Vaughn J Featherstone's On Target Letter

On Target Letter of
Vaughn J. Featherstone
LDS Young Men General President

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The First Quorum of the Seventy
47 East South Temple Street
Salt Lake City, Utah 84150
July 18, 1987

Dear Fellow Varsity Scouts,

Many years ago I reread the Old Testament. My sole objective was to see which passage of scripture touched the sensitivities of my spirit most. There were many scriptures that thrilled my soul but Proverbs 20:27 touched me most deeply: "The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord."

This is a marvelous, inspired verse. Others have made similar statements such as this one by the poet:

"When any man holds twixt hand and chin a violin of mine,
They will be glad Stradivarius lived,
Made violins, and made them of the best.
The masters only know whose work is good and they will choose mine.
For while God gives them skill, I give them instruments to play upon,
God choosing me to help him,
For God could not make Antonio Stradivarius violins without Antonio."

You will find in life, my beloved friends, that each of us has a contribution to make to life. Each will have a mountain to climb. Life is never easy. Gravity and satanic powers pull us down. Climbing and struggling to overcome temptations brings strength, endurance, and purity. But it is never easy. The river is crooked because it follows the course of least resistance. Life is good and we are worthy only after we have made our contribution to it.

A few guidelines that, if followed, will assist you in become a "candle of the Lord".

Be obedient: obedience to God's commandments is simply having enough sense to do something God's way because of all the ways of doing something, his way is best.
Prepare for a mission and temple marriage.
Pay a full and honest tithing.
Be prayerful and study the Book of Mormon daily.
Follow the brethren: your bishop, stake president, and the General Authorities.
Get yourself in excellent physical condition and then maintain it.
Be a good student.
Get involved with good people and good organizations in high school, at Church, and in the community.
Be a positive influence among your friends, helping them to avoid compromise.

Finally, life was never meant to be easy. You will find it is difficult but following the above counsel will bring joy, blessings, and a sense of achievement and fulfillment. You are the candle of the Lord. You may not be Antonio Stradivarius but you are you and your contribution may be more important to the kingdom than Stradivarius violins are to music.

You are a royal generation. You are "the candle of the Lord." God bless you.

With great faith,

Vaughn J. Featherstone
Young Men General President

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On Target Letter ofVaughn J. FeatherstoneLDS Young Men General President

On Target Letter of
Vaughn J. Featherstone
LDS Young Men General President