By Christian Fehlberg
In his Tuesday Devotional address, Daniel K. Judd encouraged students and faculty to be true to the light and knowledge made available to them by the gospel.
'The topic I have chosen to address today is what latter-day apostles and prophets have described as ''a wonderful flood of light,'' an apt description of what we have come to know as the restored gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ,' Judd said.
Quoting scriptures and general authorities, and drawing upon experiences from his own life, Judd, who is first counselor in the Sunday School General Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a professor of ancient scripture at BYU, spoke at the Marriott Center Tuesday about several doctrines that are unique to the Restoration which shed light on many of the challenges members of the church often face.
'For me, the difference between the times of light, the periods of darkness, and those cloudy days when I am somewhere in between, is the degree to which I am open to and act upon the influence of the Holy Ghost,' Judd said.
The key to having the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost is consistently striving to be 'nourished by the good word of God,' he said.
One of the doctrines that is part of the 'flood of light' brought by the Restoration is the doctrine of the eternal family, he said.
'Most of us know and understand the uniquely Latter-day Saint doctrine that family relationships may be perpetuated beyond the grave, but do our lives truly reflect our belief in this divine doctrine?' Judd said.
Judd spoke about the importance of giving family relationships appropriate time and attention, and encouraged students-both married and single-to take the doctrine of eternal families seriously.
'If you are a young person of marriageable age and maturity, are you doing your part to find your eternal companion, or just hanging out on a personal plateau, giving your best efforts to school and to work?' Judd said. 'Family relationships are more than just a means to an end-they are an end in themselves, a celestial end with an eternal destiny.'
In addition, Judd touched briefly on the doctrines of the Creation, the Fall of Adam and the Atonement of Jesus Christ. He spoke about the grace of Christ, and said even among members of the Church, there are those who have misunderstood this important doctrine.
'The scriptures plainly teach that salvation is much more about the Savior than it is about us,' he said. 'The Savior''s advocacy is based on the efficacy of his atoning sacrifice and our willingness to believe in Him.'