Lessons of 2025
Lesson No. Sixteen

Living with Confidence that is Born of the Spirit

This Lesson applies to all ages, but it is written especially for the younger generations.

Confidence is having, “Full trust; belief in the powers, trustworthiness, or reliability of a person or a thing.” We can have full trust in the power, reliability and trustworthiness of God, the Eternal Father, His Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. Self-confidence is important (see below), but if our confidence is primarily centered on ourselves, or in someone, or on something, other than God, it will always be lacking.

Confidence that is born of the Spirit – “When we make and keep covenants with God, we can have confidence that is born of the Spirit” (Russell M. Nelson, Confidence in the Presence of God, April 2025 general conference). This prophetic insight from President Nelson is another very important reason to make and keep covenants. Doing this will give us a very powerful and totally unique form of confidence; confidence that is born of the Spirit.

If your confidence is born of the Spirit you will have confidence in yourself – You will know that you lived with your Heavenly Parents in the pre-mortal existence where you were well prepared for this mortal experience. There you developed your personality and many talents and abilities that you brought with you to this life. The most important talent was the talent of spirituality or the ability to recognize eternal truth.

In the pre-mortal existence you chose to be obedient, to have faith in Jesus Christ, and to improve and progress. Your pre-mortal experience could be likened to a mid-term test which you passed. (One-third of the spirit children of God, students as it were, failed the mid-term and were removed from the course) You were well prepared to come to this life and take the final test.

You brought everything with you from the pre-mortal existence that is necessary to pass the final test of mortality. You did it once so you can have confidence that you can do it again, and that your graduation from mortality will be with honors into the celestial kingdom with our Heavenly Parents.

If your confidence is born of the Spirit you will have confidence to marry and have a family, sooner rather than later – You will know “that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children.” You will know that, “The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force” (The Family – A Proclamation to the World).

You will know that, “The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan…Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities” (ibid).

If your confidence is born of the Spirit you will have confidence to further your education – President Gordon B. Hinckley taught the youth of the Church: “The Lord wants you to educate your minds and hands, whatever your chosen field. Whether it be repairing refrigerators, or the work of a skilled surgeon, you must train yourselves. You will be generously blessed because of that training… You need all the education you can get” (A Prophet’s Counsel and Prayer for the Youth, Ensign, April 2002).

President M. Russell Ballard further explained: “You are investing now for eternity that lies ahead. I urge you to finish this educational journey you have begun – no matter what challenges you may face, you will take all that you have learned and experienced with you after you depart this life. You won’t take your home, car, money, or other personal possessions. They will all be left behind” (BYU Pathway Devotional, 9 February 2021, see also D&C 88:78-80; 130:18-19).

If your confidence is born of the Spirit you will have confidence in the future or our country – We know the founding and the establishment of the United States was the work of the Lord in preparation for the Restoration. (See 1 Nephi 13:12-19; 14:7-14; D&C 98:4-10; 101:77-80). To further this understanding and after retiring from the United States Air Force, I designed a personal coin. (There is a military tradition for general officers to give a personalized coin to people who make important contributions to the success of the mission) I now give this coin to people in recognition of the good they do in supporting family, faith, and freedom.

- The Great Seal of the United States was designed by Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams. (This Seal is shown on the front side of my coin) These wise Founders chose an eagle to represent strength, determination, and purpose. That our nation desires peace is depicted by the eagle looking at an olive branch in its right talon. Often in this world, the best way to secure peace is to be prepared for war. This is symbolized by the arrows in the eagle’s left talon. The eagle has a banner in its beak with the Latin phrase E Pluribis Unum meaning Out of Many One. There has never been a more diverse country than the United States with people from all nations. But with so much diversity our national and individual goal should be righteous and responsible unity. Unity will strengthen individuals, families and nations.

- The Flag of the United States is a modern title of liberty – Around the perimeter of the opposite side of the coin are the words captain Moroni wrote on his title of liberty: “In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children” (Alma 46:12). Faith, Family, and Freedom must be promoted and defended at all cost.

If your confidence is born of the Spirit you will have confidence in the Lord, His Church, and its leaders – You will know that: “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints… is Christ’s New Testament Church restored. This Church is anchored in the perfect life of its chief cornerstone, Jesus Christ, and in His infinite Atonement and literal Resurrection.” You will know that “Jesus Christ has once again called Apostles and has given them priesthood authority.” You will know that “He invites all of us to come unto Him and His Church, to receive the Holy Ghost, the ordinances of salvation, and to gain enduring joy” (Restoration Proclamation by First Presidency and Quorum of Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints).

Testimony – I testify that the founding and the establishment of the United States is the Lord’s work. I also testify that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s Church, and He has establish it; and nothing shall overthrow it. (See Mosiah 27:13)

I further testify, in the words of the Lord: “The works, and the designs, and the purposes of God cannot be frustrated, neither can they come to naught. For God doth not walk in crooked paths, neither doth he turn to the right hand nor to the left, neither doth he vary from that which he hath said, therefore his paths are straight, and his course is one eternal round” (D&C 3:1-2).

Released on June 16th. 2025.