If you put on a pair of glasses with red lenses. The red would affect everything you see. Of course buildings would still look like buildings and trees would still look like trees. But the red of the glasses would alter your perception slightly, so the buildings and trees and everything else you saw would look slightly different.

Our understanding of ideas and truths does the same thing….let’s us see things a little differently.

If you have the idea that people are good you will look around with your people-are-good glasses and see all the good. You may even see good in people that other people cannot see.

If you have the belief that everything is a conspiracy you’ll see everything through those glasses and it shouldn’t be surprising that you’ll see conspiracy wherever you look.

In the gospel of Jesus Christ you are taught truth. Sometimes they are called principles or doctrine, but they are the truths of the gospel. The more that these truths can be your glasses, the more you will see things as they really are…the way God sees them.

Line-Upon-Line Glasses

God has told us that He will teach us “line upon line” (2 Nephi 28:30). That means He will not give you everything at once. It may mean that you have to wait to understand or learn the next part of something even if you feel you are ready to move on.

What will happen if you choose to put on the line-upon-line glasses?

  • Would you be a little more patient with yourself as you waited to be taught the next step knowing that you are doing the best you can for now?
  • Would you see your spouse or your neighbor as one who is on a different line (in a different place) waiting to understand their next step?
  • Would you be a little more willing to teach and guide a child who hasn’t mastered a task or a skill completely yet instead of being annoyed?
  • Would you turn to God a little more, asking for more information that He has promised?

Child-of-God Glasses

As you learn about the gospel you learn that you really are a child of God. And as such, you know you inherit the potential for His limitless abilities.

What would happen if you put on those glasses?

  • How would you see yourself differently in the mirror?
  • How would you see a struggling friend, an ornery co-worker, a homeless stranger?
  • What value and what possibilities would you see in others? How would you interact with them differently because of what you see?

“It is this endless compassion that allows us to more clearly see others for who they are. Through the lens of pure love, we see immortal beings of infinite potential and worth and beloved sons and daughters of Almighty God. Once we see through that lens, we cannot discount, disregard, or discriminate against anyone.” 

– Dieter F. Uchtdor (10/2018)

Where Are Your Glasses?

Because of the gospel of Jesus Christ you have access to many powerful truths.

Of course you’re constantly adjusting your prescription and getting new glasses as you learn and understand more completely different truths of the gospel.

That is a natural process.

However, don’t forget your glasses. Don’t leave them on the night stand or the bathroom counter.

Put them on.

Think about the difference they make.

Explore This Idea a Little More

Colored Glasses Activity

Talk with your family or class about how your beliefs are like colored glasses. They affect how you see and react to things.

  • Take turns looking through colored glasses. (Use glasses with colored lenses, make glasses with colored lenses out of cheap sunglasses and colored cellophane, or use regular sun glasses.)
  • Discuss how the lenses affect what you see.
    • What do you see? How is it different with and without the glasses?
  • Then pretend they are magic glasses that let you see everyone as a really important person (a child of God).
    • What do you see?
    • If the group has a hard time imagining what they would see if they saw everyone as a child of God, ask questions to guide them.

When you look at your little brother look past the person who ripped your drawing, broke your pencil and follows you around all the time. What do you see? You see a person that Heavenly Father really loves. A person that is trying to learn to choose the right and makes mistakes sometimes. A person who loves you and wants to be like you.

  • Summarize that just like the glasses affect what you see, what you believe and what you think affects how you look at things.
  • What is another truth that you learn from Jesus? How does it affect how you see things?
    • An example of another truth is, “You can repent.” (See Hebrews 12:1, Helaman 5:11) This truth affects you because:
      • That means you can be patient with yourself and others because you don’t have to be perfect right now.
      • That means mistakes are a part of life and you shouldn’t get too down on yourself when you mess up. (There is a way to fix the mistakes you make. Turning to God to learn something new or to fix a mistake brings His power into your life all the same. Heavenly Father knew people would make mistakes. It is part of His plan. That is why He made sure there is a Savior to help you make up for those mistakes.)
    • You could discuss truths from the list near the end of the talk “Truth and the Plan” by Dallin H. Oaks (10/2018).

“Hope of Israel” Activity

Use the hymn “Hope of Israel” to discuss with your family or class how truth is a weapon in the battle between good and evil.

  • The hymn “Hope of Israel” talks about the battle between good and evil. Ask questions to guide a discussion about the words of the song.
    • What powerful weapons do you have in your fight?
    • What effect will they have on the enemy?
    • What is the sword? (The sword is truth and light. It is with truth that you will be able to conquer.)
    • Who is going to win the battle?
  • Discuss what truths you have and how they help you in this battle. Perhaps, make a big paper sword or a banner with a picture of a sword where you can write down the truths you think of.
    • Add truths throughout the month as you think of more. Perhaps identify truths from family scriptures study or class lessons to add to the sword.
    • Discuss (and write on your banner) how each of those truths can and should affect what you think or do and how they affect the results of the battle for you.

Examples of Truths:

  • You can move past mistakes
  • God is stronger than anything
  • Good will win even when it doesn’t seem like it’s possible
    • (2 Kings 6:16, 1 Nephi 4:1)
    • It is worth it to do good and to keep the commandments because along the way and in the end you really will receive all the blessings you are promised. You can trust that God will do what He says He will to help you, even if you cannot see how it could happen.
  • God will guide you
    • (D&C 6:14)
    • When you have choices to make you can rely on God to always be there to help you know what to do. You don’t have to feel alone. You don’t have to feel lost or confused all the time.
  • Keeping the commandments leads to happiness
    • (Mosiah 2:41)
    • When other people keep telling you different things to do to be happy or popular, you can know that God has told you the real answer. This knowledge can guide all your choices. You can have confidence you are doing what you need to do to really be happy.

Extras

< Do You Need Different Glasses? >

If you are confused, frustrated, or even angry about certain things, it might be helpful to consider what lenses you’re looking through. Think about what perceptions you might need to adjust or get rid of. Think about what truth you know and choose to put on those glasses of truth so you can see things more clearly.

< Consciously Make Truth Part of Your Big Picture Choices >

When you understand a truth you can make a choice to believe it and act on it. In this way it can become one of your big picture choices. Click here to understand more about big picture choices.

< Identifying Statements of Truth >

If you would like a little help in figuring out how to pull statements of truth from scriptures or conference talks, seminary lessons might help. You can find seminary lesson manuals in Gospel Library or online. The lessons have truths marked in bold. As you look at the block of scripture mentioned in the lesson you can look to see what the scripture says compared to how the truth is summarized. This can help you learn to do the same thing on your own.

< Focus on Different Types of Truth for Different Problems >

Any truth will help you see more clearly. There is general gospel truth, but there is also truth about God (His qualities) and truth about you as an individual. How you view any and all of these truths will affect how you view everything around us.

Focusing on truth about God can help strengthen your understanding of and faith in His power and love. President Nelson has encouraged this type of study:

“As you read [The Book of Mormon], I would encourage you to mark each verse that speaks of or refers to the Savior. Then, be intentional about talking of Christ, rejoicing in Christ, and preaching of Christ with your families and friends (See 2 Nephi 25:26). You and they will be drawn closer to the Savior through this process. And changes, even miracles, will begin to happen.” 10/2018

“By taking upon ourselves the name of Christ, we commit to take His teachings, His characteristics, and ultimately His love deep into our beings so that they become part of who we are. Thus the importance of President Russell M. Nelson’s invitation to the young adults to ‘prayerfully and vigorously [seek] to understand what each of [the Savior’s] various titles and names means personally for [them]’ and to feast on the words of Christ in the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon.” -Paul B. Pieper 10/2018

Focusing on understanding truth about yourself (or helping a child focus on understanding truth about themselves) can help build confidence, lessen the impact of peer pressure, and develop motivation from a sense of individual purpose. You could learn truth about yourself by:

  • praying to see and understand your personal gifts
  • studying your patriarchal blessing
  • attending the temple
  • recording insights about yourself
  • or others ways as directed by the Holy Ghost who will greatly support you in this effort because God really wants you to understand who you really are

< Find Additional Power by Connecting More Than One Truth >

Truths build on each other. Connecting them in this way increases clarity and understanding as well as the power the truths can create in your life when you act on them. Explore the concept of the power of connection in “Gather Together in One All Things in Christ” by David A. Bednar (10/2018).