Elder Bednar and Elder Kearon Field Questions From Youth Across West Africa

Elder David A. Bednar and Elder Patrick Kearon of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and other leaders from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints fielded questions from youth throughout West Africa during a February 25 devotional.

Of the questions that came from Sierra Leone, Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Ghana and Nigeria, Elder Bednar said, “I hope that these questions represent the thoughts and concerns of youth throughout the area.”

Over 1,500 youth from the Accra area attended a devotional at the Christianborg Stake Center. An overflow group met at the Accra Ghana Missionary Training Center, adjacent to the stake center. The devotional was also broadcast to thousands of youth throughout West Africa.

Visiting were Elder Bednar and his wife, Susan; Elder Patrick Kearon and his wife, Jennifer; and Elder Carlos A. Godoy of the Presidency of the Seventy, and his wife, Monica. They were joined by Africa West Area President Elder S. Gifford Nielsen and his counselors, Elder Jorg Klebingat and Alfred Kyungu, all General Authority Seventies. Sister Wendy O. Nielsen, and Sister Lucie Kyungu also attended and participated in the devotional.

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When asked about balancing the gospel with technology, Sister Kearon said that the internet provides access to beautiful and uplifting things, but also to dark and destructive content. “We need to have a purpose when we get on our phones and we need to stick to that purpose,” she said.

“It is better to avoid than to resist temptation,” Elder Godoy said. “Don’t put yourselves in situations where you must resist doing things you know are wrong.”

“There is no man-made filter that will keep everything evil away from us,” said Elder Bednar. “The only filter we need is the Holy Ghost. If the Holy Ghost leaves you, you need to stop what you’re doing. The Holy Ghost will guide you, protect you, and inspire you.”

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A youth from Liberia asked how the Book of Mormon can be inspiring to young people. Sister Godoy said that we are promised answers to our questions when we read the Book of Mormon. “When we have concerns or questions, the Book of Mormon will touch our hearts.”

“The scriptures, particularly the Book of Mormon, give us power and protection from sin,” Sister Bednar said. “The Book of Mormon has always spoken to my heart.”

Elder Bednar answered a question from a young person in Cote d’Ivoire who was struggling to understand the scriptures. “The prophets who wrote the Book of Mormon were inspired by the Holy Ghost,” he said. “When we look to understand the scriptures, we need to use that same gift, the Holy Ghost, to help us understand and be blessed by the scriptures.”

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“President Russell M. Nelson has said that we need to work with a will for the things we desire,” said Elder Kearon. “If we want to better understand the scriptures it will take persistence and a strong desire to have the scriptures bless our lives.”

When asked what the youth can do to not give into the negative influence of their friends and peers, Sister Kearon said, “Bad friends are not friends at all. We need to find friends who love us and support and respects our beliefs.”

“We must find the courage and the words to talk to our friends about our values and beliefs,” said Elder Kearon.

Added Elder Bednar: “If we know who we are, daughters and sons of God and disciples of Jesus Christ, we can resist the negative influence of others and be a force for good in their lives.”

The youth devotional marked the conclusion of the leaders’ ten-day visit to the Church’s Africa West Area that also included visits with leaders, church members and missionaries, as well as government and interfaith leaders in Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and Cote d’Ivoire.

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Newsroom Elders Bednar and Kearon Visit the Abuja National Mosque in Nigeria