Ye Are My Friends

To my daughter, 

                The For the Strength of Youth guide says this: “Jesus Christ is your strength. He has done everything necessary for you to have joy in this life and forever. By choosing Him and His gospel, you are choosing eternal joy…. He can help you change your desires, your thoughts, and your actions. When you are worried, afraid, or struggling in any way, He will comfort you. He will help you in all aspects of your life.” I want to encourage you today to “look up” to Him as you learned recently at girls camp and to see the Savior as your strength and your friend. During your life you will meet lots of people and friends will come and go, but the Savior can be your constant guide and support no matter what happens. I love the Savior’s words to His disciples at the Last Supper: “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you” (John 15:14-15). He called them His friends because they were willing to do what He commanded them. Likewise, we can be His friends if we will obey Him and honor His commandments. In the Doctrine and Covenants the Savior similarly called His followers in this dispensation His friends. For example, in one revelation He said, “Ye are they whom my Father hath given me; ye are my friends; … And again I say unto you, my friends, for from henceforth I shall call you friends, it is expedient that I give unto you this commandment, that ye become even as my friends in days when I was with them” (Doctrine and Covenants 84:63, 77). He began another revelation with these comforting words, “Verily I say unto you my friends, fear not, let your hearts be comforted; yea, rejoice evermore, and in everything give thanks; Waiting patiently on the Lord” (Doctrine and Covenants 98:1-2). In the Olive Leaf revelation He said, “Wherefore, I now send upon you another Comforter, even upon you my friends, that it may abide in your hearts, even the Holy Spirit of promise; … And again, verily I say unto you, my friends, I leave these sayings with you to ponder in your hearts, … Therefore, verily I say unto you, my friends, call your solemn assembly, as I have commanded you” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:3, 62, 117). In these and other passages He emphasized that as we receive His words and keep His commandments, we are His friends. I know that He is your friend, and that no matter how anyone else might treat you, you can always turn to the Savior for comfort, strength, and guidance.

                In addition to keeping His commandments, we show the Savior that we are indeed His friends by the way that we love and treat others around us. He said, “Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” (Matthew 25:40). If you are kind to someone, you are being kind to Him. If you serve someone, you are serving Him. If you help someone, you are helping Him. I hope that you will remember the love that Sister Gammon in our ward always showed to everyone for so many years. She was always so kind to everyone she spoke to, including us, and we will all remember her for that. We should all strive to be more like her, for she sought to serve her Savior by sharing her goodness with each of us. At your age it can be difficult to find and keep good friends. But let me tell you the secret: focus on being kind to everyone—even those who seem different—worrying more about how you treat them than how they treat you, and you will find good friends. As you seek to say kind words about everyone and be friendly to everyone, you will be happy like Sister Gammon was and find connections with others even when you don’t expect it. I love the way that Joseph Smith once signed a letter to the Saints: “I am, as ever, your humble servant and never deviating friend” (Doctrine and Covenants 128:25). May we strive to be a “never deviated friend” to our family, to our ward, to others that we associate with, and especially to the Savior. 

Love,

Dad