Principles, Ordinances, and Covenants

Teaching abstract gospel concepts to youth can be tough. But, the simplest analogies can have the biggest impact. This past Sunday, I taught our ward's youth about principles, ordinances, and covenants. I used three different approaches that seemed to resonate.

I started with a simple cookie recipe analogy. You can't make perfect cookies without a recipe (for most people). Likewise, our spiritual journey needs specific principles, ordinances, and covenants. The youth connected with this example. But, what really engaged them was what came next.

Being in Utah, I knew our youth would connect with basketball. I used the recent commitment of AJ Dybantsa to BYU as an example. As the nation's #1 basketball recruit, his journey perfectly illustrated our spiritual progression. We discussed how his years of practicing fundamentals led to the signing ceremony. It resulted in ongoing commitments to the team.

The key moment? It was when I shared my covenant path photos. Seeing someone's actual journey, from dating to temple marriage and beyond, is powerful. The youth were fully engaged. I showed them real pictures that matched each step of the covenant path. I could see it clicking for them. This wasn't just an abstract concept. It was a real journey that people in their ward have taken.

What struck me most was how they could see themselves in these stories. Whether it was relating to AJ's commitment to basketball or seeing photos of early dating experiences that led to temple marriage, they could envision their own future covenant path.

Sometimes we overthink teaching youth. This experience reminded me that they connect best with real stories and examples. They want to see how gospel principles play out in the lives of people they know. It's one thing to discuss covenants in theory. It's another to show, via cookies, basketball, and personal stories, what living those covenants looks like.