “I have learned for myself”) * Stephen R. Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Habit 5: “Seek first to understand, then to be understood” * Temple recommend questions on honesty and supporting teachings contrary to the Church’s Go deeper on SubstackWant a printable outline of this FSY lesson? Free and paid subscribers get it at karenpapin.substack.com. Paid subscribers also get the Becoming Pack for this episode: a journaling page, an action checklist, a quick self-assessment, and conversation starters. They’re there to help you and your youth apply this For the Strength of Youth lesson and become seekers of truth: https://karenpapin.substack.com (https://karenpapin.substack.com) This post has bonus content for paid subscribers. Upgrade to get full access. You are of worth. You are called to a great work. The Lord loves you, and you can do this. Sources: * Truth will make you free – For the Strength of Youth (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/for-the-strength-of-youth/07-truth?lang=eng) * The Sculpting of Our Souls – Tamara W. Runia (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2026/10/13runia?lang=eng) * For the Strength of Youth October 2026 – Fast Sunday (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ftsoy/2026/10/01-fast-sunday) Transcript:When You Don’t Have the Answer Have you ever been in a situation where someone asks you a question, and your heart beats faster, your chest gets tight, and your stomach drops? You start feeling all that fear because you don’t know the answer. Or maybe you’ve taught a lesson where you avoided a topic, or rushed past a pause because you were hoping no one would raise their hand. If you’ve experienced that, and maybe still do, this is the very thing we are teaching the youth this month: the truth makes us free. We don’t have to know everything to teach with power. You just have to be honest about what you do know and stand firmly in it. Today we are walking through the For the Strength of Youth lesson “Truth Will Make You Free.” At the end, I’m going to give you one simple sentence you can write down before your lesson. It will change how you walk into the room. Why This Lesson Matters Before we dive in, I invite you to stop and think about why this lesson is important to you. I found it interesting that this is the lesson for this month. I understand the importance of the priesthood and the keys and authority we have from God. The body being sacred is a beautiful gift, and it goes along with commandments like the Word of Wisdom and the law of chastity. And then we come to “Truth Will Make You Free.” I wasn’t expecting that, and yet I can see why it’s so important. This month we get to talk about how we recognize and understand truth, and why it’s so important for us to know it. So think about that yourself. Why is it important to you personally to know that something is true? And why is it important for the youth to know the truth? “I Have Learned for Myself” When I was a freshman in high school, it was my first year of seminary. I had a great teacher: my mom. We were studying the Doctrine and Covenants and Church history, and on the first day she turned our seminary room into the Sacred Grove. She pulled in all the trees and fake plants from the building, and it felt like we were walking into a special place. Then she told us the story of Joseph Smith. Joseph Smith was a truth seeker. He wanted to know which church he should join. He had questions, and he diligently and prayerfully sought the answers. When he went into the Sacred Grove and knelt to pray, he received an answer. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him and told him not to join any of the churches. In time, under the Savior’s direction, the gospel was restored through him. Afterward, Joseph told his mother, “I have learned for myself.” That became our seminary theme that year: each of us can learn the truthfulness of the gospel for ourselves. Seeking Truth in Hard Times The next year, my younger brother passed away. I had a choice. I could distance myself from God, or I could draw closer to Him and seek truth. I asked, “Is this really true? Am I going to see my brother again? Will we live as an eternal family forever?” I dove into the scriptures, specifically the Book of Mormon. I came to understand that the Lord was there for me, that He loved me and loves me, and that I would see my younger brother Sam again. Seeking truth drew me closer to the Savior and strengthened me at a time when I greatly needed it. Is It Wrong to Have Questions? At the end of this chapter, the For the Strength of Youth guide asks, “Is it wrong to have questions about the Church, and how can I find answers?” That’s a wonderful discussion to have, especially as you consider why it’s so important for us to know truth and how truth helps us be free. Discussing this question helps the youth know that it’s okay to have questions. Questions led Joseph Smith to organize the Church. Much of the Doctrine and Covenants, and much of how the Church is organized, came from the questions Joseph Smith asked and the answers he received. Questions are not a sign of weakness or a lack of faith. In October 2026 general conference, Sister Tamara W. Runia gave a wonderful talk called “The Sculpting of Our Souls.” She said: “I don’t understand why this happened. I don’t. But let me be clear: Not understanding is not the same as not believing.” We can remember that when we have questions, and when the youth have questions and are seeking answers: not understanding is not the same as not believing. So is it wrong to have questions? No. The Lord wants us to be seekers of truth, to seek to understand and to search for what’s right. As we seek, the Lord will, in time, reveal answers that strengthen us and help us stand firm in the truth. Scripture: John 8:32 “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” I love this quote from the For the Strength of Youth guide: “Your Heavenly Father is a God of truth. He is all-knowing. All truth comes from Him and leads to Him. You show that you value truth as you seek learning, live with integrity, and bravely stand for what you know is right, even if you have to stand alone.” Studying this all month helps us understand that having questions and seeking truth are part of learning. We’re not meant to know everything at the beginning of our lives. We learn line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little. So it’s okay that we don’t know everything right here, right now. As we put our faith and trust in Him, we seek truth in the places He has given us: the scriptures, the temple, and living prophets and apostles. The Holy Ghost guides us as we seek. As we do these things, we draw closer to the Lord and receive understanding. He teaches us as we are ready to receive what He wants us to know. How the First Sunday Lesson Works For the first Sunday lesson, you choose one of the eternal truths in the For the Strength of Youth guide and discuss it. If you have more time, you can discuss another one. In the weeks that follow, we’ll dive even deeper. Eternal Truth 1: Heavenly Father Wants His Daughters and Sons to Always Be Learning Questions you can ask: * Why do you think Heavenly Father wants us to always be learning? * How are we blessed temporally and spiritually as we seek learning? * Why is education about more than earning money? Why is it an eternal goal? Invitation: Always be learning. Look for opportunities to expand your mind and seek truth. Promised blessing: Education increases your ability to serve the Lord. I think that’s a really interesting promised blessing, because it’s not about us. It’s not about gaining knowledge just so it blesses us. It takes it a step further: it helps us serve the Lord and His children, find truth, and feel God’s love for them. Yes, it blesses you, and it also strengthens and empowers you to bless others, including your family. Eternal Truth 2: Living with Integrity Living with integrity means you love what is right in the sight of God more than you love personal comfort, popularity, or convenience. It means doing what is right simply because it is right. We talked a little about integrity last month when we discussed virtue, and now we get to go deeper. Integrity means staying true to what is right because it is right, not because it’s popular or convenient. Questions you can ask: * How can we live with more integrity? * What does it mean to do things because they’re right, not because of what others think you should do? * How can you stand firm even when others disagree with you? Standing Up Without Offending Others The For the Strength of Youth guide also asks, “How can I stand up for what is right without offending those who have different beliefs?” I can see the youth coming up with some really good answers to this one. As youth leaders and parents, we can help them understand that someone who disagrees with us isn’t a bad person. They just think differently, and we can and should still approach them with love and seek to understand them. Treating someone with kindness and love doesn’t mean we agree with them. We can stand firm in what we believe while treating others with the love and respect they deserve. On my mission, I had several opportunities to bear my testimony to people who were antagonistic toward the gospel. I learned how important it is to have the Spirit with you, because the Spirit will let you know when someone isn’t really interested in what you’re saying. In those moments, I would bear my testimony, then walk away and remove myself from the situation. Other times, it’s someone you love and respect. Stephen R. Covey wrote a great book called The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. One of those habits is “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.” When we approach people who believe differently by asking, “Why do they believe this way? What experiences led them here?” we gain a greater understanding. We realize they’re not an enemy. They’re a child of God, and we see a little more of how God sees them. Understanding them doesn’t mean you change what you believe. You still hold to the truth you’ve already found. That truth brings more love, hope, and peace into our lives, so we can treat others who believe differently with the love and respect the Savior has for them. Invitation: Learn spiritual truths. Your ability to stand firm, live with integrity, and do what’s right, no matter what other people are doing, saying, or thinking about you, grows stronger as you diligently seek spiritual truths. We do that through seminary, institute, personal gospel study, going to church, reading the scriptures, and studying the words of general conference. Testifying is another way we come to know something is true. Even on a secular level, explaining what we’re learning helps us understand it better. The same is true spiritually: as we bear testimony and explain what we’ve learned, we understand it more deeply. Promised blessing: Honesty brings peace and self-respect. When our actions and words line up with the truth we’ve received from the Lord, we have more courage, strength, and peace, because we’re in alignment. As we let go of people-pleasing, we gain self-respect. And deep down, other people respect you too when you stand true to what you know is right. Eternal Truth 3: You Have Something Precious to Share From the For the Strength of Youth guide: “The gospel of Jesus Christ holds the answer to life’s questions. It is the way to peace and happiness. You may not know everything, but you know enough to love your neighbor, share true principles with them, and invite them to learn more.” The gospel of Jesus Christ gives us strength, hope, peace, and happiness. It helps us understand that God loves us, knows us, sees us, and believes in us. Those are the very things people are searching for. If we don’t share it, others miss the chance to have that truth and knowledge in their lives. This is something precious you have to share. You Know Enough One line stood out to me: “You may not know everything, but you know enough to love your neighbor” and to share true principles. That goes right along with Sister Runia’s words: not understanding is not the same as not believing. We may not know everything, and we’ll come across times when we don’t know the answer. I experienced that on my mission. A couple of young men came up to my companion and me and asked a question I didn’t know the answer to. I said a little prayer, “Heavenly Father, help me know what to say,” and the words came to me: “I do not know the answer to your question, but I do know that there is one.” Through diligent scripture study and seeking truth, I’ve since received an answer to that question. Not knowing the answer gives us an opportunity to show by example what we’re teaching the youth in this lesson: living with integrity and doing what’s right by teaching, testifying, learning, and seeking, even without the full picture. Even when we don’t have all the answers, we stay true to the truth we’ve already been given. We trust that the Lord will give us answers when we’re ready, and that He will lead and guide us on our journey. So you know enough. Even if you have to be honest and say, “I don’t know the answer to that question,” you can add, “Let’s learn it together. Let’s see what we can find.” You know the Lord is there and guiding you, so you can trust in Him. Invitations: Any of this month’s invitations fit here: always be learning, learn spiritual truths, and live with integrity. As you live with integrity, people will recognize that you have something special to share as you live the gospel. Promised blessing: When you stand up for the teachings of Jesus Christ, He stands with you. You are not alone. I felt that in the moment when I didn’t have an answer. I felt the Lord there with me, testifying that He knew the answer. That was all I needed. Learning Is a Process Those are the eternal truths for this week, along with their invitations and promised blessings. The important thing to remember is that learning is a process. We aren’t meant to know everything all at once. We build on basic gospel truths: we have a Heavenly Father who loves us and wants what’s best for us, and He knows all truth. Gaining a testimony of these basics helps us stand up for what’s right even when we don’t have all the answers, because we know Heavenly Father is there and He’s got our back. He is with us, and He will reveal what we need to know when we need to know it, as we diligently seek truth. Temple Recommend Questions These temple recommend questions go along with this lesson: * Do you strive to be honest in all that you do? * Do you support or promote any teachings, practices, or doctrine contrary to those of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? Be willing to discuss these openly and testify of the truth you already know, so others can see that you live what you believe, with love and respect for all. One Small and Simple Action Here is one small and simple action you can take. Write down this sentence: “I do not know everything, but I do know that God does, and He will guide me in my search for truth.” Ponder it. If something comes up that you don’t know the answer to, remember that sentence and share it. Then look for the answer together and become seekers of truth together. Next Week This leads right into next week: how do we seek truth? What sources do we turn to, and how do we know when something is true? Next week we’ll dive deeper into how the truth makes us free, specifically through studying the scriptures and receiving truth through those sacred words. You are of worth. You are called to a great work. The Lord loves you, and you can do this. I’ll see you next week. Go Deeper on Substack If you want a printable outline of this lesson, go to my Substack, Beloved & Becoming. Free and paid subscribers get the lesson outline. If you want to go deeper and see where you are on your journey as a seeker of truth, paid subscribers get four different ways to apply this lesson: * Journaling page for those who like to write it all out * Simple checklist of small actions you can check off as you go * Quick questionnaire to find where you are and the one small next step that fits you * Conversation starters for those who learn through discussion You can find it all at karenpapin.substack.com. I’ll see you next week! Get full access to Beloved & Becoming at karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe (https://karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

4. 

   20 Oct 2026

   For the Strength of Youth Lesson: Proverbs 31 & the Stripling Warriors (October Week 4 FSY Lesson)

   What does it mean to be a covenant daughter or son of God? In this week’s For the Strength of Youth lesson (October, Week 4), we explore how humility and virtue empower our youth to live with respect and reverence for themselves, others, and God. We start with the Young Women FSY lesson, walking verse by verse through the virtuous woman of Proverbs 31. Instead of reading it as a measuring stick that leaves us feeling like we fall short, we look at it as the goal and direction we get to grow toward, in partnership with the Lord. You’ll learn why humility isn’t about putting ourselves down, how virtue means more than chastity (it also means integrity, moral excellence, power, and strength), and how “strength and honor are her clothing.” Then we dive into the Young Men FSY lesson on Helaman’s 2,000 stripling warriors. These young men were “true at all times,” fought with the strength of God, and had been taught by their mothers not to doubt. We discuss what made them good priesthood servants, how their example applies to priesthood responsibilities today, and the powerful reminder that their parents had never been a disadvantage to the Nephites. Whether you serve in Young Women, Young Men, or simply love the youth in your life, this For the Strength of Youth lesson walkthrough will help you prepare to teach and lead these discussions with confidence. Both FSY lessons wrap up October’s theme of keeping our bodies sacred. In this episode: * Why Proverbs 31 is a goal, not a measuring stick * How humility makes us stronger, not weaker * The fuller meaning of virtue: integrity, power, and strength * Discussion questions for both the Young Women and Young Men FSY lessons * How the stripling warriors connect to keeping our bodies sacred Resources & References: * For the Strength of Youth magazine, October 2026: “Becoming a Covenant Daughter of God” and “Becoming a Covenant Son of God” lessons * For the Strength of Youth: A Guide for Making Choices (FSY guide) * Guide to the Scriptures: “Virtue” * Proverbs 31:10–31: the virtuous woman * Doctrine and Covenants 25:2, 14: the Lord’s counsel to Emma Smith * Alma 53:14–22: the stripling warriors’ covenant * Alma 56:44–57: the stripling warriors’ battle and miraculous preservation * Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25), referenced * Previous episodes on the law of chastity and Emma Smith 📥 Get your free lesson plans: Head to my Substack to download free printable lesson plans for this week’s For the Strength of Youth lesson, one for Young Women and one for Young Men, so you can walk into class prepared and confident. ✍️ Go deeper with the journaling page: Paid subscribers on Substack receive a journaling page for each FSY lesson. It gives you space to ponder, apply the lesson to your own life, and prepare spiritually so you can teach from personal testimony. This post has bonus content for paid subscribers. Upgrade to get full access. Next week: November’s theme, “The Truth Shall Make You Free.” Transcript: Becoming a Covenant Daughter or Son of God | For the Strength of Youth A Goal, Not a Measuring Stick Sometimes when we read a scripture like Proverbs 31, we start to look at the ways we’re not measuring up, and we shame ourselves for the gap. Let’s shift that perspective. Instead of shaming ourselves, let’s recognize that this scripture is the goal. It isn’t the measuring stick; it’s the goal and direction we’re working toward. Welcome to the Leading Youth with Confidence podcast, where we learn from the For the Strength of Youth to confidently lead the youth we love. I’m your host, Karen Papin, and together we’re diving into the Week 4 lesson of October, which focuses on becoming a covenant daughter or son of God. Once again, the young women have one lesson and the young men have another. I’ll share the young women’s lesson first, and then we’ll dive into the young men’s lesson. I think they go hand in hand, and there are things we can learn from each other. I love this focus every fourth Sunday. We’re reminded of who we truly are, and then we learn from someone in the scriptures who embodies the virtue we’re seeking to develop in ourselves. The Young Women Theme: Humility and Virtue The phrase the young women are focusing on is: “I am a beloved daughter of heavenly parents, with a divine nature and eternal destiny. Humility and virtue will empower me to live with respect and reverence for myself, others, and God.” Share that quote and discuss it. What does it mean for you? How does living with humility and virtue empower you? These are two words we don’t usually connect with feeling empowered. Why Humility Is a Strength We might think of humility as a weakness, but humility actually makes us stronger. First, it turns us to the Lord. Second, it brings in the vulnerability that helps us connect, not just with the Lord but with others too. It’s also a strength because being humble isn’t the natural thing for us to do. And this is important, especially since we’ve been talking about how our bodies are sacred this month: humility is not about putting ourselves down. It’s about recognizing, “I have some growth to do here, and I can turn to the Lord to grow.” Humility helps us overcome because we’re turning to the Lord. If we’re prideful and unwilling to accept that we need the Lord’s help, or others’ help, we have a much harder time growing. In many cases we won’t overcome, because we aren’t reaching out to those who can help us. There’s great strength and power that comes from humility. Emma Smith and the Paths of Virtue In Doctrine and Covenants 25, the Lord speaks to Emma Smith. We talked about her last month in becoming a covenant daughter of God. The Lord says to her: “A revelation I give unto you concerning my will; and if thou art faithful and walk in the paths of virtue before me, I will preserve thy life, and thou shalt receive an inheritance in Zion.” (v. 2) “Continue in the spirit of meekness, and beware of pride.” (v. 14) The Lord reminds us that as we walk in virtue and are meek and humble, He’ll preserve us and help us overcome. What Is Virtue? The For the Strength of Youth magazine points out that sometimes we think virtue means chastity, but it’s actually more than that. It asks: what other words for virtue do you find in the Guide to the Scriptures? So let’s go to the Guide to the Scriptures under “Virtue.” It says, “See also Chastity.” That’s the part we already think of. But virtue also means integrity and moral excellence, power and strength, as well as sexual purity. What does integrity mean? It’s about being honest and staying true to strong morals. It’s not being swayed by the things of the world, but focusing on the things the Lord has told you are important in your life. Reading Proverbs 31 with Humility Today we’re learning about the woman of virtue in Proverbs 31:10–31. Sometimes we read these verses and think, “I wish I were more like that,” and we start putting ourselves down. Remember what I said about humility. It’s not about putting ourselves down. It’s recognizing, “Yes, I have some growth here,” without shaming yourself for it. So our goal today is to understand that Proverbs 31 gives us the direction we want to go. We can look at it with humility: “This is something I can work on.” Instead of shaming ourselves, we can get excited: “I get to partner with the Lord in bringing this trait more into my life.” It’s not about looking down on yourself. The Lord loves you as you are. It’s about taking that love and moving forward in it. That’s when we truly overcome, truly grow, and truly apply, because we’re doing it with the Lord and His love with us. We usually move forward not because we’re beating ourselves up, but because we feel that love and want to become the person the Lord already sees in us. The traits we’re about to read are already within us, because we are covenant daughters of God. We have that spiritual DNA, that capacity and potential. As we turn to the Lord, He helps us develop them. Lesson Activity: Choose Your Favorite Description A great thing to do with your young women is to read Proverbs 31:10–31 and have them choose their favorite description of a virtuous woman. You can read it all together and have them write down the traits that stand out, or let them read on their own and highlight. Then talk about which one is their favorite and why. Proverbs 31, Verse by Verse Verse 10: “Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.” When we live a chaste life, live with integrity, stay true to what we know is right, and have the power and strength the Lord gives us, we are worth far more than the things of this world. Verse 11: “The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.” I love that this shows trust. In a relationship, especially a marriage, trust is so important because you’re building your life and your eternal family together. Verse 12: “She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.” Verse 13: “She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.” She isn’t idle. She’s looking for ways to work, help out, and grow temporally. Verse 14: “She is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar.” Again, she isn’t idle. She seeks out resources, uses them, and blesses her family. Verse 15: “She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.” She serves others. She sees the need and fills it. Verse 16: “She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.” I love this. She recognizes, “This is something I can do,” and invests her time and resources so she can be fruitful and multiply what she has. She’s a good steward of the opportunities the Lord gives her, whether to serve, to bring in money if that’s her calling, or to grow, magnify, and be abundant. Verse 17: “She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.” She’s growing in strength, both physically and spiritually. Verse 18: “She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.” She isn’t doing things halfheartedly; she puts in the effort to make them worthwhile. And to me, “her candle goeth not out” shows she’s prepared for whatever may come. It reminds me of the ten virgins: the five who were wise had oil so their lamps would keep burning. She’s prepared to share her testimony and ready for whatever the Lord asks of her. Verse 19: “She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.” Once again, she isn’t idle. She’s working. Verse 20: “She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.” She reaches out to others and looks for ways to serve and strengthen them. Verse 21: “She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.” She prepares for the storms of life, the winters that can descend on us. Verse 22: “She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.” Verse 23: “Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.” To me, this means she strengthens and supports her husband so he can do what he needs to do. Verse 24: “She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.” She uses her talents and multiplies them. Verse 25: “Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.” I love that. Isn’t that a beautiful way to view strength and honor? It’s something you put on yourself. How does she do it? Through everything we’ve already read: by being chaste, full of integrity, and having power from the Lord to do what He asks. She is clothed with strength and honor. Verse 26: “She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.” We discussed in a previous episode how living the law of chastity gives you confidence as you interact with others. I think true confidence helps you be more kind. It helps you open your mouth with wisdom and be willing to share your testimony of the gospel and of the Savior, and to let others know of His love. When we’re filled with God’s love, we’re filled with charity, and our words are full of kindness and compassion. Verse 27: “She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.” I’ve mentioned several times that she isn’t idle, and here it says so directly. One thing to discuss with young women: yes, prepare to do these things for the household you’ll someday have, but you can also strengthen your household right here, right now, at whatever age and in whatever circumstances you’re in, as you seek to model this woman of righteousness and virtue. Verse 28: “Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.” Respect comes as we live with virtue and honor. Verse 29: “Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.” Verse 30: “Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.” I find this verse interesting because it’s not about finding favor or being beautiful, which is fleeting. It’s about being blessed with respect. As you live with the Lord by your side, you’ll have greater respect for yourself. Your confidence grows, your light grows, and others begin to see that light. Over time, they come to respect you as someone they can trust to make good, solid, strong decisions. Applying It to Yourself Which of these stands out to you? Which one will you work on this week as you prepare to take part in this discussion with the young women? Why is it precious to you? Partner with the Lord to apply these traits in your own life, knowing that you already have the seeds of them within you, and the Lord can help you grow into the person He sees in you. Closing Questions for the Young Women A couple more questions to discuss with the young women: * What have you learned about how the Savior can help you keep your body sacred? * How does this help you accomplish His work? Becoming a Covenant Son of God Now let’s dive into the young men’s lesson, which focuses on Helaman’s stripling warriors. As you study these lessons, ask yourself: if I sought to embody this kind of person and bring out these qualities in myself, how would it bless and change my life? The statement the young men are focusing on is: “I am a beloved son of God, and He has a work for me to do. Humility and virtue will empower me to live with respect and reverence for myself, others, and God.” I love that. God has a work for these young men to do. They have a purpose, and they have strength through Him. Humility and virtue will help them live that purpose with respect and reverence for themselves, for others, and for God. True at All Times: Alma 53:20 The focus scripture is Alma 53:20: “And they were all young men, and they were exceedingly valiant for courage, and also for strength and activity; but behold, this was not all—they were men who were true at all times in whatsoever thing they were entrusted.” To me, this scripture embodies virtue, because virtue also means integrity, power, and strength. The stripling warriors teach young men to have integrity, strength, and power. Here’s a great discussion: read that scripture and ask, what attributes did the stripling warriors have that would have made them good priesthood servants? * Courage: They were willing to stand up for what was right and do hard things, because they were following the Lord. * Strength and activity: They weren’t idle. There’s a parallel with what the young women are learning too. * True at all times: They were people you could rely on. Each of these is a good quality for a priesthood servant. Then ask, how might these attributes help you in your priesthood responsibilities? That question helps them apply it. It’s good to discuss what those responsibilities are. We talked last month about how young men are to teach, exhort, and bless those around them. You can also bring in their responsibility to bless and pass the sacrament. The Story of the Stripling Warriors Remember, the stripling warriors were 2,000 young men whose parents had buried their weapons of war so they would no longer murder and sin. These young men were too young to have made that covenant. When war came upon the Nephites, they stepped up and decided, “We will fight, so our parents don’t have to break the covenant they made with the Lord.” As we read, look for the things that helped the stripling warriors become true at all times. We’ll read Alma 53:14–22 and then Alma 56:44–57. Alma 53: The Covenant Verse 14: “But behold, as they were about to take their weapons of war, they were overpowered by the persuasions of Helaman and his brethren, for they were about to break the oath which they had made.” The parents feel pressure because there’s a great war happening, and they feel like they aren’t doing enough to help the Nephites. Verse 15: “And Helaman feared lest by so doing they should lose their souls; therefore all those who had entered into this covenant were compelled to behold their brethren wade through their afflictions, in their dangerous circumstances at this time.” Helaman tells them to keep their covenant; the Lord will help in this war. And He does provide a way, through these young men. Even in our day, young men can be an answer to others’ prayers and the way the Lord provides. Verse 16: “But behold, it came to pass they had many sons, who had not entered into a covenant that they would not take their weapons of war to defend themselves against their enemies; therefore they did assemble themselves together at this time, as many as were able to take up arms, and they called themselves Nephites.” These sons of the Anti-Nephi-Lehies take on the identity of Nephites, committing to take up their weapons and fight for their freedom and the freedom of the Nephites. Our young men are spiritual warriors in this world. They have the choice to take up spiritual weapons and fight for what’s true and right. Verse 17: “And they entered into a covenant to fight for the liberty of the Nephites, yea, to protect the land unto the laying down of their lives; yea, even they covenanted that they never would give up their liberty, but they would fight in all cases to protect the Nephites and themselves from bondage.” They were willing to give their lives to this work. There are great spiritual parallels here. It’s not just about physical liberty and bondage, but spiritual liberty and overcoming spiritual bondage. Verse 18: “Now behold, there were two thousand of those young men, who entered into this covenant and took their weapons of war to defend their country.” Verse 19: “And now behold, as they never had hitherto been a disadvantage to the Nephites, they became now at this period of time also a great support; for they took their weapons of war, and they would that Helaman should be their leader.” I want to point out two things in this verse. First, I love the wording, “they never had hitherto been a disadvantage to the Nephites.” The parents were feeling the pressure: “Maybe we aren’t doing enough. Maybe we need to break our covenant and take up arms.” They were letting worldly concerns creep in and questioning their worth. And this verse says, no, you have never been a disadvantage. What you’re thinking isn’t true. You’re already doing enough. They were providing food and supporting the Nephites however they could. Now someone else can come in and combine their strengths with yours to be an even greater support. And that’s what their sons did. Second, they wanted Helaman to be their leader. Helaman was a man of God, they recognized that, and they wanted a man of God to lead them. You could discuss how we can follow their example by choosing to follow the Savior and His spokesman, the prophet, and letting them lead us. Verse 20: We already discussed this verse at the beginning of the lesson. Bring it back in and review it. It’s good to drive those points home. Verse 21: “Yea, they were men of truth and soberness, for they had been taught to keep the commandments of God and to walk uprightly before him.” Verse 22: “And now it came to pass that Helaman did march at the head of his two thousand stripling soldiers, to the support of the people in the borders of the land on the south by the west sea.” Alma 56: The Battle Now we jump forward to Alma 56, where Helaman writes to Moroni about what happened to these young men. A little background: at this point, the young men are being used as a decoy to draw the Lamanite armies away from a city the Nephites want to recapture. The Lamanites think, “We can take these guys,” and follow them. At some point, the young men realize the Lamanites are no longer following. Maybe Antipas, the leader of another part of the army, has caught up with them. So they have to decide: stay safe, or join the battle? And the young men make that decision. Verse 44: “Therefore what say ye, my sons, will ye go against them to battle?” Notice that Helaman calls them “my sons.” Truly, that’s what the Lord sees in these young men. Verse 45: “And now I say unto you, my beloved brother Moroni, that never had I seen so great courage, nay, not amongst all the Nephites.” Verse 46: “For as I had ever called them my sons (for they were all of them very young) even so they said unto me: Father, behold our God is with us, and he will not suffer that we should fall; then let us go forth; we would not slay our brethren if they would let us alone; therefore let us go, lest they should overpower the army of Antipas.” The young men make this decision themselves. First, they know God is with them. Second, they know He will guide and protect them. Third, they’re going forward for the right reasons. They don’t want to kill anyone, but they recognize this is a battle, and they’re willing to do what it takes to win the battle the Lord wants them to win. Verse 47: “Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.” Their focus and motives were good and right. They were focused on protecting freedom. And here we see one of the things that helped them become true at all times: their mothers taught them not to doubt that the Lord would deliver them. As leaders of youth, we can be that kind of influence too, teaching them not to doubt that God will deliver them. Verse 48: “And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it.” As you study this lesson and prepare to lead these discussions, strengthen your own testimony that the Lord is with you and will deliver you. As you know that, your youth will come to know it as well. Verse 49: “And it came to pass that I did return with my two thousand against these Lamanites who had pursued us. And now behold, the armies of Antipas had overtaken them, and a terrible battle had commenced.” They turned around and found that Antipas’s army had overtaken the Lamanites, but they needed help. Verse 50: “The army of Antipas being weary, because of their long march in so short a space of time, were about to fall into the hands of the Lamanites; and had I not returned with my two thousand they would have obtained their purpose.” I imagine the Lord was with those young men as they made the decision to go, because they came at just the right time. Something to discuss: as we strengthen our relationship with the Lord and seek the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost, the Spirit helps us know where we need to be and when, and prepares us to take action when the time is right. Verses 52–54: Helaman and the young men fought so fiercely that the whole Lamanite army turned from Antipas’s army to fight them. Then Antipas’s army attacked the Lamanites from behind, and the Lamanites were surrounded. “We, the people of Nephi, the people of Antipas, and I with my two thousand, did surround the Lamanites, and did slay them; yea, insomuch that they were compelled to deliver up their weapons of war and also themselves as prisoners of war.” Verse 55: “And now it came to pass that when they had surrendered themselves up unto us, behold, I numbered those young men who had fought with me, fearing lest there were many of them slain.” Antipas’s army had been losing, and these young men were the strength they needed to win. Helaman is grateful the Lamanites surrendered, but worried about how many of his young men were killed. Verse 56: “But behold, to my great joy, there had not one soul of them fallen to the earth; yea, and they had fought as if with the strength of God; yea, never were men known to have fought with such miraculous strength; and with such mighty power did they fall upon the Lamanites, that they did frighten them; and for this cause did the Lamanites deliver themselves up as prisoners of war.” Because of the trust and faith they put in God, they fought with the strength of God, and not one of them was slain. Closing Questions for the Young Men * How can the young men of our day follow the example of these 2,000 young men? * What connection do you see between their example and keeping your body sacred? I find that second question fascinating, because it isn’t what I’d naturally think of with the stripling warriors. But when we keep our bodies sacred, we find great strength from the Lord. He has given us the gift of physical bodies, and as we turn to Him, we’re able to use them for good: strengthening and lifting others, and being valiant and courageous. Wrapping Up the Month At the end, wrap up the month with the same questions from the young women’s lesson: * As you’ve studied the FSY guide this month, what have you learned about how the Savior helps you keep your body sacred? * How does this help you accomplish His work? These stripling warriors are a great example of how, when we put our faith and trust in God, He helps us fulfill what He asks of us. That goes for keeping our bodies sacred as well. Lesson Plans and Journaling Pages Thank you for joining me this week on the Leading Youth with Confidence podcast. Be sure to check out my Substack, where I have lesson plans that go along with this episode. Paid subscribers also get a journaling page to dive deeper and apply it to yourself, so you can teach, lead, and take part in these discussions with confidence, knowing these things are true. I’ll see you next week as we dive into November’s topic, “The Truth Shall Make You Free.” See you there! Get full access to Beloved & Becoming at karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe (https://karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

5. 

   13 Oct 2026

   The Law of Chastity: A Sacred Gift | For the Strength of Youth Lesson Help

   The Law of Chastity doesn’t have to feel like a taboo topic. In this episode of Leading Youth with Confidence, we walk through this week’s For the Strength of Youth lesson on the Law of Chastity so you can lead your youth discussion with more confidence, purpose, and testimony. God gives us commandments because He loves us, and the Law of Chastity is about trust, loyalty, creation, and covenant family. Using the For the Strength of Youth magazine, we explore what it means to be chaste in our thoughts and our actions, and why sexual feelings are a sacred gift from God. In this episode, you’ll learn: * Why the Law of Chastity is rooted in God’s love, not just rules * How to be chaste in your thoughts by seeking what is “virtuous and lovely” * How media choices (videos, music, and books) affect our thoughts and relationships * The For the Strength of Youth guidelines for taking charge of technology: Purpose, Plan, and Pause * What Joseph in Egypt teaches us about fleeing temptation * The hope of forgiveness after breaking the Law of Chastity through Alma’s counsel to Corianton * How virtue brings power, confidence, and greater self-respect Whether your class chooses the Word of Wisdom or the Law of Chastity this week, this episode gives you a clear path for a Spirit-led discussion based on For the Strength of Youth. Resources mentioned: * For the Strength of Youth magazine, “Learn More About the Law of Chastity” * For the Strength of Youth guide: “Keep Sex and Sexual Feelings Sacred” * 13th Article of Faith * Mosiah 4:30 * Doctrine and Covenants 112:6 * Alma 34:32 * Doctrine and Covenants 101:16 * Genesis 39:7–12 (Joseph and Potiphar’s wife) * Alma 39 and Alma 42:29–31 (Alma’s counsel to Corianton) * Doctrine and Covenants 121:45 * John 14:15 (“If ye love me, keep my commandments”) * Companion episode: Word of Wisdom lesson (https://substack.com/@karenpapin/p-220020516) Coming next week: Proverbs 31 and becoming a covenant child of God. 📥 Get your free Law of Chastity lesson outline! Head to Substack to download a printable For the Strength of Youth lesson outline you can adapt for your class. ✍️ Want to go deeper? Become a paid subscriber. Paid subscribers on Substack receive a Law of Chastity journaling page to go with this week’s For the Strength of Youth lesson. It gives you space to ponder, record impressions, and prepare spiritually before you teach. This post has bonus content for paid subscribers. Upgrade to get full access. Transcript: The Law of Chastity | For the Strength of Youth Commandments Come from God’s Love Sometimes we think of the commandments as rules we have to follow because the Lord told us to. But the commandments are in place because God loves us. He knows what will bring us more joy and happiness in the long run. That’s also true of the law of chastity. Welcome to the Leading Youth with Confidence podcast. I’m your host, Karen Papin, and together we’re diving into the For the Strength of Youth lessons so that we can take part in youth discussions with more confidence, purpose, and testimony. In this episode, we’re talking about the law of chastity. This Sunday is a little different because you can choose to focus on either the Word of Wisdom or the law of chastity. I’ve already made a video on the Word of Wisdom, so check that out if that’s what you or the Lord want to focus on in your lessons this week. This video is on the law of chastity, so let’s dive in. A Sacred Topic, Not a Taboo One I feel this topic is important because we often treat it as taboo, when really it’s an important part of our lives and something very sacred and special. I want to read from this month’s For the Strength of Youth magazine. Under this lesson, “Learn More About the Law of Chastity,” it says: “God approves of sexual relations only between a man and a woman who are married. This is the law of chastity. The law of chastity is about trust, loyalty, creation, and covenant family. Being chaste includes avoiding pornography and treating sex and sexual feelings like a sacred gift from God. It means being sexually pure in thoughts, words, actions, and media choices.” Trust, Loyalty, Creation, and Covenant Family What really stands out to me in that quote is that the law of chastity is about trust, loyalty, creation, and covenant family. Let’s talk about that for a minute. Trust. Trust goes several ways here. The law of chastity is about the trust God has given us in having these bodies and using them in ways that respect them. It’s also about trust in marriage, the connection between a man and a woman who are married and committed to each other, showing that we trust one another and can be trusted. Loyalty. Are we being loyal to our bodies? Are we being loyal to our spouses? Are we being loyal to our Heavenly Father in the stewardship He has given us? Creation. The law of chastity is connected to creation, the fact that we can actually create another human being. That is a sacred and beautiful responsibility. Covenant family. All of these build on and connect with each other. Covenant means we are trusting and trustworthy, loyal, and connected, working together to create a home built on safety, trust, and loyalty. Sexual Feelings Are a Sacred Gift from God The other thing I love about that quote is that it calls sex and sexual feelings a sacred gift from God. He has given us the ability to create another human being, and that is a gift. As we live the law of chastity, we create a home based on trust and loyalty, working together and relying on each other so we can have strength and support as we face the experiences of mortality. The magazine has some great questions and learning activities in this lesson, so let’s dive into those. Question 1: How Can You Be Chaste in Your Thoughts? “The 13th article of faith says that we seek things that are virtuous and lovely. How do you know if something is virtuous and lovely?” I love that this gets us thinking about what is virtuous, what is lovely, and what it means to be chaste in our thoughts. In Mosiah 4:30, we’re told to watch our thoughts, our words, and our deeds. Our thoughts affect how we feel, and how we feel affects what we end up doing. If we go back to our thoughts and focus on what is virtuous and lovely, it changes how we feel and what we do. There’s power in the thoughts we give heed to. Sometimes a thought comes and you can push it out easily. Sometimes it gets stuck. So this is about training our brains to focus on what is virtuous and lovely. Stay Close to the Spirit I feel like I talk about this in every lesson, but it matters: stay close to the Spirit and learn to recognize when it warns you, “This doesn’t help me feel good.” Also notice when something lifts you up and helps you feel more joy and hope, because joy and hope are fruits of the Spirit. So one way we can be more chaste in our thoughts is to seek the Spirit more in our lives. Ask yourself, “Is this drawing me away from the Spirit?” If so, turn your focus to things that are virtuous and lovely, and then go and do what is right. Question 2: How Do Your Media Choices Affect Your Thoughts? I like that this says media choices, because media isn’t just videos. It’s also music and reading. If you’re reading a book and it starts to stray toward sexual content, that’s a signal that maybe it isn’t something you should be reading. Media covers what you watch, what you listen to, and what you read. How Media Affects Relationships There’s a connection between our thoughts, our feelings, and what we end up doing, and that often affects our relationships. Discuss with your youth: “How are these things distancing me from other people, and from those I care about?” Question 3: How Can You Protect Yourself and Others from Harmful Media? One way is simply to be aware that it’s out there. Like I said before, listen to the Spirit and pay attention to how you’re feeling. Feelings are usually triggered by a thought or by something you’ve seen, heard, or read. Check in with yourself. Taking Charge of Technology: Purpose, Plan, Pause I love that the lesson includes guidelines for taking charge of technology. It gives you a plan right in the lesson. Purpose. “I can use technology with a purpose. It doesn’t control me.” The scripture is Doctrine and Covenants 112:6: “Let thy habitation be known in Zion, and remove not thy house; for I, the Lord, have a great work for thee to do, in publishing my name among the children of men.” The Lord has a great work for you to do. Is this technology bringing others closer to the Lord, or am I just getting sucked in? Before you get on your phone or computer, get clear on your purpose. Plan. “When I plan ahead, I feel better and make better choices.” The scripture is Alma 34:32: “For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors.” Right here in this earthly life, you’re preparing to meet your Heavenly Father again. When you plan ahead, you make better choices. Pause. “It’s okay for me to pause and take a break.” This goes along with checking in with yourself: “Is this something I should really be watching, hearing, or reading?” If not, take a break and decide what you’ll do from there. The scripture is Doctrine and Covenants 101:16: “Therefore, let your hearts be comforted concerning Zion; for all flesh is in mine hands; be still and know that I am God.” Many scriptures tell us to be still and know that He is God. It’s in that stillness that we connect with ourselves and with God, and when we do, we’re partnering with Him in our lives. Learning Activity: Three Ways to Protect Your Thoughts The lesson encourages youth to write down three ways they can protect their thoughts this week. That could be limiting screen time, choosing uplifting music, avoiding certain shows, or paying attention to what they’re reading. Is it lifting you up or bringing you down? Is it stirring up sexual feelings? What could you do instead to bring more joy and purpose into your life? You can do this as a group discussion, break into smaller groups, or give the youth quiet time to write and ponder on their own. You Don’t Have to Cover Everything Remember, this lesson isn’t about fitting everything in. There’s a lot here. Focus on what’s most important for the youth you’re teaching. If they have more questions or more to say about one topic, stay there, see what they need to hear, and invite the Spirit into that discussion. Question 4: How Can You Practice Being Chaste in Your Actions? I’m quoting a lot from the magazine this week because there’s so much good in it: “As you live the law of chastity, you become a person who can be trusted, who has self-control, who respects boundaries, and who can create and maintain a covenant relationship.” When you think about it, the law of chastity really is about self-control. It’s about learning to think on a higher level instead of giving in to base emotions and physical urges. This is a call to action: think higher. See yourself as someone capable of overcoming temptation, someone who can be trusted, who respects boundaries, and who is capable of a covenant relationship. Because you are. Whether or not you’ve broken the law of chastity before, you can commit, or recommit, right here and now to live it. Joseph in Egypt The scripture given here is Genesis 39:7–12, the story of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife. She tried to seduce him, and he didn’t give in. He fled. Read that story with your youth and talk about what we can learn from Joseph, and how we can apply it to the temptations we’re bombarded with every single day. Keep Sex and Sexual Feelings Sacred You can also go to the For the Strength of Youth guide, to the section “Keep Sex and Sexual Feelings Sacred.” Talk about what’s okay and what’s not in respecting others and yourself, and discuss how it helps us understand what it means to be chaste in our actions. Question 5: Can a Person Be Forgiven After Breaking the Law of Chastity? This may be really important for some of your youth to hear: even if you have broken the law of chastity, you can be forgiven. The Lord loves you and wants to help you. Satan wants you to think you aren’t worthy anymore, that you’re not worthy of God’s love or His forgiveness. But you are. There is always hope, and you can always come back because of the Savior Jesus Christ. Alma and Corianton I love that the lesson references Alma and his son Corianton. Corianton was serving a mission with his father and brothers, teaching the gospel, and he gave in to temptation and broke the law of chastity. Alma told him to step away from those temptations, rise above them, and turn to the Lord. I’m sure it was hard for Corianton to hear, because Alma laid out plainly how his sins affected the people he was teaching. Alma said: “I would to God that ye had not been guilty of so great a crime. I would not dwell upon your crimes, to harrow up your soul, if it were not for your good. But behold, ye cannot hide your crimes from God; and except ye repent they will stand as a testimony against you at the last day. Now my son, I would that ye should repent and forsake your sins, and go no more after the lusts of your eyes, but cross yourself in all these things; for except ye do this ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.” He also tells Corianton to counsel with his older brothers, because he is young and needs to be nourished by them. And in verse 13, he tells him to turn to the Lord with all his mind, might, and strength, to stop leading hearts away to do wickedly, and to go back, acknowledge his faults, and own the wrong he had done. Alma is telling him, “It’s not too late. The Lord can help you repent. Acknowledge what you’ve done wrong, and turn to Christ to help you overcome these sins and temptations.” Even though Alma didn’t want to have this conversation, he knew it was important. He wanted Corianton to know there is a way back, and it’s through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. “Let These Things Trouble You No More” In Alma 42:29–31, Alma says: “And now, my son, I desire that ye should let these things trouble you no more, and only let your sins trouble you, with that trouble which shall bring you down unto repentance. O my son, I desire that ye should deny the justice of God no more. Do not endeavor to excuse yourself in the least point because of your sins, by denying the justice of God; but do you let the justice of God, and his mercy, and his long-suffering have full sway in your heart; and let it bring you down to the dust in humility. And now, O my son, ye are called of God to preach the word unto this people. And now, my son, go thy way, declare the word with truth and soberness, that thou mayest bring souls unto repentance, that the great plan of mercy may have claim upon them.” You still need to acknowledge when you’ve done something wrong. But Alma is telling Corianton to stop letting his sins weigh him down in shame and to turn to the Lord, who will help him repent and overcome. At the same time, he’s still calling him to preach. Yes, you did this, but you can overcome. There’s always hope, always a way back, and there’s more you can do to bring others unto Christ. So can a person be forgiven after breaking the law of chastity? Of course. The Lord will help you overcome. Always. Invitation: Treat Bodies with Love and Respect Invite your youth to treat their bodies, and others’ bodies, with love and respect. As they do, the Lord will bless them with greater self-respect and self-worth. Their divine worth stays the same; they are always of worth. But the way they see themselves will grow as they fill their lives with virtuous and lovely thoughts. Virtue Garnishes Our Thoughts I want to share Doctrine and Covenants 121:45: “Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven.” What I love about this is that as you live the law of chastity, you gain greater love and respect for yourself and for others. That helps you be full of charity toward all. And as you let virtue garnish your thoughts unceasingly, you gain greater confidence before the Lord and among others, because you’re staying true to what you know is right. Virtue Is Power One definition of virtue is actually power. There is power that comes from living the law of chastity, because we become someone who is trustworthy, loyal, and capable of a covenant relationship with God and with a spouse. That power gives us the strength and confidence to do what the Lord asks of us. Closing Testimony: “If Ye Love Me, Keep My Commandments” Thank you for joining me this week to talk about the law of chastity. I hope you’ve gained a greater love and understanding for this law. I served my mission on Temple Square, and after the recording at the Christus statue, my companion and I would share our testimonies of the Savior. I remember my companion quoting, “If ye love me, keep my commandments,” and talking about how He gives us commandments because He loves us. I have seen that to be true. As we keep the commandments, we’re promised beautiful blessings. The Lord gives us commandments because He knows what will help us be happier and stronger, and receive the joy He wants to give us. The law of chastity is one of those commandments that brings greater joy, peace, and confidence as we live it. Next Week and Lesson Outline Next week, we’ll dive into Proverbs 31 and learn more about the woman described there, and how she can help us become covenant children of God. In the meantime, head to Substack to download a lesson outline. Adapt it however you’d like; it’s there to help you get started planning your lesson. I’ll put the link in the show notes, and I’ll see you next week as we talk about becoming a covenant child of God. Get full access to Beloved & Becoming at karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe (https://karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

6. 

   12 Oct 2026

   Word of Wisdom Lesson for Youth: Spiritual Blessings and Promises | For the Strength of Youth October 2026

   Many youth see the Word of Wisdom as a simple list of what to avoid. But the Word of Wisdom is so much more. It affects us both physically and spiritually. In this week’s lesson, we explore the spiritual blessings of the Word of Wisdom using the October For the Strength of Youth magazine and Doctrine and Covenants 89. This week you can choose between the Word of Wisdom and the law of chastity. This episode covers the Word of Wisdom lesson, and the law of chastity lesson comes out tomorrow so you can decide which one your class needs most. In this Word of Wisdom lesson, we cover: * Why the Lord gave the Word of Wisdom, and the story behind the revelation given to Joseph Smith in 1833 * What “adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all saints” teaches us about turning to the Lord for strength * My 30-day no-sugar challenge, and what I learned about turning to the Lord instead of to food * The promises attached to the Word of Wisdom in D&C 89:18–21 * How to live the Word of Wisdom daily, plus a simple “Am I hungry or am I hurting?” check-in to try before you eat * How Daniel and his friends were blessed for obeying the Lord’s law of health Discussion questions from the For the Strength of Youth magazine: * What promises are attached to living the Word of Wisdom? * How can you live the Word of Wisdom daily? * How does the Lord bless those who obey the Word of Wisdom? Resources: * Doctrine and Covenants 89 (verses 3, 7–17, and 18–21) * Daniel 1:15–20 * For the Strength of Youth magazine, October 2026: “Learn More about the Word of Wisdom” * Preach My Gospel: Obey the Word of Wisdom * Gospel Topics: Word of Wisdom * Divine Worth Summit: Made Whole, on the mind-body-spirit connection [Divine Worth Summit] (https://karenpapincoaching.thrivecart.com/summit26/) Get your free lesson outline:Want to teach this Word of Wisdom lesson with confidence? Head to Substack to download and print the full lesson outline. It includes the scriptures, the For the Strength of Youth discussion questions, and activity ideas, all ready for Sunday. 👉 [Karen’s Substack] (https://karenpapin.substack.com/) Go deeper with the Word of Wisdom journaling page:Paid subscribers also get a Word of Wisdom journaling page. It is designed to help you better understand how the Word of Wisdom blesses you physically and spiritually. Taking time to ponder and write before Sunday will give you more confidence, whether you are teaching the lesson or taking part in the discussion. Become a paid subscriber on Substack to get this week’s journaling page along with every weekly page. 👉 [Karen’s Substack] (https://karenpapin.substack.com/) This post has bonus content for paid subscribers. Upgrade to get full access. Transcript Introduction: More Than a List of Do’s and Don’ts As a youth, I saw the Word of Wisdom as, “Okay, these are the things that I need to stay away from, and this is okay for me to eat.” I was thinking about it in a very literal way. I think a lot of times the youth tend to look at it as a list of do’s and don’ts. However, the Word of Wisdom is so much more, and it affects us both physically and spiritually. So this lesson is about being able to recognize and understand the spiritual blessings that come from the Word of Wisdom. Welcome to the Leading Youth with Confidence podcast. I’m your host, Karen Papin, and this week is a little bit different, because general conference was at the beginning of the month. Last week we dove into the overview of this month and how our bodies are sacred. This week we get to choose: are we going to dive more into the Word of Wisdom, or more into the law of chastity? Here’s how I’m going to handle that for this podcast. In this video I’m going to share the lesson on the Word of Wisdom. My next video, which I’ll post tomorrow, will be on the law of chastity. You can watch both of them and then decide which one you feel your class needs to hear. Our Bodies Are Sacred Gifts To begin, I want to share this quote from Preach My Gospel: “Our bodies are sacred gifts from God. We each need a physical body to become more like Him. Our bodies are so important that the scriptures compare them to temples. The Lord wants us to treat our bodies with respect.” It goes on to say that this is why He has revealed this law of health called the Word of Wisdom. In the For the Strength of Youth magazine, under “Learn More about the Word of Wisdom,” it says: “The Word of Wisdom is the Lord’s guide to help you take care of your body and mind. It teaches what things are good for you and what to avoid so you can feel your best and stay close to the Spirit.” The Physical and Spiritual Sides of the Word of Wisdom There are really two aspects to the Word of Wisdom. One is the physical, the temporal side. It helps you treat your body with more kindness and more respect, and by doing these things you will have more strength and more energy. Then there’s the spiritual component. As you learn what things are good and what things to avoid in relation to what you’re doing with your body, it helps you stay close to the Spirit. I think that happens in a few ways. First, our bodies and our spirits are closely connected. Together they create our soul, right? So what we do with one affects the other. Second, you’re also teaching yourself how to listen to the Spirit in the things you are doing with your body, whether that’s what you’re eating or not eating. There’s a wisdom that comes from learning how to embrace good things and avoid the things that pull you away from the Spirit or keep you from truly respecting your body. What Is the Word of Wisdom? The Word of Wisdom is a revelation that was given through the Prophet Joseph Smith at Kirtland, Ohio, on February 27, 1833. Like many of the revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants, it began with a question Joseph Smith had. People were using tobacco in their meetings as they gathered together, and it was having an impact on a few people. The Prophet pondered this and then went to the Lord to ask Him, and section 89 is the Lord’s response. A Principle with Promise for the Weakest of All Saints The beautiful thing I love about section 89 is verse 3. It says it is “given for a principle with promise, adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all saints, who are or can be called saints.” What I love about that is there are promises involved as we keep the Word of Wisdom. I also love the phrase “adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all saints.” When we recognize our weaknesses related to the Word of Wisdom, or really any weakness, we can turn to the Lord. He can give us strength beyond our own and increase our capacity to follow through on keeping the Word of Wisdom. My 30-Day No-Sugar Challenge Toward the beginning of the year, one of my daughters was diagnosed with prediabetes, so we changed a lot about how we were eating. One realization I had was that a lot of times I was turning to sugar more than I was turning to the Lord. So I did a 30-day no-sugar challenge. My first purpose was to show my daughter, “Hey, I’m here with you. I’m going to work on this with you.” My second purpose was to really turn more to the Lord in those efforts. What I realized was that if I yoked myself to the Lord in my challenge, He would help me have the strength, and I could grow closer to Him through the process. So if you are someone who is struggling with the Word of Wisdom and the things it asks of us, turn to the Lord, because He can help you overcome. Discussion Question 1: What Promises Are Attached to Living the Word of Wisdom? One of the discussion questions in the For the Strength of Youth magazine for this lesson is a great one: What promises are attached to living the Word of Wisdom? As I said, Doctrine and Covenants 89:3 tells us it’s a principle with promise. As a group, or split into smaller groups, read through section 89 and list some of those promises. The Promises in D&C 89:18–21 Verses 18 through 21 are really where a lot of those blessings come in. They say that “all saints who remember to keep and do these things, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones.” So we’re going to have better health if we follow the counsel in the Word of Wisdom. They “shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures.” So not only will we receive better health, we’ll also grow in wisdom. One way I already mentioned is that it helps us better understand, “Okay, this is something that’s bringing me closer to the Lord or helping my body feel stronger,” or, “This is dampening my spirit and distancing me from the Lord.” That’s one way we can grow in wisdom. You can even take the discussion deeper by asking: How does the Word of Wisdom help us grow in wisdom? Verse 20 says they “shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint.” To me, that means He’s going to help us fulfill the things He asks of us. And verse 21: “And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them.” So there are great, beautiful blessings that come from living the Word of Wisdom. Discussion Question 2: How Can You Live the Word of Wisdom Daily? Another question to discuss as a group is: How can you live the Word of Wisdom daily? From the magazine: “To protect your body, the Word of Wisdom helps you stay healthy, make good choices, and keep your mind clear so you can feel the Spirit more easily. Talk about how living the Word of Wisdom affects your choices each day.” What I love about that quote is that it reminds us the Word of Wisdom helps us keep our minds clear so we can feel the Spirit more. As I said, this is not just about physical health; it’s spiritual as well. When we read something like “the destroying angel shall pass by them, and not slay them,” sometimes that is about more spiritual things, and sometimes it is more literal, that yes, you will be saved physically as well. That might come up, and it’s something you can also discuss. What Does the Word of Wisdom Actually Say? So what exactly does the Word of Wisdom say? Strong drinks are not for the belly. Verses 7 through 17 really go into what’s good for the body and what isn’t. Fruits and vegetables should be used, and what I like is that it says “with prudence and thanksgiving.” So bring in some gratitude for the things you have to eat. The flesh of beasts, or meat, is also to be used by man with thanksgiving, but used sparingly. It keeps bringing us back to, “Hey, be grateful for these things you have,” right? Then there are grains such as wheat, rice, and oats, which are the staff of life. Those are the main things to take into your body. To me, that means more whole foods and not necessarily all the processed foods, but that is my personal opinion. It’s up to you. Pray about it and figure out what those things mean for you. In Gospel Topics under “Word of Wisdom,” it says the Lord revealed in the Word of Wisdom that the following substances are harmful: alcoholic drinks, tobacco, tea, and coffee. We’ve also received additional instruction from Church leaders about being aware of the misuse of prescription drugs, the recreational use of marijuana, vaping, and other things that can be highly addictive. Temperance and Paying Attention To me, the Word of Wisdom has always been about temperance, about recognizing, understanding, and just paying attention. Is this actually helping my body feel better, or is it making my body feel worse? That’s why I feel it’s so important to have the Spirit with us, so we can recognize what’s going on. The Beginner’s Mind: Am I Hungry or Am I Hurting? One powerful thing that helps us discern this is being present when we eat. As a life coach, one of the things I learned in my training is something called the beginner’s mind. You completely focus on being present: How does this taste? What’s the texture like? What else is going on in my surroundings? What am I feeling inside? You try to experience it as if for the first time. When you do that with eating, you become more aware of how something tastes and whether you’re still hungry. You start to notice whether you’re eating because you’re hungry or because you’re feeling something, because a lot of times we try to satisfy our emotional feelings with food. So here’s a small and simple action you can take. Before you eat anything, take some deep breaths and check in with yourself. Put one hand on your heart and the other on your stomach and ask, “Am I hungry, or am I hurting?” See where that hunger is coming from. That’s something that can really help us as well. Discussion Question 3: How Does the Lord Bless Those Who Obey the Word of Wisdom? The last question in the For the Strength of Youth magazine is: How does the Lord bless those who obey the Word of Wisdom? I find it interesting that it asks this, because we already discussed the promises attached to living the Word of Wisdom, and now we’re asking how the Lord blesses those who obey it. The magazine points to Daniel in the Old Testament and his friends, and how they obeyed the law of health the Lord had given for their time. Read Daniel 1 to learn about that experience. Daniel and His Friends Daniel 1:15 says, “And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king’s meat.” Verses 17 through 20 say: “As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. … And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.” You can see how the Lord blessed Daniel and his friends. It wasn’t just that they received health or became wiser and more understanding; they also found favor in the sight of the king. Then you can talk about how we can be like Daniel and his friends, also known as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and how they stood up for their faith. This was one of those earlier tests: “Am I going to do what the king is telling me to do, or what the Lord tells me to do?” They did what the Lord told them to do, and because of that they were blessed. That’s another great thing to discuss. Do you see how, in this example, the Word of Wisdom they were given in their time blessed them not only physically, but spiritually and temporally in other ways as well? The same is true for us. The Word of Wisdom can bless us physically, spiritually, and temporally. Closing: The Lord’s Love in the Word of Wisdom Our minds, our bodies, and our spirits are all interconnected. I do feel the Word of Wisdom is something we can all work on and apply. As we gain a greater understanding of it and how to apply it in our lives, and really seek to see the spiritual blessings we receive from it, we are able to see just how much the Lord loves us. He loves us so much that He has given us this law of health to give us the strength, energy, and wisdom He wants us to have. I hope you enjoyed this lesson. Remember that on Substack you can print off a lesson outline. If you want to dive more into this mind-body-spirit connection, we discussed it a couple of times in the Divine Worth Summit, and you can check that out through the link in the show notes. The theme is Made Whole: how, as we turn to Christ, we can be made whole in mind, body, and spirit. In my next video I will dive more into the law of chastity, which you can also choose to teach this week. I will see you there. Get full access to Beloved & Becoming at karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe (https://karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

7. 

   6 Oct 2026

   For the Strength of Youth: October 11 | Your Body Is Sacred: FSY Lesson

   When you look at your body, do you see the gift Heavenly Father has given you, or only the flaws? This week on Leading Youth with Confidence (formerly Strength to Become), we prepare for Sunday, October 11, and open October’s For the Strength of Youth (FSY) topic: Your Body Is Sacred. Because of General Conference, this Sunday covers the first For the Strength of Youth lesson for the month, an overview that sets up next week’s choice between the Word of Wisdom and the Law of Chastity, and the final week’s focus on becoming a covenant daughter or son of God. In this episode, Karen walks through: * 1 Corinthians 6:18–20 and what it means that your body is a temple * The three eternal truths from the For the Strength of Youth guide: your body is in the image of God, your soul is your body and spirit together, and sexual feelings are sacred and part of God’s plan * A personal mission story about the connection between caring for your body and feeling the Spirit * How to set identity-based goals (”My body is a gift, so I’ll care for it”) instead of flaw-focused ones * The invitations, promised blessings (including D&C 121:45), and the FSY Q&A on dress, temptation, same-sex attraction, and abuse * How this month’s lessons help prepare youth for temple recommend questions Confidence Tip: Before your next lesson or activity, take three deep breaths and silently pray, “Heavenly Father, thank you for this body, which allows me to breathe.” Whether you’re a youth leader, parent, or youth, this episode will help you teach For the Strength of Youth with confidence by first living it yourself. Resources & Links: * Divine Worth Summit: Made Whole — October 19–23, five days of women sharing how they found their worth through Jesus Christ. Free when you register before October 19: karenpapincoaching.thrivecart.com/summit26/ (https://karenpapincoaching.thrivecart.com/summit26/) * Weekly Journaling Pages for each episode are available to paid subscribers on Substack: karenpapin.substack.com (https://karenpapin.substack.com/) * For the Strength of Youth (FSY) guide and 1 Corinthians 6:18–20, D&C 121:45, Proverbs 31 FSY Lesson Plan Teaching this Sunday? Download the free Your Body Is Sacred FSY lesson plan PDF to guide your For the Strength of Youth discussion, with the three eternal truths, discussion questions, and the invitations ready to go. Companion Journaling Page Before you can help the youth see their bodies as a gift, it helps to see your own that way. Become a paid subscriber to get this week’s companion journaling page, designed to help you recognize your own body’s worth, shift negative thoughts into gratitude, and set an identity-based goal rooted in the truth that your body is sacred. Subscribe here (https://karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe) This post has bonus content for paid subscribers. Upgrade to get full access. Transcript Introduction: What Do You See? When you look at your body, what do you see? When you think of your body, what do you feel? Do you look at your body and see the gift that is there, this beautiful gift that Heavenly Father has given you? Or do you just see the flaws and the different limitations that you have? This month in the For the Strength of Youth lessons is about changing your perspective on how you view your body. It’s about changing those negative thoughts and being able to recognize and see your body for the gift that it is: that it is sacred, that it is beautiful, that our Heavenly Father has given this body to you. Welcome to the Leading Youth with Confidence podcast, where we are going from unsure to unshakable as we dive into the For the Strength of Youth lessons. For those who have been listening, you’ll notice that I have changed the name of the podcast. I’ve gone from Strength to Become to Leading Youth with Confidence, because I’ve realized that really that is the purpose of this podcast: to help you lead the youth with confidence. As we dive into these discussions, you’ll be able to gain your own testimony and understanding of the truthfulness of these things, so that you can then lead the youth with confidence in these discussions on Sunday. Whether you are a youth, a youth leader, or a parent, these lessons are for you, to help you lead those you love and have stewardship over with confidence as you embrace these lessons in your own life as well. And so with that, this month we are talking about how the body is sacred. A Puffy Eye and a Shift in Perspective Right now, as I’m recording this, even in video format, my eye is really puffy. I’ve had an allergic reaction in my eye, and I could have gotten on here and just done audio instead of video, because to me it stands out. It’s puffy; it’s reacting to whatever it was I’m allergic to. And yet I’m like, okay, I’m going to talk about this, because that’s not going to keep me hiding. I’m still going to be able to use my voice, which is a beautiful gift that has been given through my body. And I’m going to use my voice to share and teach and talk about this lesson. Not only that, but I can shift my perspective about what’s going on with my eye and instead focus on how my eye gives me the ability to see. It helps me recognize what’s going on in the lives of my family and those I interact with, if I allow myself to open my mind and my heart and my eyes to see those things. It also helps me see the beauty that is within this world. I can look up and see the clouds in the sky. I can see the changing colors on the trees. I can see all of these beautiful things because my eye is a gift. Each time we think about our bodies, we have the ability to choose: am I going to focus on what I see as perceived flaws, or do I want to focus on the beauty that is my body? This month is going to be great, because we get to dive more into why our bodies are gifts and the different things we can do to recognize that, wow, my body really is sacred. It is something my Father wants me to have, and it helps me experience life in a way I would not be able to in any other way. This Month’s FSY Lessons at a Glance Even though it’s the second week in October, this Sunday we are covering the first For the Strength of Youth lesson because of General Conference. The first lesson is the overview of what we will be talking about, which is that the body is sacred. The following week, we choose whether we’re going to learn more about the Word of Wisdom or the law of chastity. The last week, the young women focus on a woman in the scriptures, specifically Proverbs 31, with the focus of becoming a covenant daughter of God. The young men focus on the stripling warriors, with the focus of becoming a covenant son of God. Your Body Is a Temple: 1 Corinthians 6:18–20 To begin, I want to start with First Corinthians chapter six, verses eighteen through twenty: “Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” This scripture talks about how we can sin against our own bodies, and how these bodies are not just a gift to us; we actually have stewardship over them. He is asking us to take care of our bodies. Why? Because they are temples. So we can ask ourselves: What does it mean that our bodies are temples? How do we treat the temple, which is sacred? How can we apply the temple being sacred to our bodies being sacred? How can we use our bodies in a way that glorifies God instead of misusing them and not treating them the way they deserve? The For the Strength of Youth guide says: “Your body is an amazing gift from your Heavenly Father. Having a body gives you increased power to exercise your freedom to choose between right and wrong. The restored gospel of Jesus Christ can help you see your body from God’s perspective, and this makes a big difference in your choices about what to do with your body and how to care for it.” A Mission Lesson on Body and Spirit [When I was on my mission, I] had a wonderful meal, and it was so good that I ended up overeating. I felt uncomfortably full, and I could feel the difference in my ability to feel the Spirit, because I became more focused on that uncomfortable feeling of being too full. That moment has always stuck with me, because I realized there really is a connection between our spirits and our bodies. As we take better care of our bodies, we have more energy and strength to help God’s children and serve others, and it also helps us more easily feel the Spirit in our lives. Does that mean we can’t feel the Spirit when we are really sick for reasons outside our control? No, we can still have the Spirit with us. However, when we are not treating our bodies with love and respect and taking care of them, it can be more of a struggle to feel the Spirit. So let’s dive into the eternal truths in this For the Strength of Youth lesson so we can gain a better understanding of just how amazing these bodies are. Eternal Truth #1: Your Body Is in the Image of God Right there is a gift in and of itself: we are in the image of God. It reminds us of who we truly are as children of God, and that Heavenly Father loves us so much that He gave us these bodies in His image. While our bodies may not be perfect in this life, because of our Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ, they will be perfected someday. This life is actually preparing us for the glorified, resurrected body we will have someday. One thing I found interesting in the quote from the For the Strength of Youth guide is that having a body gives us increased power to exercise our freedom to choose between right and wrong. That’s a great question to discuss: How does a body give us increased power to exercise our freedom? For me personally, having a body helps me experience the full range of humanity. It helps me not just know things in my mind, but actually experience them. We can do all we can to be book smart, to study and read and learn all the things, but it’s not until we experience them and put them into practice that we start to truly understand what they mean. I recently had a discussion with a friend about the mind, body, spirit connection, and how because we have bodies, we experience the full range of emotions. We can experience a much deeper joy because we feel it not just in our spirits, but in our bodies. We feel it with our whole soul. There’s a whole range of emotions we can experience so much more deeply and fully because we have our bodies. It is a learning experience to know what to do with all these emotions that are amplified because we have a body. And yet it is through combining our spirit and our body that we are able to have a fullness of joy. Eternal Truth #2: Your Soul Is Made Up of Your Body and Your Spirit This goes along with what I was just talking about. When we combine our body and our spirit, we experience a fuller range of emotions. And going back to my mission story, when I ate too much, there was a difference in how well I could feel the Spirit leading and guiding me in my missionary service. That really showed me the mind, body, spirit connection. Some questions to consider: * When have I experienced a fuller range of emotions because I have this body? * What are the ways I have seen the spirit-body connection in my own life? * Why is it important for me to have both my spirit and my body, and that connection between them? The Word of Wisdom and the Spirit That’s why the Word of Wisdom can be so important: there is that connection. We can set goals around taking care of our bodies, whether that’s getting the rest we need, eating well, moving our bodies, or even taking deep breaths to process the emotions we are experiencing. All of those are ways we can take care of our bodies. When I read the Word of Wisdom, I’ve found that it’s not just about “do this” or “do that” to take care of your body. It’s about allowing the Spirit into our lives so we can recognize when what we are doing with our bodies is distancing us from the Lord. I did a 30-day no-sugar challenge because I realized I was turning to sugar more than I was turning to the Lord. I’m not saying that’s the case with you, but read the Word of Wisdom and pay attention to the things you’re doing, or not doing, with your body that can strengthen that body and spirit connection and help you feel the Spirit more fully in your life. Setting Identity-Based Goals When it comes to setting goals around taking better care of your body, I’ve found it’s best to set an identity-based goal. By that I mean focusing on how your body is sacred instead of on its flaws. If I focus on “I want to lose this much weight,” I’m focused on something I see as negative in my body. But what if you shifted that perspective and focused on the identity-based goal of “My body is a gift, and it is sacred”? * I am going to move my body more so I can take care of it and show that it is sacred to me. * I am going to eat a veggie before every meal, carrots or broccoli or whatever it is, because my body is a gift. Do you see how that can shift your perspective and inspire you to want to take even more care of your body? That positive focus helps you move forward from a place of: Wow, I am a beloved child of God, and He has given me this body. I am going to be a good steward in taking care of it. Eternal Truth #3: Sexual Feelings Are Sacred The third eternal truth is that sexual feelings are an important part of God’s plan to create happy marriages and eternal families. This goes along with the body and spirit connection, because when these feelings are expressed the way God intends, within a marriage between a man and a woman who are committed to each other, it helps them feel more connected in mind, body, and spirit. The For the Strength of Youth guide says: “These feelings are not sinful—they are sacred. Because sexual feelings are so sacred and so powerful, God has given you His law of chastity to prepare you to use these feelings as He intends. The law of chastity states that God approves of sexual activity only between a man and a woman who are married. Many people ignore or mock God’s law, but the Lord invites us to be His disciples and live a higher standard.” I love that it says these feelings are not sinful; they are sacred. And because they are sacred, we prepare ourselves to use them the way God intends. A great question to go along with this eternal truth: Why does it matter that we see these feelings as sacred? How does that shift our perspective about the law of chastity? A Note for Teachers Those are the three eternal truths this month focuses on. Remember, when you’re giving these lessons, it’s not about getting all the information out. Start with the one eternal truth you feel you need to cover and discuss it. Then, if you have time, go into another. It’s not about getting all the eternal truths in. Prayerfully consider which one you need to start with as you lead and guide these youth. The Invitations 1. Treat your body and others’ bodies with respect. When you’re thinking about what you’re wearing, what you’re doing, how you’re using your body that day, and how you interact with others, are you showing respect to your body and to those around you? 2. Do things that will strengthen your body, not things that will hurt or damage it. Take a moment and think: What are the good things God has provided that will help strengthen my body? What can I eat to strengthen my body? How can I move my body to strengthen it more? And what can actually damage my body, such as alcohol, tobacco, coffee, and tea? Even substances that are sometimes helpful, like prescription drugs, can be destructive if we’re not using them in a way that strengthens us. I think a big part of the Word of Wisdom is about temperance and paying attention to the Spirit concerning the things we consume. Is this bringing me closer to God and benefiting my body? If it’s not, change. Let’s use our agency to turn things around and focus on strengthening our bodies and making them healthier, so we can be a greater strength and influence on others. 3. Keep sex and sexual feelings sacred. The For the Strength of Youth guide says these things are not to be the subject of jokes or entertainment. Pay attention to what you’re looking at, reading, and listening to, and how it affects your body in relation to these feelings. Then do the things that will pull you away from those temptations. If you’re reading something and those feelings come up, that’s an indicator: this is not something I should be reading. The same can happen with what you watch or listen to. Pay attention to the temptations that can lead you to break the law of chastity. The Promised Blessings As we seek to live these invitations, there are beautiful blessings promised. 1. Your respect for yourself and others will increase. Doctrine and Covenants 121:45 says, “Let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God.” As we have virtuous thoughts, we become more confident. We gain a greater love and respect for our bodies, our spirits, and our whole souls as we treat ourselves and others with love and respect. 2. The Lord has promised great treasures of knowledge to those who keep the Word of Wisdom. 3. Living the law of chastity brings God’s approval and personal spiritual power. I could see diving more into this in a later lesson, because one of the definitions of virtue is actually power. There is great power that comes from living a virtuous life and following the law of chastity. Questions and Answers in the FSY Guide At the end of the lesson, there are some great questions and answers the youth might have. Review them and consider whether they’re things you need to discuss in your class. What is the Lord’s standard on dress, grooming, tattoos, and piercings? The guide says: “The Lord’s standard is for you to honor the sacredness of your body, even when this means being different from other people. Let this truth and the Spirit be your guide as you make decisions, especially decisions that have lasting effects on your body.” It then encourages you to be wise and seek counsel from parents and leaders. How can I overcome temptations and bad habits? This is a great discussion to have together. Sometimes the youth have great ideas that help other youth overcome temptations and bad habits, and that can help you too. I am attracted to people of my same sex. How do these standards apply to me? This is something your youth might be struggling with, so if you discuss it, lead with love. I was abused and I feel ashamed. Am I guilty of sin? The For the Strength of Youth guide makes this very clear: “No. Being a victim of any abuse or assault does not make you guilty of sin. The Savior loves you. He is your strength. He wants to help you, heal you, and give you peace. Trusted professional counselors, your family members, and your leaders can also help.” Preparing for the Temple What I love about all these lessons is that they help the youth prepare to enter the temple. At the very end, the lesson reviews the related temple recommend questions, because we make special covenants with the Lord in the temple: * The Lord has said that all things are to be done in cleanliness before Him. Do you strive for moral cleanliness in your thoughts and behavior? * Do you obey the law of chastity? * Do you understand and obey the Word of Wisdom? This month will really help prepare the youth, both physically and spiritually, to enter the temple. This Week’s Challenge As you prepare to teach, I encourage you to take time each day to specifically look for the ways your body is a gift. When you start to think negatively about your body, replace that thought with something neutral or positive, like I did with my eye at the beginning. It’s itchy and it’s bothering me, and yet I know it helps me see. I also know my body can do a lot of other amazing things, and that’s worth celebrating. Confidence Tip: Three Grateful Breaths Before your next activity or lesson, or even before you walk into the room, pause and take three deep breaths. With each one, say a silent prayer: “Heavenly Father, thank you for this body, which allows me to breathe.” Breathe in, and release. Breathe in again: “Thank you for this body, which allows me to breathe.” And again: “Thank you for this body, which allows me to breathe.” It may sound simple, and it is. But as you intentionally look for one of the ways we are blessed to have bodies, something as simple as the ability to breathe, it helps you feel more confident in your own body and gain a greater appreciation for it. Our Heavenly Father has given us this beautiful gift. Let’s move forward embracing it and helping the youth recognize that gift as well, not just through our words but through our example. You have an amazing gift: your body. Thank you for joining me in this lesson today. Resources and Closing If you want to strengthen your own confidence and believe more in your worth so you can set a better example for those you lead, I invite you to join me at the Divine Worth Summit, happening October 19th through 23rd. The theme is Made Whole: five days of women sharing how they have found their worth through the Savior Jesus Christ. It’s free if you register before October 19th, and I would love to see you there. Click the link in the show notes to learn more. I also have weekly journaling pages that go along with each podcast episode, available to paid subscribers on my Substack. That link is in the show notes as well. Thank you for joining me this week. I hope you gained a greater understanding and appreciation for your body as we discussed these things. I look forward to diving more into the Word of Wisdom and the law of chastity next week. I’ll see you there. Get full access to Beloved & Becoming at karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe (https://karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

8. 

   29 Sept 2026

   How to Help Youth Lead Gospel Discussions | For the Strength of Youth (FSY)

   With general conference this weekend, there’s no For the Strength of Youth (FSY) lesson this week, so we’re doing something a little different. We invite our youth to take part in Sunday discussions and even lead them, but we don’t always teach them how. In this episode, I share practical ways youth leaders and parents can help young men and young women grow into confident discussion leaders. We start with creating a safe place where youth feel loved enough to step outside their comfort zone, seeing them the way the Savior sees them, and meeting each one where they are. I share how my own reserved daughter has grown step by step, from reading a prepared quote to sharing her own comments. From there, we walk through the four principles of Christlike teaching from Teaching in the Savior’s Way and how they apply to youth leading their For the Strength of Youth (FSY) lessons: love those you teach, teach by the Spirit, teach the doctrine, and invite diligent learning. Then we get into the practical skills youth may not know yet: * How to start a discussion and assign small-group leaders * How to ask open-ended questions (what, why, how) * How to really listen and build on each other’s comments * How to handle silence without panicking * How to follow up and go deeper * How to disagree without contention * How to keep the group focused * How to summarize and connect ideas * How to end with an invitation to act and a testimony Whether you’re a youth leader, a parent, or a teen preparing to teach your For the Strength of Youth (FSY) lesson, this episode will help you see that our youth are capable, called, and ready to take the next step. Resources mentioned: * For the Strength of Youth (FSY) guide and weekly lesson material, including the suggested actions at the end of each lesson * Teaching in the Savior’s Way manual, including the quote on how the Savior sees people, the lesson planning outline (scriptures, questions, teaching aids, invitations and promised blessings), and the Christlike teaching personal evaluation * Galatians 5:22–23, the fruits of the Spirit * President Emily Belle Freeman’s general conference talk on how Christ meets us where we are Next week: We dive into the October For the Strength of Youth (FSY) lessons and talk about how our bodies are sacred. Journaling Page: You give your youth room to grow, and this week's journaling page gives you that same grace. Become a paid subscriber to download it, along with weekly journaling pages and a monthly action calendar. This post has bonus content for paid subscribers. Upgrade to get full access. Episode Transcript Welcome Welcome to the Strength to Become podcast, where we dive into the For the Strength of Youth lessons so that we can have the strength to become who He sees in us. I’m excited about today’s lesson. On Sunday we have general conference, so this week is a little different because there isn’t a For the Strength of Youth lesson. As I was thinking about what to share, I thought I could do a lesson on preparing for general conference. That would make sense with conference coming up. But as I thought and prayed about it, something else came to my mind: we need to teach our youth the skills they need to lead. One of the things I love about the gospel and the Church is that we encourage the youth to participate in discussions, and we even invite them to teach. But that doesn’t necessarily mean they know how. So today I want to talk about how we can prepare our youth to participate in Sunday discussions and help them lead those discussions better. As I prepared, I realized that when adults are called to a teaching or leadership calling, we meet every so often for a lesson from the Teaching in the Savior’s Way manual. Our youth don’t have that. I’ve also noticed, as my daughter takes a few online classes, that when the students break into small groups, they don’t always know how to facilitate a discussion among themselves. With my own kids, there are times I expect them to already know how to do something, and when it comes time to actually do it, I realize they still need to learn. The same can be true when it comes to participating in or leading a group discussion. Other times they do know how, but they don’t have the confidence to realize it, or fear keeps them from moving forward. Tip 1: Create a Safe Place The first tip is the importance of creating a safe place. This is a learning opportunity for youth, a growth opportunity. In a Church setting, they can step outside their comfort zone in a place where they can feel our love, feel the Lord’s love, and have the Spirit with them. It’s important for us to create a space where they feel that love and feel safe. Maybe they don’t feel ready to step outside their comfort zone, but they feel safe enough to know that if they do, we’ll be there encouraging them and helping them take those steps forward. So encourage them to participate, and let them know it’s okay if things don’t turn out the way they’d like. It’s okay to make mistakes, because that’s part of the learning process. Teach them in a way that lets them know: You’re loved. You can do this. You are capable, and the Lord is with you, helping you. Whether or not they make a mistake, the Lord will help them make weaknesses become strong as they take action in learning how to lead and discuss. See Them the Way the Savior Sees Them One of the things that helps create this atmosphere of love is seeing those in our class the way the Savior sees them. I love this quote from the Teaching in the Savior’s Way manual: “The Savior saw people not just as they appeared to be but as they really were and as they could become. In unpolished fishermen like Simon, Andrew, James, and John, He saw the future leaders of His Church. In the feared persecutor Saul, He saw a chosen vessel who would preach His gospel before kings and nations. And in you and each person you teach, the Savior sees a son or daughter of God with limitless potential.” When we give our youth the opportunity to participate in or lead these discussions, we’re helping them see that they’re more capable than they realize. It’s important to help them see the potential within themselves. Meet Them Where They Are How do we do that? President Emily Belle Freeman gave a wonderful conference talk a while back about how Christ meets us where we are. The same is true for us. Not only are we seeing their potential, we’re also meeting them at the level they’re currently at. I say this from personal experience. My daughter is very reserved and struggles to talk with her peers, so her level of participation is different from some of her peers who are more comfortable facilitating discussions. There will be young men and young women who plan their lesson, get up there, and teach with confidence. Some will be nervous and do it anyway. And then some, like my daughter, will need a little more support. Her leader gives her a quote ahead of time so she can prepare. Sometimes all she’s comfortable with in that moment is reading the quote. Other times she’s willing to share a comment. What we’re doing is meeting her where she is so she can learn and grow, while still giving her opportunities to step outside her comfort zone, take the next step, and in time get to a place where she can lead a discussion. It’s been amazing to see how much she has grown as we’ve encouraged her to stretch. I’m usually there during her live classes to coach her and let her know, You can do this, and she’s making more comments in her class discussions. Some youth in our classes will need that kind of strength and support too. Something that helps my daughter is knowing ahead of time what’s expected of her. Then she can prepare what she wants to say, so it’s not so on-the-spot. Not everyone needs that. Some youth can be given an assignment, study it, and get up and lead the discussion. So what do we need to do? Get to know our youth. Learn where they are so we can help them find the next level, whether that’s sharing a comment, reading a quote, saying a little more about that quote, answering a question directed to them, or splitting into smaller groups where they feel more comfortable. Others may be ready to comment in a larger group or even lead the discussion. There are different levels, so get to know them and understand where they’re at. You can talk with their parents about where they’re most comfortable. Then take it a step further and do as the Savior did: see their potential and encourage them to take small steps forward so they can grow into who you know they’re capable of becoming. The Four Principles of Christlike Teaching Teaching in the Savior’s Way outlines four principles of Christlike teaching. 1. Love those you teach. We’ve already talked about this a bit. Love fosters that feeling of this is a safe place for me to step outside my comfort zone. Love helps youth understand that they’re capable of doing hard things, and it helps them know they’re understood at whatever level they’re at, so they can learn and grow into the next one. 2. Teach by the Spirit. Now that we meet for a shorter time on Sundays, what I love is that it’s not about covering everything in the lesson. It’s about listening to the Spirit to know what’s most important to discuss right now. So teach the youth to listen to the Spirit. Honestly, I could do a whole episode on each of these tips, so I’m covering them briefly. But to teach by the Spirit, youth first need to recognize and understand what the Spirit is, and not all of them know that yet. So again, we meet them where they are and help them figure out how they feel the Spirit. There are many ways. Some feel the Spirit through what they hear, like music. Some feel it out in nature. Some feel it in scripture study, seeing the words. Some feel it when they take action. Galatians 5:22–23 describes the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, temperance, and all these beautiful feelings. Not everyone recognizes that those feelings are the Spirit speaking to them. Sometimes we need to step back and point it out in our discussions: What you’re feeling right now is the Spirit telling you that what we’re discussing is true. So teach them to recognize the Spirit as they’re teaching and as you’re discussing. When you notice them feeling it, point it out so they can better recognize it. If someone shares an experience where they felt prompted to do something, even if they don’t use the word “prompted,” point it out: That was the Spirit guiding you in that moment. And of course, use the Spirit yourself as you do this. Remind them that it’s not about covering all the information. It’s about creating a discussion where we can learn, grow, and apply together, focusing on the people rather than getting all the information out. 3. Teach the doctrine. I’ve been making a shift on my own podcast toward teaching directly from the scriptures, because there’s such power in those words. They’re the words of God. Focusing on the truths of the gospel brings the Spirit in more. Last week we talked about how the youth are called to expound the scriptures, so teach them how to do that. Teach them how to take a scripture and share in their own words what it means to them. 4. Invite diligent learning. This is where, after a great discussion, it’s time to take action and apply the lesson to our lives. We encourage the youth to ask: How does this lesson apply to me? What actions can I take moving forward? The For the Strength of Youth lessons often include suggested actions at the end that can help youth come up with ideas for how to invite diligent learning. Skills Youth Need to Lead a Discussion Now I want to dive into skills the youth might not know yet but can learn as we guide them and encourage them to lead. 1. How to start a discussion. In the live classes I’ve seen my daughter take, the students break into small groups and then just sit there. It helps when the teacher says, You’re the leader of this group discussion. Then that person knows to take charge, and nobody’s sitting there wondering who’s going to talk first. Even so, there will still be silence sometimes. When you break into smaller groups, you can assign a leader, or you can assign an order for sharing so each person has the chance to share if needed. To start a discussion, first explain the purpose. Why are we here? When leading a lesson with the whole group, we usually start with a short intro: This is what we’re talking about today, and this is why it’s important. Then base the lesson on questions from the material. Ask an opening question, give everyone time to think about it, and then give them space to share. That’s how you get the conversation started. 2. How to ask good questions. Youth may not know how to ask open-ended questions: What does the scripture say? Why do you think that matters? How could this change our lives or the things we do? What, why, how. Sometimes we default to questions with one specific answer or yes-or-no questions, often because we feel uncomfortable or afraid and it’s the first thing that comes to mind. That’s why we create a safe place for people to take action. It might be messy, and that’s okay, but encourage those open-ended questions. The Teaching in the Savior’s Way manual has a simple lesson planning outline. You write down supporting scriptures for what you’re teaching, and then questions. There’s a section for teaching aids: What example can I give? What can I use to share this? Maybe it’s a picture of Christ, or something hands-on. The fourth section is invitations and promised blessings, which ties back to inviting diligent learning, because it’s not just about soaking it in but taking action so it can change your life. So you can plan it this way: a scripture, a question or two, another scripture, a few more questions, and discussion. Those questions will be much more powerful if they’re open-ended and get the youth thinking about how this applies to them. 3. How to listen. Listening isn’t just waiting for your turn to talk. It’s paying attention to what someone is saying. Sometimes my anxiety gets the best of me and I start thinking about what I’ll say next or how I should respond. I get internal instead of focusing on the person. When that happens, gently redirect yourself: No, listen. When we listen, we know better how to respond when there’s space. Encourage youth to show they’re listening by referring back to comments others have made. As they do, they’ll create greater connection with each other. 4. How to handle silence. Silence can be a great tool for getting quieter people to talk. It can also be really uncomfortable. Instead of panicking and thinking my lesson’s not going well, no one’s saying anything, see silence as a chance to give people time to think. When I taught Young Women, I’d tell the girls, It’s okay, we can be silent. I’m actually really comfortable with silence. Pretty soon they’d start to open up more. Some people will still struggle and may not answer a question you ask them. Allow them a little time to think. If they signal that they don’t know what to say, you can move on. As you get to know your class, you’ll better understand whether a silence comes from fear or whether the group just needs to sit with the question a little longer. Silence can help people step outside their comfort zone. Do invite others to share, but if someone is quieter or struggles with communicating, try not to put them on the spot. It’s wonderful that my daughter’s leaders contact her ahead of time so she knows they’ll ask her to read something. That’s not putting her on the spot. It’s encouraging her to stretch. Eventually she’ll get to the point where they can ask her a question and she’ll comment, and sometimes she already does, depending on how comfortable she feels that day. There can be several factors at play. 5. How to follow up. Don’t just ask a question, get one response, and move on. Pause. Ask for more opinions, or go deeper into what was said: Tell us more about that. Why do you think that? Can you give an example? Does anyone have a different experience? All of these help take the discussion deeper. 6. How to disagree. That last question, Does anyone have a different experience?, brings me to the next point: it’s okay to disagree. If a disagreement comes up, let it be a chance to teach that we think differently, and that’s okay. Let’s see what we can learn from each other. Respond to the idea: That’s interesting, I hadn’t thought about it that way, or I see things a little differently, and here’s why. Encourage a learning environment rather than a conflict, because it’s possible to disagree without contention. Sometimes these discussions become the perfect chance to show that we think differently and can still learn from each other. 7. How to keep the group focused. Sometimes conversations drift from the topic, and that’s another reason listening to the Spirit matters. Maybe the discussion is moving toward something that actually needs to be discussed. Listen to the Spirit, and if not, you can say, That’s really interesting. Let’s get back to our original question. It’s not about shutting someone down. It’s about gently guiding them back to the discussion. 8. How to summarize. Many of these tips are things we teach more by example than directly. After a discussion ends, pay attention and get to know where each youth is. If they don’t know to summarize and just move on, you can say after the group discussion, I have something to add, and summarize it for them. Identify the main ideas you heard and tell the group what they discovered together. As your comment in the discussion, it becomes an example they can learn from. Summarizing helps us connect with each other. You can even say, I think what Sarah said connects with what Emma said earlier. Making those connections helps youth see that they’re building on each other’s ideas and creating the discussion together. 9. How to end. Summarizing is a good way to end, but we don’t want to forget to take action. Ask: What’s one thing you’re taking away? What are you going to do to act on what we talked about today? What’s one small and simple thing you can do? Thank everyone who participated in the discussion. Then bear testimony of the truths you discussed. These are all ways we can learn and grow in our teaching and in leading discussions. Remember that our youth are learning too. They don’t necessarily know how to lead a discussion yet, but they’re capable of it. Meet them where they’re at, help them see the potential within them, and guide them in their discussions. A Personal Evaluation One more thing I want to share. The Teaching in the Savior’s Way manual includes a personal evaluation where you rate yourself from one to four, one meaning rarely and four meaning almost always. Statements include: I teach about Jesus Christ no matter what I am teaching. I emphasize the example of Jesus Christ. It goes through each principle. For loving those you teach: I strive to see learners the way God sees them. For teaching by the Spirit: I prepare myself spiritually to teach. For teaching the doctrine: I learn the doctrine of Jesus Christ for myself. And for inviting diligent learning: I encourage learners to come to know the Savior by studying the gospel daily. I invite them to live what they are learning. You can see where you’re at, and you can also share it with the youth as they prepare their lessons, so they understand where their focus should be: on the Savior, on loving those they teach, on teaching the doctrine, and on inviting others to come prepared and move forward. Closing I hope this lesson helped you prepare and helped you see that you are capable, and that you are called to this great work. These youth are amazing and capable of taking the next step on their journey of participating in these discussions. Next week, we’ll dive into October’s lessons and talk about how our bodies are sacred. I’ll see you then! Get full access to Beloved & Becoming at karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe (https://karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

9. 

   22 Sept 2026

   Becoming a Covenant Child of God: The For the Strength of Youth Lesson on Emma & Joseph Smith

   In this episode of Strength to Become, Karen Papin dives into this month’s For the Strength of Youth lesson on becoming a covenant daughter — and covenant son — of God. This FSY lesson draws on the lives of Emma and Joseph Smith to show what it looks like to lead, teach, mentor, and draw on the power and authority of God even in the middle of real hardship. Karen unpacks the “I am” statements that open this For the Strength of Youth lesson for both young women and young men, then walks through the background of Emma and Joseph’s marriage, the trials they endured — persecution, poverty, the loss of several children, and repeated upheaval — and how the Lord prepared each of them for what lay ahead. From there, Karen teaches through Doctrine and Covenants section 25, verse by verse, unpacking what it means that Emma was called an “elect lady,” how the Lord promised to forgive her sins, ordain her to expound and exhort, and call her to compile a hymnbook for the Church. She connects this FSY lesson’s themes of meekness, humility, and trust in God’s timing to Proverbs 3:5–6, and shares a personal story of overcoming anxiety about public speaking through faith. For the young men’s portion of the lesson, Karen turns to Joseph Smith’s history and Doctrine and Covenants section 20, exploring what it meant for Joseph to be called a “fellow servant” of John the Baptist and what that means for young men holding the priesthood today. Whether you’re a parent, a youth leader, or working through this FSY lesson on your own, this episode offers discussion questions, doctrinal insight, and practical takeaways to help you and the youth in your life feel closer to the Savior. Scriptures referenced: Doctrine and Covenants 25; Doctrine and Covenants 20:46–59; Joseph Smith—History 1:69; Proverbs 3:5–6 Call to action: For more on Emma Smith’s life and legacy, catch the companion episode on the Divine Worth Podcast, releasing Thursday, September 24th. Next week, Karen shares tips on leading small-group discussions with youth (no FSY lesson that week due to General Conference), and the following Sunday she’ll cover October’s introductory lesson, “Your Body Is Sacred.”*This podcast is not officially endorsed by or affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The thoughts, opinions, and interpretations shared are Karen's own. Below are lesson plan outlines you can use for your lesson. Strength to Become Podcast — Episode Transcript Welcome to Strength to Become, the podcast where we are diving into the For the Strength of Youth lessons so that we can become closer to the Savior, Jesus Christ, and have the strength to become who He sees in us. I am your host, Karen Papin, and I’m really excited to dive into this lesson today, because this is the whole reason why I started this podcast. On my other podcast, the Divine Worth Podcast, I wanted to make the new season I’m currently doing more focused on women in the scriptures. Once a month I dive into a woman within the scriptures and how that relates to our divine worth. Then I found out that the For the Strength of Youth lessons once a month are going to be diving into a woman in the scriptures too. So I thought, well, I can follow along and do this lesson on my podcast — and then I felt impressed that I should actually start a new podcast for the For the Strength of Youth lessons, to discuss all of them, not just this one. That’s why I started the Strength to Become podcast, and I’m really excited to dive into this lesson. Setting the Stage One thing I love about this lesson is how it starts out — with an “I am” statement that reminds us of who we are. This lesson is on becoming a covenant daughter of God, and it starts out: “I am a beloved daughter of heaven, with a divine nature and eternal destiny.” That sounds a lot like the Young Women theme — beautiful truths that, if we truly embrace them, can help us overcome anything we’re going through in life. It continues: “I lead, teach, and mentor others courageously by drawing on the power and authority of God and listening to the Spirit.” So as we dive into this lesson, that’s the focus — that we are people who can lead, teach, and mentor others, and that we have the ability to draw on the power and authority of God as we do so, being guided by the Spirit. That’s what it says for the young women. The young men’s statement is a little different: “I am a beloved son of God, and He has a work for me to do. I will help others connect with God and Jesus Christ by worthily administering in the ordinances of the Aaronic Priesthood, including baptism and the sacrament.” The young men are reminded that they are sons of God and that He has a work for them to do — something young men really need to know and understand. There’s a purpose for them, just as the young women are told they have a purpose to lead and to teach. Two Lessons in One This lesson gets a little tricky because there are actually two lessons this week — one for the young women, focused on Emma Smith and becoming a covenant daughter of God, and one for the young men, focused on Joseph Smith and becoming a covenant son of God. I’ll talk about some of what Joseph and Emma went through together, then cover the young women’s lesson, and then the young men’s. Joseph and Emma’s Story Joseph and Emma were people who went through a lot. We know Joseph Smith had an incredible vision — he saw God the Father and Jesus Christ in the Sacred Grove and was told the true church wasn’t on the earth, and eventually was told to restore it. Several years after that first vision, he met Emma Hale. Her parents opposed the marriage — he was poor, and had this religious claim of having seen the Savior, while her parents were wealthy and skeptical. Emma married him anyway, showing real strength — she was willing to leave a life of wealth for the uncertainty of a life with Joseph Smith. It was a very uncertain life. They were driven from place to place, sometimes prospering, sometimes barely scraping by. As you study their lives, you can see how the Lord prepared them for what He had in store. Emma being raised in wealth likely helped prepare her for her role as first lady of Nauvoo and the first Relief Society president — she knew how to interact in society and with grace because of how she was raised. Together, Joseph and Emma lost several of their eleven children, sometimes because of mobs and persecution, sometimes simply because of the medical limitations of the time. They knew grief intimately, and they experienced it over and over. Joseph was also in and out of jail, and there were times Emma had to pack up the family and leave their home. They went through a lot of hardship. Diving Into the Lesson In the For the Strength of Youth magazine, there’s a great discussion question: What opportunities do you have to lead, teach, mentor, expound the scriptures, and encourage others? How has doing this brought you closer to the Savior? What I love about this question is that it gets youth thinking about the impact they’re already having and are capable of having — in their friend groups, in their families, at school. They have real opportunities to lead, teach, mentor, and encourage others in each of these settings. When I was a youth, I had opportunities to share the scriptures with others outside our faith, and in seminary we’d give spiritual thoughts and share quotes or scriptures we loved. I love that our church gives kids these kinds of opportunities — to bear testimony, to give lessons themselves, to take an active role in planning — because they are capable of leading, teaching, mentoring, expounding the scriptures, and encouraging others. There have been many times in my life when a youth speaker said exactly what I needed to hear, or my own kids taught me something I hadn’t thought of, or helped me realize I don’t have as much patience as I thought. We can learn from each other, and that’s true of youth as well. As for how this has brought me closer to the Savior — as I teach, as I testify, as I share my experiences with others, I feel closer to the Lord. As a youth, I really struggled to open my mouth and speak; there were times I just couldn’t get the words out. It’s been a process to get to where I am now — doing a podcast, public speaking, sharing my testimony vocally. The Lord led me step by step. I remember the first time I truly believed the Lord would help me give a talk. I said a little prayer — “Heavenly Father, please help me to do this, help me get the words out” — and as I opened my mouth to speak, peace came over me and I was able to give my talk. And I felt so close to the Lord. Throughout this whole journey — now with two podcasts, summits, public speaking, a mission served on Temple Square — this has happened again and again. When I open my mouth to share what’s on my heart, to share the truthfulness of the gospel, I feel the Spirit and I feel the Lord with me. In some ways, my anxiety has actually brought me closer to Him. As we put our faith and trust in the Lord, as we seek to become a covenant daughter of the Lord, He is there with us, and He will help us and guide us. Doctrine and Covenants 25 Now let’s dive into Doctrine and Covenants section 25 and look at what the Lord reveals to Emma about being a covenant daughter of God. Verse 1: “Hearken unto the voice of the Lord your God, while I speak unto you, Emma Smith, my daughter; for verily I say unto you, all those who receive my gospel are sons and daughters in my kingdom.” The Lord tells Emma — and by extension, us — “You are my daughter.” He knows her by name, just as He knows us by name. All who receive His gospel are His sons and daughters in His kingdom. Verse 2: “A revelation I give unto you concerning my will; and if thou art faithful and walk in the paths of virtue before me, I will preserve thy life, and thou shalt receive an inheritance in Zion.” As we walk in paths of virtue, seeking to follow His guidance, He will give us that inheritance. Verse 3 is one I love: “Behold, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou art an elect lady, whom I have called.” How wonderful to hear that phrase — “thy sins are forgiven thee.” That’s a blessing we can all receive because of the Atonement, because of the Savior. What does it mean to be an “elect lady”? Elect can mean chosen by God, and lady is a title of high respect and honor — one Emma was likely familiar with. So the Lord is saying: you are someone I have chosen, and someone worthy of respect and honor. Verse 4: “Murmur not because of the things which thou hast not seen, for they are withheld from thee and from the world, which is wisdom in me in a time to come.” I can learn a lot from this verse. Sometimes I don’t have the answer to everything, or understand why certain things happen. But the Lord knows and understands, and it’s not always meant for us to know why something is happening right now. Trust in the Lord and His wisdom — He has a much greater view than we do, and in due time all things will be revealed. Verse 7: “And thou shalt be ordained under his hand to expound scriptures, and to exhort the church, according as it shall be given thee by my Spirit.” Emma is given the opportunity to teach, expound, and exhort. Verse 8: “For he shall lay his hands upon thee, and thou shalt receive the Holy Ghost, and thy time shall be given to writing, and to learning much.” As members of the church, we too receive the gift of the Holy Ghost to guide and lead us as the Lord calls us to serve — just as we’ve been talking about the priesthood power and authority given to us as we’re set apart for our callings. Verse 10: “And verily I say unto thee, that thou shalt lay aside the things of this world, and seek for the things of a better.” Counsel not to focus on the things of the world that don’t bring eternal happiness — seek first the kingdom of God, and all things shall be added unto us. Emma is then called to compile a hymnbook. Verse 12: “For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads.” These songs are prayers, and as people sing them, they will be blessed. Emma has a unique opportunity to do something that will help others receive blessings from the Lord. Verse 13: “Wherefore, lift up thy heart and rejoice, and cleave unto the covenants which thou hast made. Continue in the spirit of meekness, and beware of pride. Let thy soul delight in thy husband, and the glory which shall come upon him. Keep my commandments continually, and a crown of righteousness thou shalt receive. And except thou do this, where I am you cannot come.” In the midst of this calling, there’s counsel: be meek, be humble, watch out for pride, keep the commandments, and you’ll be blessed with a crown of righteousness. God is calling Emma to a great work — to teach, expound, exhort, and compile hymns so others can receive strength and support. We too have callings the Lord is asking of us. As it says in Proverbs 3:5–6, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Trust Him. Be humble. Be meek. Beware of pride. Acknowledge Him in all our ways, so that we too can be an “elect lady.” As you’ve listened, I hope you recognize that you are of worth, and I hope you’ll think about how the Spirit has guided you in doing the work God has asked of you. As women in the church, the Lord is asking us to teach and strengthen those around us — and the same is true for the young men. The Young Men’s Lesson: Joseph Smith Doctrine and Covenants 20:46–59 says the priest’s duty is to preach, teach, expound, exhort, baptize, and administer the sacrament. Teachers and deacons are to warn, expound, exhort, and teach, and help all come unto Christ. Joseph Smith had a great work to do — he restored the gospel to this earth. The For the Strength of Youth magazine asks: What does Joseph Smith teach us about living as a covenant son of God? Look at what he went through — persecution, false accusation, arrest, jail, beatings, the loss of children, being repeatedly taken from his family, and ultimately martyrdom. And all of this because he could not deny what he had seen. As it says in Joseph Smith—History, “I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it... I had actually seen a light, and in the midst of that light I saw two Personages, and they did in reality speak to me... I could not deny it, neither dared I do it.” Joseph Smith—History, verse 69: “Upon you, my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah, I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth, until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness.” The question that follows in the magazine: How do you think Joseph Smith might have felt to hear John the Baptist call him a “fellow servant”? What does that mean to you, to be fellow servants of John the Baptist? A great question to consider — especially for young men, to help them understand that they too can be fellow servants with John the Baptist, who prepared the world for Christ and baptized the Savior. These young men now have the opportunity to teach and help bring others unto Christ, just as John the Baptist did, and when given priesthood authority, to baptize them as they come unto the Lord. Wrapping Up To close out this lesson, the article in the For the Strength of Youth magazine asks — for both young men and young women — As you study the FSY guide this month, what have you learned about the Savior and His priesthood keys and authority, and how does this help you accomplish His work? That really wraps up our entire month: recognizing that priesthood keys and priesthood authority help us move forward with the Lord in our lives, bring others unto Him, and teach, expound, exhort, and serve others. What a great lesson this has been — diving into the examples of Emma Smith and Joseph Smith, the scriptures in Doctrine and Covenants and Joseph Smith—History, and recognizing that we too are called to this work: to teach others, to lead them, to mentor them, and to share the scriptures with them. Looking Ahead Thank you so much for joining me as we’ve dived into this week’s For the Strength of Youth lesson for both the young women and the young men. Next week is General Conference, so there’s no FSY lesson — instead, I want to dive into tips for preparing, guiding, and teaching youth, especially for leading small-group discussions around the questions in these lessons. If you’re interested in hearing more about Emma Smith’s life, and how we can see God’s love for us through her example and through Doctrine and Covenants section 25, I have a companion episode diving even deeper into Emma Smith over on my Divine Worth podcast — that comes out on Thursday, September 24th. I’ll see you there, or next week for the lesson on teaching our youth to lead. The following Sunday after General Conference, we’ll focus on the week one lesson for October — the introduction lesson, “Your Body Is Sacred.” Get full access to Beloved & Becoming at karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe (https://karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

10. 

    15 Sept 2026

    Priesthood Keys — For the Strength of Youth (FSY) Lesson, September Week 3 (September 20, 2026)

    This week on Strength to Become, with host, Karen Papin, we’re diving into the For the Strength of Youth (FSY) lesson for the week of September 20, 2026 — all about priesthood keys and the blessings they unlock in our lives. In week one of this FSY lesson series, we looked at how we’re blessed by priesthood keys and authority. In week two, we explored blessings specific to the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods. Now, in this September week 3 FSY lesson, we go deeper — exploring what delegated priesthood authority really means, what it looks like to represent God and act in His name, and the blessings the Lord unlocks for us through priesthood keys. We’ll walk through the “For the Strength of Youth” magazine’s comparison of priesthood keys to the keys of a car, and what that teaches us about preparation and permission in receiving God’s blessings. Then we’ll dig into scripture together — Doctrine and Covenants sections 13, 27, 107, and 110 — tracing each heavenly messenger (John the Baptist, Peter, James, and John, Moses, Elias, and Elijah) and the specific priesthood keys each one restored to the earth. Resources mentioned in this episode: * For the Strength of Youth magazine, September 2026 issue (Week 3 lesson) * Quote from Elder Gary E. Stevenson, For the Strength of Youth magazine * Quote from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, April 2005 General Conference (referenced via a May 2015 article) * Doctrine and Covenants 13; 27:12–13; 107:8, 18–19; 110:11–16 * Gospel Topics entry on the Abrahamic covenant Next week, we’ll continue this FSY lesson series with a discussion on becoming a covenant daughter or son of God. If this episode resonated with you, I’d love to have you follow along with more reflections and teaching over on my Substack, and be sure to check out the Divine Worth Podcast for more on faith, purpose, and becoming who God sees in you. If you'd like to hear more from Karen, check out the Divine Worth Podcast → https://karenpapin.substack.com/listen/divine-worth-podcast (https://karenpapin.substack.com/listen/divine-worth-podcast) Karen Papin’s substack: Beloved & Becoming: karenpapin.substack.com (https://karenpapin.substack.com/) Disclaimer: This podcast is not produced, endorsed, or affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. All views, opinions, and interpretations shared are my own. Transcript: Welcome to Strength to Become, the podcast where we are diving into the For the Strength of Youth lessons so that we can become closer to the Savior Jesus Christ and have the strength to become who He sees in us. This week we are learning more about priesthood keys. This is September 2026, and we are on week three in the lessons. The first week we did a little overview of the things we’ve been learning this month — how we are blessed by priesthood keys and authority. The second week we really dived into blessings specific to the Aaronic priesthood and the Melchizedek priesthood, and how much we are blessed by those. And this week we are learning more about the priesthood keys, which actually deepens the blessings that we receive as well. The questions brought up in the lesson can be found in the For the Strength of Youth magazine, September 2026 — week three’s lesson. Within that, there are several different questions you can discuss, and then an activity where you can dive into the scriptures and learn even more together. Discussion Questions What is delegated priesthood authority? Great question to really help us understand that we are given delegated priesthood authority when we are set apart for a calling or we receive an assignment under someone who has those priesthood keys within that assignment. Discuss what it means to represent God and act in His name. I love that, because what if — when we are serving in our callings — we came from this place of “I am representing God, and I am acting in His name”? Before we go and do, we become centered in why we are doing these things, in this idea that we are representing God. So I think that is a great question to really discuss: what does that mean to you, and what does it mean to act in His name? That’s something we’re already striving to do when we are baptized — we take upon us Christ’s name — and when we take of the sacrament, we renew that promise that we are taking upon Him His name. This question is applicable to all of us. I know as a missionary, taking upon His name felt even more tangible in a way, because when we serve a mission we wear our name tags, and right there it says The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on it. We are literally putting a name badge on to represent Him. I remember how I felt being able to wear my name tag in those moments when I remembered who I was representing. Because it’s not just about making a commitment to act in a way the Savior would like me to act — it is also a strength. As we take upon us His name, He is there with us. And when we are mindful of who we are representing, we can feel that the Lord is there with us, helping us fulfill that promise. What blessings does the Lord unlock for us through priesthood keys? The magazine compares the priesthood keys to physical keys — how physical keys unlock things and allow you to do things when you have that key. The priesthood is the same way. There’s a quote from Elder Gary E. Stevenson in the For the Strength of Youth magazine: “Priesthood authority and priesthood keys start the engine, open the gates of heaven, facilitate heavenly power, and pave the covenant path back to our loving Heavenly Father.” What I love about the magazine is that it takes this a little further and asks: why can’t you drive your neighbor’s car? What would you need to do in order to do so? And what does this comparison teach you about priesthood keys? To drive another person’s car, you need permission. You show up, you prove that you are responsible. There are certain things we do in order to unlock the blessings that Heavenly Father wants to give us. As a mom, as a parent, there’s so much I want to give my kids, and yet I also know they need to go through certain lessons so that, in order for them to receive the rewards I may have for them, they need to do certain things. The same is true when it comes to priesthood keys and the blessings associated with them. We prepare ourselves to be able to receive those blessings — we do the things we need to do in order to open the gates of heaven. And it’s all done in the love of our Heavenly Father, who wants us to learn and grow. This reminds me of a time on my mission. I served on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah. We would take people to the Christus statue and play a recording of scriptures the Savior spoke, and then bear our testimonies afterward. I remember my companion pointing out the scripture where Christ says, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” She talked about how God gives us commandments because He loves us. I thought that was such an interesting way to look at it — God gives us commandments because He loves us. Our Heavenly Father knows the things that will bring us the most joy, the things that will set us up for the most success in life. He has given us commandments to help us bring more joy into our lives, to become more resilient, so that when hard times come, we can overcome them. That’s what commandments do for us — they are given to us because God loves us. Sometimes we feel like these commandments, or needing to do things in order to receive priesthood blessings, are restricting — when in actuality they are there to help us feel God’s love more, and to help us live in a way that makes us more resilient and able to create more joy in our lives. So that’s why I particularly love that question: What do you need to do in order to drive your neighbor’s car? What do you need to do in order to access the priesthood authority Heavenly Father gives you when you are called, set apart, or receive an assignment from one of your leaders? What do you need to do in order to receive even greater priesthood blessings — the ones that come from the temple? The temple is a place we prepare ourselves to enter. Everyone is invited to go to the temple; however, in order to actually enter, we prepare ourselves to be able to do so. That preparation exists to help us be prepared and ready. What priesthood keys has the Lord restored to the earth today? Last week we talked about the Aaronic priesthood and the Melchizedek priesthood and the blessings that come from each. This week’s question asks: what priesthood keys has the Lord restored to earth today? Scripture Activity This activity involves reading scripture and identifying the heavenly messengers who restored priesthood keys, and specifically which keys were restored. Doctrine and Covenants 13 (John the Baptist) “Upon you, my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah, I confer the priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins. And this shall never be taken again from the earth until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness.” John the Baptist came to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery and gave them these keys. We talked a little about the keys of the ministering of angels last week. This also restored the priesthood authority to baptize in the name of the Savior, and the authority to be baptized by immersion and receive a remission of sins through repentance. Doctrine and Covenants 27:12–13 (Peter, James, and John) “And also with Peter and James and John, whom I sent unto you, by whom I have ordained you and confirmed you to be apostles and special witnesses of my name... and bear the keys of your ministry... unto whom I have committed the keys of my kingdom, and a dispensation of the gospel for the last times, and for the fullness of times, in the which I will gather together in one all things, both which are in heaven and which are on earth.” I did a little more research on what’s meant by the priesthood keys Peter, James, and John gave Joseph Smith. I found an article from May 2015 quoting Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s April 2005 General Conference talk: “Peter, James, and John returned to restore the keys and powers of the Melchizedek priesthood, including the keys of apostleship.” Part of what they restored was the keys of apostleship — giving Joseph Smith the authority to reorganize the Church of Jesus Christ. Doctrine and Covenants 107:8, 18–19 “The Melchizedek priesthood holds the right of presidency, and has power and authority over all the offices in the church in all ages of the world, to administer in spiritual things... The power and authority of the higher, or Melchizedek priesthood, is to hold the keys of all the spiritual blessings of the church — to have the privilege of receiving the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, to have the heavens opened unto them, to commune with the general assembly and church of the firstborn, and to enjoy the communion and presence of God the Father, and Jesus the mediator of the new covenant.” When Peter, James, and John came to give the Melchizedek priesthood to Joseph Smith, they were giving him the authority to restore Christ’s church onto the earth again. That’s not all that happened. After the Kirtland Temple was built, more heavenly messengers came to give additional keys. Doctrine and Covenants 110:11 (Moses) “After this vision closed, the heavens were again opened unto us, and Moses appeared before us, and committed unto us the keys of the gathering of Israel from the four parts of the earth, and the leading of the ten tribes from the land of the north.” Moses restored the power and authority to gather Israel, to bring all unto Christ. Doctrine and Covenants 110:12 (Elias) “After this, Elias appeared, and committed the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham, saying that in us and our seed all generations after us should be blessed.” Elias — which can be a title, not necessarily a specific name — committed the keys of the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham. He restored the keys to the Abrahamic covenant. What were the blessings of the Abrahamic covenant? According to Gospel Topics, under Abrahamic covenant: “Among these promises made to Abraham were the following: his posterity would be numerous, his seed or descendants would receive the gospel and bear the priesthood, and through the ministry of his seed all the families of the earth would be blessed, even with the blessings of the gospel, which are the blessings of salvation, even of life eternal.” So through the gospel, all nations will be blessed in some way. Doctrine and Covenants 110:13–16 (Elijah) “After this vision had closed, another great and glorious vision burst upon us; for Elijah the prophet, who was taken to heaven without tasting death, stood before us, and said: Behold, the time has fully come, which was spoken of by the mouth of Malachi — testifying that he [Elijah] should be sent, before the great and dreadful day of the Lord come, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse. Therefore, the keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands; and by this ye may know that the great and dreadful day of the Lord is near, even at the doors.” Elijah came to restore the sealing power that enables us to continue our relationships beyond the grave. That’s why it’s so important for us to do our family history work — because of the sealing power that connects us to our families, not just our current earthly family, but all who came before us. That’s the turning of the hearts from the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers. Closing Thoughts Each of these keys that were received are things that help us draw closer to the Lord. He shows His love for us by allowing us to have these priesthood keys in our lives, and all the blessings that come from having them. We are so blessed to have the gospel on this earth today, and to have these priesthood keys on this earth today. I am so thankful for the sealing power, for the gospel of repentance, for the ability to continually take upon His name — Christ’s name — and make those promises with Him each week through the sacrament, and all the other blessings that come from these priesthood keys. Next week we get to dive more into becoming a covenant daughter or son of God. As I mentioned, yes, there are some things we are asked to do — we are asked to take upon ourselves the name of the Lord and live as He would have us live. As we do so, we are becoming a covenant child of God. These priesthood keys and authority lead us and guide us in becoming that covenant person our Heavenly Father sees within us. We’ll discuss more about becoming a covenant child of God in next week’s lesson. See you then! Get full access to Beloved & Becoming at karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe (https://karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

11. 

    8 Sept 2026

    FSY Ep 2 | The Restoration of the Priesthood: How It Blesses Us Today | For the Strength of Youth

    Episode Description This week on Strength to Become, we’re digging into the For the Strength of Youth lesson on the restoration of the priesthood — and why it matters so much for our relationship with the Savior. We’ll walk through the history of the priesthood being lost and then restored through Joseph Smith, and unpack what the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods actually mean for us, including what it looks like to hold “the keys of the ministering of angels.” Grab your scriptures and your September For the Strength of Youth magazine and let’s study together. 🎧 Love this episode? Check out my other podcast, Divine Worth, for more on faith, fear, and becoming who God sees in you: karenpapin.substack.com/listen/divine-worth-podcast (https://karenpapin.substack.com/listen/divine-worth-podcast) Transcript Welcome to the Strength to Become podcast, where we are diving into the For the Strength of Youth lessons so that we can strengthen our relationship with the Savior, Jesus Christ, in order to become who He sees in us. This week we are talking about the restoration of the priesthood, and why it’s so important that there was this restoration. During Christ’s visit here on earth, He gave that priesthood authority to His apostles. Over a thousand years later, in the 1800s, Joseph Smith had his remarkable vision and then received these priesthoods — the Aaronic priesthood and the Melchizedek priesthood. So over a period of time, the priesthood was lost from the earth. One thing I find interesting is that they even refer to that gap in time as “the dark ages.” And then after that, all of this progress begins to happen — and it’s interesting to see that history, because you can see how the Lord prepared the world for His gospel being restored onto this earth today. The United States of America being created so we could have religious freedom, setting the stage for Joseph Smith to be able to have his vision, to receive the Aaronic priesthood and then the Melchizedek priesthood — it’s kind of cool to look through that historical timeline and see how the Lord really does reveal things when we are ready to receive them. And that was the case with this restoration of the gospel that we now have here on this earth. So let’s look at the lesson you can find in the magazine, For the Strength of Youth, the September edition, week two, which is where we’re at. It splits into two questions: How does the Savior bless us through the Aaronic priesthood, and how does the Savior bless us through the Melchizedek priesthood? Let’s talk about the Aaronic priesthood first. The Aaronic Priesthood There are two scriptures listed for this. Let’s open those up. The first is Doctrine and Covenants section 13, verse 1: Upon you, my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah, I confer the priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for remission of sins, and this shall never be taken again from the earth until the sons of Levi do again offer an offering unto the Lord in righteousness. There’s a beautiful blessing there. Because really, as you look throughout history, there are periods of time where we’d have a prophet on this earth, and then a period of darkness. Then a prophet would come again and lead the people to righteousness, and then there’d be another falling away. You see that throughout the entire history of man. Here we are given this promise that that’s not going to happen again — the gospel is going to remain upon this earth. A beautiful promise, and that can give us so much hope. In the scripture it talks about the blessings we receive from having the Aaronic priesthood in our lives: first, the keys of the ministering of angels; then the gospel of repentance; and also the baptism by immersion for remission of sins. Section 107:20 goes into that as well: The power and authority of the lesser, or Aaronic priesthood, is to hold the keys of the ministering of angels, and to administer in outward ordinances, the letter of the gospel, the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, agreeable to the covenants and commandments. It mentions those things again — the keys of the ministering of angels — and it adds a little more, saying to administer in outward ordinances, the letter of the gospel, and the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Now, what do all of these things actually mean? I had to search a little more, because I thought, what does it actually mean to hold the keys of the ministering of angels? What does that mean, and how does that apply to me as a woman in the gospel as well? In October 1998, then-Elder Dallin H. Oaks gave a talk titled “The Aaronic Priesthood and the Sacrament” (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1998/10/the-aaronic-priesthood-and-the-sacrament?lang=eng). In it he says: How does the Aaronic priesthood hold the key to the ministering of angels? The answer is the same as for the Spirit of the Lord. In general, the blessings of spiritual companionship and communication are only available to those who are clean. As explained earlier, through the Aaronic priesthood ordinances of baptism and the sacrament, we are cleansed of our sins and promised that if we keep our covenants, we will always have His Spirit to be with us. I believe that promise not only refers to the Holy Ghost, but also to the ministering of angels. For angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost, wherefore they speak the words of Christ. So it is that those who hold the Aaronic priesthood open the door for all Church members who worthily partake of the sacrament to enjoy the companionship of the Spirit of the Lord and the ministering of angels. Because we have the Aaronic priesthood, and we have this great blessing of being able to repent and be baptized and continually partake of the sacrament, we have the key to the ministering of angels. Another important thing to note is that there are different ways we can experience the ministering of angels. President Oaks also goes into that: Nephi described three manifestations of the ministering of angels when he reminded his rebellious brothers that, one, they had seen an angel; two, they had heard his voice from time to time; and three, that an angel had spoken unto them in a still, small voice, though they were past feeling and could not feel his words. The scriptures contain many other statements that angels are sent to teach the gospel and bring men to Christ. Most angelic communications are felt or heard rather than seen. So as members of the Church — as those who have been baptized, who are renewing those promises of baptism each week as we take of the sacrament, as we can repent and learn and grow through the Atonement of the Savior Jesus Christ — we are able, most of the time not seen, to be guided by these ministering angels. Another blessing of the Aaronic priesthood is the baptismal ordinance and being able to be cleansed from our sins because of the Savior Jesus Christ, and making those covenants with Him through baptism. That is truly one of the greatest blessings we have: knowing that our mistakes do not define us. Our mistakes are not what’s keeping us from being able to return to live with our Heavenly Father again, because we can overcome them as we humble ourselves and repent and turn to the Savior. There is so much peace, joy, and happiness that comes from that repentance. It’s beautiful, too, to know that my family can also go through that repentance process and return to live with the Savior again. Another blessing of the Aaronic priesthood is being able to partake of the sacrament — each week we have the sacrament to help us renew those baptismal covenants. The Melchizedek Priesthood Now let’s dive a little more into the Melchizedek priesthood. How does the Savior bless us through the Melchizedek priesthood? Peter, James, and John restored the Melchizedek priesthood to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. Doctrine and Covenants section 107, verses 18–19 talks about the Melchizedek priesthood: The power and authority of the higher, or Melchizedek priesthood, is to hold the keys of all the spiritual blessings of the Church — to have the privilege of receiving the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, to have the heavens opened unto them, to commune with the general assembly and church of the firstborn, and to enjoy the communion and presence of God the Father, and Jesus the mediator of the new covenant. How beautiful is that? To me, that is a promise that we will have the Savior with us and that we can communicate with our Heavenly Father. We can feel His presence in our life. We can definitely see that as we go to the temple and worship there, and we can feel of that Spirit. I remember the first time I went to the temple and just the sense of homecoming I felt there, knowing that it is the house of the Lord. So there are blessings from the Melchizedek priesthood: we can go to the temple, we can feel closer to the Lord both at the temple and in our daily lives as we continually seek to have Him in our life. Because of the Melchizedek priesthood, the mysteries of God can be unfolded unto us as we continually turn and seek and strive to have them in our lives. And then we have that sealing ordinance that makes it possible for us to be with our families for all eternity. So these two priesthoods work together — the Aaronic priesthood is the preparatory priesthood that helps us gain an understanding that we can repent and learn and grow. Then we can go deeper and deepen that connection through the ordinances of the Melchizedek priesthood. Why Does God Share His Priesthood Power With Us? Why does God share His priesthood power with His children? This is another question within the lesson, and you can have a great discussion about it. Why do you feel it’s important that God shares His priesthood power with His children? For me, it is a reminder that He loves us, that He wants us to have all of these blessings, and He wants us to return to live with Him. Each one of these is a way for us to draw closer to Him and return to live with Him. It also helps us reach the potential that He sees within us. A Closing Question I love this last question: How would your life be different if the priesthood hadn’t been restored? It’s a more personal question, and a great way to wrap up the lesson — because here we’re looking at all of these different blessings, and then at the end, thinking, what would it be like if I didn’t have these blessings in my life? For me, I am extremely thankful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and for the knowledge that I can repent, be baptized, and each week renew those promises — continually repent and have the Lord and Savior with me, and those ministering angels to guide me. There is hope, and there’s peace, and there’s light. I’m so thankful for each of these things. Thank you for joining me today in talking about the restoration of the priesthood and how it blesses us. Next week we will be diving more into these priesthood keys and learning more about what they mean for us in our life. So be sure to join me then, and also take a moment and leave a review — let me know, and let others know, what you’re gaining from this podcast. I will see you next week. Source referenced: Dallin H. Oaks, “The Aaronic Priesthood and the Sacrament,” (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1998/10/the-aaronic-priesthood-and-the-sacrament?lang=eng) General Conference, October 1998. Listen to more: Catch my other podcast, Divine Worth (https://karenpapin.substack.com/listen/divine-worth-podcast), for more conversations on faith, fear, and becoming who God sees in you. Disclaimer: This podcast is not endorsed by, sponsored by, or affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The views and opinions expressed are my own. Here is a pdf that includes some discussion questions for the lesson: Get full access to Beloved & Becoming at karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe (https://karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

12. 

    3 Sept 2026

    FSY Episode 1: You Are Blessed by Priesthood Keys and Authority | For the Strength of Youth

    Welcome to the very first episode of Strength to Become — a weekly study through the For the Strength of Youth (FSY) guide! Karen kicks things off with September’s Fast Sunday lesson: You Are Blessed by Priesthood Keys and Authority. In this FSY discussion, Karen walks through the three eternal truths for the month — that all priesthood keys and authority come from Jesus Christ, that Christ has restored His priesthood in our day, and that priesthood authority blesses all of God’s children — sharing personal stories along the way, including how tracing the blessings of the Restoration in her own life led her to an eternal family, comfort after the loss of her younger brother, and a deeper love for the Book of Mormon. She also breaks down how these For the Strength of Youth lessons are designed to work: choosing one eternal truth to focus on, inviting real discussion instead of a lecture, and applying an invitation — whether that’s accepting a calling, sustaining those who serve, or fulfilling an assignment — so the lesson becomes something lived, not just learned. Whether you’re teaching this FSY lesson yourself or simply want to go deeper as you prepare your own heart and home, this episode is a starting point for feeling God’s love through the priesthood keys He has placed on the earth for us. Walking through the For the Strength of Youth (FSY) guide alongside our youth. If you'd like to hear more from Karen, check out the Divine Worth Podcast → https://karenpapin.substack.com/listen/divine-worth-podcast (https://karenpapin.substack.com/listen/divine-worth-podcast) Disclaimer: This podcast is not produced, endorsed, or affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. All views, opinions, and interpretations shared are my own. Transcript: Introduction Karen Papin (00:00) Welcome to the FSY with Karen Papin podcast where we are coming to feel God’s love for us as we dive into the For the Strength of Youth booklet. recently we’ve got some big changes coming up where we are now going to be meeting every week for Sunday school and then for young men, young women. Society and Elders Quorum I I love that we’re gonna be doing this and being able to gather together again each week and with that I’ve got two two girls who one is already in young women’s one will be joining young women’s in January and so I watched the introduction video for this new for the strength of youth program and and just thought wow this is something that we can all learn from and so I want to invite you to join me as we study the for the strength of youth and really dive in to what our youth are learning but also to see how it applies to us and to also see just God’s love. which is apparent within these lessons. And so with that, let’s go ahead and dive into September’s Fast Sunday lesson. And the way that this works is that ever the Fast Sunday, the first Sunday of every month, is a lesson that is focused on introducing the topic for that month. And so this month’s theme is This Month’s Theme: You Are Blessed by Priesthood Keys and Authority you are blessed by priesthood keys and authority, and so the scripture that this is kind of based off of is in Matthew sixteen, verses eighteen through nineteen, and this is what it says, And I say unto thee that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt lose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. And so here Christ is talking to Peter about this priesthood authority and giving him the priesthood keys to be able to be able to buy both on earth and in heaven a beautiful gift so what exactly is the priesthood that is the power and authority of god Sometimes life is so chaotic and so it is nice to know that in God’s church there actually is this sense of order that we can find through the the priesthood keys and through the the authority that comes from them. so for the month of September we will be focusing on these priesthood keys and authority and really seeing how that applies to each of us. And so just the fact that Heavenly Father has placed on this earth a way for us to be able to access those priesthood keys and authority shows us that he loves us and that he is there for us and that he is helping us to be able to To be able to have everything that we need to learn and to grow and to walk in his light and to return to him. How the Lessons Work And so the way that these lessons work is that though that you choose, one of the eternal truths and then you are diving into those eternal truths and discussing them with each other within this class setting. And and so the eternal truths for this month, and like I said, you just choose one of them. These these lessons are like twenty five minutes long and they’re meant to be discussions and so it’s not just someone getting up there and giving all the info it is about bringing up the topic and then discussing the topic with each other and figuring out how it’s relevant to us and also how we can apply these things And so if you in the four of the strength of youth guide, and they it has the eternal truths, then there’s invitations so that you can actually think, okay, how can I act on what it is that we discussed today? and then it has promised blessings. So it’s not just a matter of okay, now go and do this, but it’s also a matter of here are the ways that you will be blessed as you apply. These things into your life. And then another cool thing about the guide is that it does have a little questions and answers section to help us gain a greater understanding of the principles therein, as well as some suggested scriptures. And then at the very end, there are temple recommend questions for us to be able to prepare ourselves to enter into the temple. And and so each each lesson is doing just that. It is helping you to continually prepare yourself to enter into the temple and receive even more great blessings. So the internal truths for this month that you can choose from are are these. The first is all priesthood keys and authority come from Jesus Christ. Isn’t that wonderful? Eternal Truth 1: All Priesthood Keys and Authority Come From Jesus Christ that is such an important truth for us because it helps us to know that Christ is at the head of this church. Christ is like this is all about his church, his gospel, and his priesthood authority. It is the savior that is in charge. like he does ask things of us and asks us asks us to serve in various ways within the church. And when we are called and set apart, we are given that priesthood authority to be able to act within those callings. And and yes, we are not perfect, right? We don’t always follow promptings, we don’t always know The ways that are gonna be best to be able to serve within our callings and we are gonna make mistakes. That is just that is a part of life, right? that’s why we have a savior, and yet he still allows us to be able to have these opportunities to serve, and he still gives us that authority to be able to do so. and so if we can just trust in the Lord and allow him. To guide us as we accept our callings and as we continue to serve faithfully within our callings, He does guide us. And he helps us to learn and he helps us to grow and and he gives us opportunities to be able to feel God’s love, not only the love that he has for us, but also the love that he has for those who for whom we serve. another eternal truth that you might want to focus on is Jesus Christ has restored his priesthood in our day. Eternal Truth 2: Jesus Christ Has Restored His Priesthood in Our Day On my mission, I remember that this was something that we taught a lot on my mission. We talked about the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ and how the how the Lord’s priesthood has been restored on this earth. And I remember just taking time to start listing all all of the blessings that I’ve received from the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And and while I say I wrote down all of them, I know that that was just a small list compared to how many blessings there actually are. But it was amazing once I got started. I think I gave myself like five minutes to start writing down the the blessings and then I kept going. because I started to realize just how how much that spread to other parts of my life like not just being able to be baptized by the priesthood authority not just being able to have an eternal family but that it really impacted all areas of my life. think I ended up writing like over fifty things that I recognized as blessings that Happened because of the restoration of the gospel. Because of the restoration of the gospel, we have the Book of Mormon which has been such a pivotal, foundational thing for me in my life and it has really helped me through some of the hardest moments of my life. It has given me strength, it has given me peace because it has brought me closer to the Lord and helped me to see his hand in my life. brought in me that priesthood authority to be held to be with my family for time and all eternity which was something that on my mission I felt very keenly because because when I was fifteen years old my younger brother passed away and and So that knowledge that I would see him again, that knowledge that we were forever brother and sister, was something that I found so comforting and that gave me so much strength. And and now that I am older and I have my husband and my own kids as well, I have an even greater love and appreciation for that. I am thankful for all the knowledge that I’ve learned from being able to have the gospel in my life, the knowledge that I do have a savior who loves me, who has suffered all things, that that we might be able to overcome all things and that and just the the power and the beauty that comes from that because not only does it apply to me, but it applies to all those that I love as well. Jesus Christ’s atonement applies to all of us. And I am thankful for that knowledge that I have been given as a result. We are so blessed to have the gospel in our lives today. so those are just some of the blessings that I have seen from the restoration of the priesthood in our day. And that’s also something that we dive more into next week, learning more about the restoration of the priesthood and breaking it down from Aranic priesthood and Melchizedek priesthood and and why God shares his priesthood power. Jesus Christ has restored his priesthood in our day. What a comforting thought that we have that power here on earth and that Jesus Christ is the leader of this church. okay the third eternal truth that you can choose from for your discussion this week is priesthood authority blesses all of God’s children. And I feel that as a woman within the church, that is something that is important for me to know. Eternal Truth 3: Priesthood Authority Blesses All of God’s Children There’s a great book up on how the priesthood power applies to women. It’s written by Dr. Barbara Morgan Gardner and it’s called The Priesthood Power of Women. And so that is a great book to be able to dive into to better understand that the priesthood power is very much a part of women within the church. And so this s this eternal truth of priest or authority blesses all of God’s children is a great one because you can dive into how we can receive ordinances and we can make covenants with God and all these ways that the priesthood applies to each of us. so those are the three eternal truths that you can choose from to be the guide for your discussion on Sunday. And there’s also some great invitations. Invitations for This Month First is to accept church callings and serve faithfully. And so as you do this, some things that you can invite those who are participating in the discussion with you to do is to really think about okay, why is it important for us to accept church callings and to serve faithfully? How can you, how can we benefit from them, and how can others benefit as well? And the amazing thing is that sometimes Sometimes see a calling and we can feel the this great weight of it. However, if we all stepped in and if we all accepted church callings and if we all served faithfully within those church callings, that weight diminishes Because we are working together for a common purpose, for a common goal that helps us to be able to strengthen those around us. It’s not all on us. We can have that strength and support as we all come together. And even more powerful is that we have the savior there with us to strengthen us. Even in those times that we feel like we are inadequate or that we are not able to move forward, or we feel like we have made mistakes within those callings, we have the savior there with us to be able to help us overcome those mistakes, and to continue to move forward in that love and that faith that. he has for us and for those whom we are called to serve. Okay, so that’s one invitation. Another invitation that you could up that you can take on from this lesson is to sustain those who God has called to serve. Just recently I kind of there there was a lesson that happened and I was kinda critical of how how it turned out ‘cause it was different from what was planned and I just found myself being really critical. And I realized that I was not following this invitation to sustain those who God has called to serve. and I just realize that that I could do better. and I started giving that person who had led that lesson just the benefit of the doubt, right? And started to see that there could be more to the story than the story that I had come up with in my own mind. And started to just gain a great love for for that person and also just a great understanding that it’s like, yeah, there are people in these callings who do make mistakes and That is part of the process of this earth life is learning how to overcome those mistakes and coming to love others and understanding that God still loves us even when we have made those mistakes. And then the third invitation that this lesson provides is to fulfill assignments from your church leaders. When they ask something of us, that’s actually one way that we can sustain those church leaders and those within the callings that God has called them to is to is to do what you can to be able to fulfill those assignments that they are giving you. so those are the the invitations. remember this isn’t about covering everything within the time frame that you have. It is about creating a discussion and Leading a Meaningful Discussion One thing that I’ve learned from being a life coach is the importance of just narrowing down what it is that you are going to do taking action from there. because sometimes we’re like, I want to do all of the things and then we don’t do anything because it seems overwhelming. And so what I love about how this for the strength of youth is set up is it’s not about talking about all of the eternal truths. It’s not about doing all of the invitations and it it is not about you getting up there and just speaking in front of everyone and filling up the time. It is about creating that discussion, it is about focusing in on one truth that you can really deep dive into and really learn how to apply and really discuss and see where each of those within your discussion where they are at in relation to these principles and and where they could use a a little more instruction and guidance as well. And the amazing thing about discussions is that we all come together and we all learn. And there was a There was a scripture, Doctrine and Covenant, section eighty eight, verse one twenty-two that was shared in on this introduction page to how to how we would be doing these these lessons. And it’s in Doctrine Covenants, section 88, 122. And it says, appoint among yourselves a teacher, and let not all be smokes spokesmen at once, but let one speak at a time and let all listen unto his sayings, that when all have spoken, that all may be edified of all. And that every man may have an equal privilege. Okay, so many things that I like about that. Yes, you have someone who is appointed to be the teacher or the leader of the discussion. yet at the same time, we are encouraging all to speak. And what happens as we do this within this a prayerful setting where we are all coming together to bring the spirit into the room and to learn and grow together and in seeking to have the savior with us in those moments, we become edified. and we learn and grow together. and so there’s some great suggestions as to how to to facilitate such a discussion. and the for the strength of youth magazine goes into some of those things where it suggests to choose an eternal truth to discuss. and like I said, it’s not about getting all of those eternal truths in during your twenty five minute lesson but narrowing down right and and focusing in on the one that you feel is needed for that week. and then you can read a scripture that goes along with that truth and talk about how that applies or you can share a personal story about how you were able to live that principle for that week and encourage others to be able to share personal stories as well. And you can testify. And if there is more time, you can choose another eternal truth to discuss. And then at the end, choose one of those invitations. Or you may feel that there’s another invitation that it that the Lord is asking you to do. And take action Promised Blessings do that invitation as well. and then there’s these beautiful promise blessings that you can share. first that you can trust that the ordinances you receive are authorized by Jesus Christ. And then the other one is that you will become an instrument in the Lord’s hands. Wow, have I seen that? As I have learned to serve the Lord under that guidance of priesthood keys Here are Temple Recommend Questions Okay, and then the temple recommend questions there’s three of them. The first one is Do you sustain the president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a prophet, seer and revelator, and as the only person on the earth authorized to exercise all priesthood keys? The second is do you sustain the members of the first presidency and the quorum with 12 apostles as prophetseers and revelators. And the third is do you sustain the other general authorities and local local leaders of the church? And so you can dive into those recommend questions as well. And and so I just love how this is all set up, helping us to better understand what it actually means to be blessed by the priesthood keys and authority and why it’s important for us to know. Looking Ahead Said that is something that we get to focus on throughout this month. next week we dive more into learning about the restoration specifically. on the third Sunday of the month, we learn more about priesthood keys, and then what I love is on the fourth Sunday of the month we’re gonna dive into studying about someone who has lived these principles. And so the young women will be studying becoming a covenant daughter of God and talking about Emma Smith. And then the Aranic Priesthood Quorums will be talking about becoming a covenant son of God and learning more about Joseph Smith. and how these people lived. Disciples of the Savior Jesus Christ. I look forward into diving more into each of these lessons with you as we study and prepare ourselves and our youth to be able to better understand the gospel of Jesus Christ and the strength of youth, who is the Savior Jesus Christ. Closing Karen Papin (20:05) And if you are wanting to hear more from me, I do have a podcast that is specific to being able to recognize and understand what God sees within you. And that is called the Divine Worth Podcast (https://karenpapin.substack.com/listen/divine-worth-podcast). And I will put a link in the show notes so you can check that out as well. And I I will see you next week. Get full access to Beloved & Becoming at karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe (https://karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

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