Everyone thinks about love and hearts around Valentine’s Day, and the Devotional speaker Tuesday was no exception. Elder Patrick Kearon spoke about of the importance for people to open their hearts and improve themselves.
Elder Kearon had students reflect about the condition of their hearts, asking them to weigh the barriers between them and the Lord. He mentioned the value of taking time for oneself in order to not get bogged down with stresses of everyday life.
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He encouraged those listening to find a quiet space and time to study and reflect in order to not let life overwhelm them.
“We must each find and guard a time to heed these words of the Lord,” he said. “We must remain in constant communication with Him.”
He cautioned students to avoid carrying sin which blocks influence of the Lord and encouraged those in attendance to bring their hearts closer to God through repentance.
“What is holding you from giving Him your whole heart, your whole mind and all your strength?” he asked.
In a world bombarded with messages, people must be selective in the messages they pay attention to. That includes being cautious when consuming media.
“Our hearts may be malnourished because of poor digital diet,” he said. “We tell ourselves that we are not affected by these messages, but that is not the case.”
He strongly encouraged students to take necessary steps to cleanse themselves from negative media.
“We can deflect these messages with our faith intact,” he said. “You will know what you need to change. Open yourselves and even your hearts to that special spirit.”
Elder Kearon said students can get closer to God by cleansing their hearts.
“I urge you to be bold in removing barriers,” he said. “As we repeatedly respond to the light of Christ . . . we increase our sensitivity. We are drawn back to them, back to their light and back to their homes.”
