2025 Youth Theme: General Presidents Share What It Means to ‘Look Unto Christ’

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By Trent Toone, Church News

What does it mean to “look unto Jesus Christ”?

When studying the scriptures, particularly the New Testament, Young Women General President Emily Belle Freeman has gained valuable insight from stories about individuals who “actually looked unto Christ.”

“We see how that made a difference in their lives,” she said.

President Freeman highlighted two examples — Peter walking on the water (see Matthew 14:22-33) and the woman touching the Savior’s robe (see Mark 5:25-34). When Peter was looking at Christ, she noted, he was fine. Similarly, the woman with an issue of blood was also looking at the Savior when she touched His robe.

President Freeman emphasized the Savior’s proximity in both stories. “He was in reaching distance for both of them,” she said.

“I think that is something powerful,” President Freeman continued. “If we can help the youth to understand that as they look unto Christ, as they focus on Him, as they keep Him within reaching distance, it is going to have a powerful effect on their lives this year.”

Young Men General President Steven J. Lund said that looking unto Jesus Christ daily leads to becoming a lifelong disciple.

“Looking unto Christ is really a lifestyle decision. So many of us go through life just on the edge of our chair wondering what crisis is going to come along, and ‘can I do this?’” he said. “We can’t prepare for all the uncertainties and vagaries of life, but we can always look unto Him, and He never lets us down.”

President Lund continued: “Discipleship means following Him. And to follow Him, we need to know Him and look unto Him.”

The two Church leaders were offering their thoughts in the Church News podcast on the 2025 youth theme, “Look unto Christ,” based on Doctrine and Covenants 6:36, which reads, “Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.”

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Listen to this related podcast from the Church News Church News podcast: 2025 youth theme ‘Look unto Christ’

Understanding the Context

President Freeman said Doctrine and Covenants 6:36 becomes more powerful when understanding the verses that precede and follow it.

Verse 34 reads, “Fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail.”

In their travels, President Freeman and President Lund have observed that Latter-day Saint youth often feel small or isolated, especially when they are the only active Church members in their schools or communities. Despite life’s challenges, disciples are invited to find strength and protection through the Savior.

“I love that He starts out, ‘Fear not, little flock.’ You don’t have to be in a big group to be strong,” she said.

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The power to “doubt not and fear not” comes in verse 37 — a reference to the Savior’s Atonement and the weekly ordinance of the sacrament — which reads, “Behold the wounds which pierced my side, and also the prints of the nails in my hands and feet; be faithful, keep my commandments, and ye shall inherit the kingdom of heaven.”

“It’s that priesthood ordinance combined with our covenant promise that will give us the enabling strength we need — all of us — to get through whatever life brings us,” President Freeman said. “The sacrament ordinance can unlock God’s power to give us that strength so that we won’t doubt and we won’t fear no matter what comes.”

Savior’s Atonement and the Sacrament

President Lund agreed that the context of the Savior’s Atonement is significant.

“He’s saying, ‘Doubt not, fear not,’ and this is why — ‘Because I have bought you at a price. Look at my wounds and the prints. Because of my Atonement, the universe is at our feet, yours and mine. There is nothing we can’t solve together. So have a little peace, be good, keep the commandments, be faithful, and you will inherit the kingdom of heaven. We are going to do this together.’”

President Lund told the story of a couple whose little girl died in a traffic accident while on the way to their son’s baptismal service. The father, the bishop of their ward, was the driver. The experience was devastating. During the night, the father had a spiritual impression that to find healing, the ward needed to hear their bishop pronounce the sacramental prayers, which he did the following day.

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“I thought it so fascinating that the impression that the Spirit gave him about how to accelerate healing was to go there, to go to those burdens of promise and of covenant, and that, ultimately, was the way that they would all get through this together,” he said.

How can the youth keep this theme in their daily lives all year long and beyond?

“It would be a missed opportunity if we weren’t pointing them to the sacrament — every single Sunday — as one of the primary places that they can look unto Christ,” President Freeman said.

Progression of Youth Themes

The 2025 youth theme builds upon previous youth themes.

“Trust in the Lord” — from Proverbs 3:5-6 — was the youth theme in 2022.

In 2023, it was “I can do all things through Christ” (Philippians 4:13).

This past year, Latter-day Saint young people focused on 3 Nephi 5:13 and the Book of Mormon phrase “I am a disciple of Jesus Christ.”

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Now “Looking unto Christ” — with a laser focus, President Freeman said — will help the youth take the next step.

The succession of themes makes sense to President Lund.

“Even disciples need to be reminded when the roof caves in where to go for peace and direction, where to go for comfort,” he said.

Use ‘For the Strength of Youth’ Guide

Parents and youth leaders are encouraged to teach principles from the theme at home and at church throughout the year. The theme can guide topics for youth talks, devotionals, camps and other activities. The theme will be emphasized during For the Strength of Youth conferences and worldwide youth devotionals.

President Freeman said the Church’s “For the Strength of Youth: A Guide for Making Choices” will be a valuable resource in the coming year. The guide has been well distributed worldwide, she said, but many could still benefit from reading and incorporating the doctrine and principles into activities.

“We hope the ‘For Strength of Youth’ guide will be part of helping your youth learn how to look unto Christ,” President Freeman said.

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When the Church released the new guide in 2022, Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught in general conference: “Important temporal and spiritual choices should not only be based on personal preference or what is convenient or popular. The Lord is not saying, ‘Do whatever you want.’ He is saying, ‘Let God prevail.’ He is saying, ‘Come, follow me.’ He is saying, ‘Live in a holier, higher, more mature way.’ He is saying, ‘Keep my commandments.’

“Jesus Christ is our perfect example, and we strive with all the energy of our soul to follow Him.”

Read this article from the Church News 3 things Elder Uchtdorf said about the new ‘For the Strength of Youth’ guide

President Freeman invited youth to consider the question: “Are my standards higher and holier now than they were before the new guide was released?”

“If we want to know, understand and learn, then let’s get in that book. Let’s bring it into our lessons. Let’s use it as we are planning camp. Let’s have weeknight activities where we are actually opening up that book and coming up with activities based on that book,” she said. “Be creative with how you and your youth plan activities that allow you to be in the guide [and] help you look unto Christ.”

2025 Youth Theme Music, Logo and More

To assist youth, young adults, parents and leaders “look unto Christ,” the Church has prepared additional resources, including a logo, artwork, posters, banners, stickers and a music album.

The “Look Unto Christ” album includes seven new songs and is available for streaming on Spotify, the Church’s Children and Youth 2025 website, Gospel Library, the Strive To Be YouTube channel, the Sacred Music app and the Gospel Living app. Music will be shared in other languages as it becomes available.

Read this related article from Newsroom 2025 Youth Theme Website, Logo, Music Album Released

“Our hope is that the youth and leaders are going to find strength in this music,” President Freeman said.

President Lund said music is one of the most powerful ways to add spirituality to a person’s daily life.

“Music has this power to go right past our intellect, right past our filters and into our soul. That is true for good music, and it’s true for horrible music,” he said. “So anytime that we can draw young people and each other ... into listening to these songs that are so nurturing and so filled with faith and confidence during the week, that just inoculates them against so much of the corrosive agents that are about them.”

Expand, Enlarge, Empower

Looking unto Christ changed the course of President Freeman’s life.

“Every time I have chosen to look to Him, it has improved, it has brought strength, it has given direction, comfort and insight in ways that I would not have been able to experience on my own,” she said.

“Because that has been so true for me, because I have proved the Lord and He has been there so many times, it’s my hope and prayer that our youth are going to have that same experience this year, that this will be a time of strengthening, great growth, and their testimonies of Jesus Christ will expand and enlarge in ways they maybe haven’t experienced before.”

President Lund said as youth and young adults look to Christ, He can empower them.

“The Savior is an empowerer. He will make us more than we are. In our callings, we feel that change all the time,” he said. “Sometimes we are not quite sure what we have to deliver. But then again and again, I have seen Heavenly Father fill in blanks, and the Savior gives me wisdom. And so my testimony has grown. I have learned that everything is going to be all right because we are looking to Him. As long as we are looking to Him, we will get through this swirl of life. The only way out is through. Going through with Him is as a surefire way to find success in this world.”

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