FROM LDS.ORG:
President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency, and Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will answer questions from youth around the world during a live Face to Face event on March 4, 2017.
Since the first Face to Face event in 2014, youth have interacted with Apostles, Church leaders, and musicians in live, online discussions. But this is the first time that a member of the First Presidency will be joining them.
The event originates in historic Palmyra, New York, where a 14-year-old Joseph Smith, Jr., experienced the First Vision following a heartfelt prayer.
βMost youth of the Church across the world will never have the chance to visit Palmyra, New York, in person, but I hope that participating in this event will help some of them feel as if they are there,β said President Eyring. βI hope they will feel the spirit of this quiet, holy place and perhaps gain a stronger testimony of what took place here on a spring day in 1820.β
The Face to Face with President Eyring and Elder Holland will focus on the 2017 Mutual Theme, found in James 1:5β6: βIf any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.βΒ (See related story.)
βJames 1:5 seems to me an ideal theme both for the youth in 2017 and for this Face to Face event,β said President Eyring. βToday there are so many ways to find informationβsome of it true, some of it partially true, and some of it completely false. But wisdom, true wisdom, comes from God, and the way to find it hasnβt changed since the day James wrote his epistle or the day Joseph Smith read it. I hope the youth will see this event as an opportunity to seek wisdom from God and they will find, as Joseph did, βthe testimony of James to be trueβthat a man [or woman] who lacked wisdom might ask of God, and obtain.ββ
βIβve had the chance to work closely with President Eyring for many yearsβlong before I was a General Authority,β added Elder Holland. βIβve seen his deep spirituality, his wisdom, and most of all his love for the Lord Jesus Christ and His gospel. That love carries over to the youth of the Church. I couldnβt be more thrilled to accompany him to Palmyra, New Yorkβthe birthplace of the Restorationβand bear our shared witness of the Prophet Joseph Smith and his divine work.β
The event takes place on a Saturday (instead of a Mutual night), which allows the highest number of international youth to participate.
Parents and ward or branch leaders can use this event as a family or Mutual night activity. Youth are encouraged to invite their friends to participate with them.
How to participate
- Youth are invited to consider what questions they would like to ask and share them on face2face.lds.org.
- Join the live event at 11:00 a.m. MST (1:00 p.m. EST) on the home page of LDS.org or the LDS Youth YouTube channel, or view it later at face2face.lds.org.
βWe look forward to hearing the expressions of faith and answering some of the questions that will come from the youth,β said Elder Holland. βWhile the questions may be addressed to President Eyring and me, we are trusting that the answers will come from God, who βgiveth to all β¦ liberally,β through His Spirit. So I would encourage the youth, as they look forward to this event, to put the promise in James 1:5 to the test if they never have done so in the past. Seek a renewed spiritual witness about the Father and the Son, about Joseph Smith and the restored gospel, about the role of the Holy Ghost in your life, and then share your experiences with us.β
A recording of the broadcast will be archived for later viewing. Recordings of all Face to Face events can be viewed at face2face.lds.org and are appropriate for a variety of personal, family, and Church settings.
Live Social Media Posts from Palmyra Will Set the Scene for Upcoming Face to Face Event
The Churchβs social media accounts for youth will be featuring posts from Palmyra, New York, during the days leading up to Saturdayβs Face to Face broadcast with two Apostles.
The Face to Face with President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency, and Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is Saturday, March 4, at 11:00 a.m. mountain standard time.
Youth worldwide are invited to watch the broadcast and invite their friends and family to join in this experience to learn about prayer as part of the 2017 Mutual theme, βAsk of God.β
βThe purpose of the social media posts from Palmyra is to help youth understand the setting and background of the Restoration,β said Fernando Camilo, a product manager in the Churchβs Priesthood and Family Department.
In the few days preceding the event, youth can βjourneyββvia social mediaβto historic Palmyra, where 14-year-old Joseph Smith Jr. experienced the First Vision following a heartfelt prayer.
The posts on LDS Youth Instagram stories and the LDS Youth Facebook page will offer an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at Church history sites and other events. Youth can see live footage of the Joseph Smith farm, a live stream of the sunset at Hill Cumorah, an inside look at the Grandin Press, and more by viewing the social media pages for updates.
Here is a breakdown of what will be posted each day leading up to the event on Saturday.
Wednesday, March 1
Joseph Smith Farm
Hill Cumorah
Grandin Press
City of Palmyra
Thursday, March 2
Harmony, Pennsylvania
Joseph and Emmaβs Home
Isaac Hale Home
Fayette, New York
Whitmer Home
Friday, March 3
Palmyra, New York
Smithβs Frame Home
Palmyra Temple
Livestream of the Hill Cumorah
Other ways to prepare and participate
In a video invitation from the two Apostles, President Eyring invited youth to βprepare for the event by reading the account of the Prophet Josephβs First Vision and also of trying yourself to ask God in faith for answers.β (See also First Vision Accounts.)
Youth are also invited to consider what questions they would like to ask and share them onΒ face2face.lds.org or on other social media channels using #LDSface2face.
Tune in early for the broadcast premier of βAsk of God,β a new video about the First Vision that will start at 10:45Β a.m. MST. The video will be available to download and share following the event.
Watch the live Face to Face event at 11:00 a.m. MST (1:00 p.m. EST) on the home page ofΒ LDS.orgΒ or theΒ LDS Youth YouTube channel, or view it later atΒ face2face.lds.org.