Elder Lynn G. Robbins’ address informed students of the dangers of letting Satan into our hearts, even just once. He suggested several ways students can avoid temptation completely in many situations commonly faced by young single adults.
He began his remarks using Solomon’s proverb, which says, “Enter not into the path of the wicked … Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away” Prov. 4:14-15. Elder Robbins spoke of Solomon’s learned wisdom that avoiding temptation is easier than resisting temptation. He taught that this is a principle everyone would benefit from in learning.
“It would be my prayer that by the end of my remarks it will have enlightened your understanding and touched your hearts sufficiently to motivate you to make some helpful and wise changes in your life,” Elder Robbins said.
Using chocolate chip cookies as a metaphor, Elder Robbins illustrated how it is better to avoid temptation completely than to try and resist it, especially regarding sexual purity.
“It is easier for me not to have the cookies in the house than it is to walk through the front door and smell two dozen of them fresh out of the oven — warm, moist and smelling good,” he said. “At that moment I am no longer simply fighting temptation; I am also fighting chemistry. The aroma triggers the pleasure center of my brain. My mouth begins to water in preparation for the cookies. With each tempting whiff my resistance grows weaker as my craving grows stronger and my appetite begins to overpower my reason and resolve.”
Elder Robbins gave the example of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife. Joseph did not wait to resist the temptation of Potiphar’s wife; rather, he fled the scene and completely avoided temptation. Elder Robbins then reminded students that the Savior’s call to avoid temptation is twofold: first, to watch, and second, to pray. He encouraged students to always be vigilant and on their guard.
“I invite you to think about your greatest temptations and then ponder and pray about what you can do to avoid them in the future,” he said. “I then invite you to wisely follow through on the avoidance revelation that comes to you.”
His counsel continued as he shared the wisdom of President Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve to “never make the same mistake once.”
“The wisdom of this intriguing principle alerts us to the danger of traps that are so effective that they don’t need a second chance to ensnare their victims,” Elder Robbins said. “Think of a spider web,” he continued. “Satan would have you believe that there is little or no lasting harm in trying something just once. But yielding to Satan — even once — has trapped many curious victims in a life-long battle against that vice.”
Elder Robbins also shared how Satan can deceive little by little, by desensitizing people.
“Avoiding temptation protects us from becoming desensitized to it. But if we tolerate it, while striving to resist it, we can gradually become desensitized without even knowing it,” he said.
He then continued to address explicitly the topics of movies and dating. He warned that each of us must be responsible for the movies we watch because the ratings system continually upholds Hollywood standards, not the standards members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are counseled to uphold.
Specifically, Elder Robbins warned against pornography. He said, “It can damage your ability to have a normal relationship with your future spouse. That isn’t merely conjecture; thousands of cases bear witness of its destructive impact on the marriage relationship.”
Elder Robbins referenced “For the Strength of Youth” while addressing avoiding sexual temptation. During his remarks he mentioned the pamphlet could also be called “For the Strength of Young Single Adults.” He addressed that these guidelines are set in place to protect God’s children so they may be able to partake in His blessings.
“The best wedding gift you can give your future spouse is the gift of trust, a gift given by covenant at the altar in the temple, but created as you mutually demonstrate respect, loyalty and strength of character with each other during courtship,” he said. “For a marriage that did not begin with this priceless gift, the trust can be earned only through sincere repentance, but may take time.”
Elder Robbins specifically addressed kissing. “For the Strength of Youth” counsels youth not to participate in passionate kissing. Elder Robbins shared that by participating in passionate kissing, temptation is invited, not avoided.
He referred to President Spencer W. Kimball, former president of the Church, and his counsel regarding kissing, saying, “President Spencer W. Kimball said, ‘Even if timely courtship justifies the kiss, it should be a clean, decent, sexless one.’”
Elder Robbins recognized that we live in a world where sometimes completely avoiding temptation is impossible and we must resist. His counsel in those situations is to dismiss Satan immediately.
In his closing remarks, Elder Robbins spoke of how Christ understands what His children face because He faced it first. He knows each one of His children will make mistakes and give way to temptation.
“Whatever your weakness or temptation is, and we all have them, if your desire is to avoid that temptation in the future, remember that the Savior wants to help you,” he said. “My parting prayer is similar, that the Lord will bless each of you with the same wisdom with which he blessed Solomon, to help you avoid temptation rather than trying to resist it; and with the strength to quickly dismiss temptation in those situations where it is impossible to completely avoid it.”
