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

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The First Quorum of the Seventy
50 East North temple Street
Salt Lake City, Utah
30 June 1986

Dear Fellow Varsity Scout,

Since our rendezvous last year, I have been called as the General President of the Young Men. Try to imagine my personal feelings at this momentous call. This calling is a mountain-top experience for me. Perhaps in a few years, one of you reading this letter will be called as the General President of the Young Men. If so, what would you do, what would you say to the young men of the Church? You might consider something like this as I have.

My young friends, prepare, prepare, prepare. Put a little steel in your backbone. Add strength, conviction and commitment to your Church activity. Seek for faith in Christ above all else. Walk in the ways of the Lord in a wicked and perverse generation, and never give in to Satan who is battling for your soul.

All through the history of the world the Lord has chosen "men for the moment": men who could be trusted, counted upon, loyal, pure, and devoted. He called only 300 to serve and fight with Gideon. He called 2,000 stripling soldiers of tremendous courage to fight in Helaman's army. He called Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, Daniel, and in our day Joseph the Prophet, Brigham Young, Spencer W. Kimball, and Ezra Taft Benson.

Become a young man in your school who stands fast in the integrity of his faith. Do not buckle, never waver, never involve yourself in drugs, drinking, loose relationships with girls, pornography, or any thing that is contrary to the teachings of the Master.

Become an example who attends Church regularly, takes seminary, and is careful what he eats. Become strong physically, do your homework, honor your parents, and prepare for the future. Prepare for a mission, for a career, and for temple marriage. Love life, be on a gospel "high" and find that life is exciting! It is filled with great and good and marvelous things to which you can look forward.

The challenge before you will be monumental. Get ready; prepare by involving yourself in activities and opportunities such as floating down a white-water river, getting a part in the ward roadshow, taking a 50-mile backpack, singing in the ward choir, doing some rappelling or spelunking, or developing the skills of your mind by reading some of the great literature of the world. Take a survival hike, learn the outdoor skills, take a 200-mile bike hike on an historic trail. Learn to be physically, mentally, and spiritually tough. Get yourself in a peak spiritual condition by praying, reading the Book of Mormon daily, and making a commitment to be true.

No other generation has ever walked where you will walk. It will take character and a spartan attitude to finish, but look around you and see the quality of companions you will have.

I promise as a servant of God that I will lead you in His way and in the power and authority of this calling. I love you and I am terribly proud to be associated with you. Let's think of every mountain of destiny and stand on every high peak of goodness -- we will tread together and let us do it in faith.

Sincerely and with love,

Vaughn J. Featherstone
Young Men General President