"Thoughts mold your features. Thoughts lift your soul heavenward or drag you toward hell... As nothing reveals character like the company we like and keep, so nothing foretells futurity like the thoughts over which we brood. … To have the approval of your conscience when you are alone with your thoughts is like being in the company of true and loving friends. To merit your own self-respect gives strength to character. Conscience is the link that binds your soul to the spirit of God." --David O. McKay, "Developing Character", Ensign, Oct. 2001

Studies have shown, and what is more important, Prophets have warned us, how impactful our thoughts are in determining whom we are and what we become. For as it was once stated,

"Sew a thought, reap an Action. Sew an Action, reap a habit. Sew a habit, reap a character. Sew a character and you'll reap your destiny.” Anthony Robbins

As I have thought about this concept of our thoughts determining our destiny, I realized that never was this truer then at the pivotal time of life called young single adulthood. It is at this time when we are set to make the most important life decisions of what sort of person we will become, and what our future will hold. It is at this time in our life that our strongest habits are formed and our character good or bad is solidified.

This is why we need to be so careful what thoughts, we invite into our minds, by way of what we listen to, read, and watch. However, that sad fact is that even if we are very careful with what influences we choose to invite into our minds, there are always those influences that we do not choose to invite, but still find a way into our minds.

It is that uninvited influence which is becoming more and more of a problem in our world today. In the world we live in today we are constantly bombarded from every direction with words, emotions, and images all created with the purpose to demean, depress, and destroy if we let them find a place inside of us.

Where we cannot always control the thoughts we have, it is within our control how long those thoughts stay. So how do we get rid of those thoughts when they uninvitingly pop into our minds? Elder Boyd K. Packer President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints offered the best counsel on this when he taught,

"I realize that in today's world it's often difficult to keep your mind filled with worthy thoughts. This takes careful control. However, it can be done when you make a safe place for your thoughts to go. I've found a way to make such a place, and I'd like to share it with you. It has to do with music—worthy music…

Choose a favorite hymn or song… one with words that are uplifting and music that is reverent, one that makes you feel something akin to inspiration. There are many beautiful songs to choose from. Seek the guidance of the Spirit in making your selection. Go over the song in your mind carefully. Memorize it. Even though you have had no musical training, you can think through a simple song. Now use this as the course for your thoughts to follow. Make it your emergency channel.

Whenever you find shady actors slipping from the sidelines of your thinking onto the stage of your mind, put on this CD, as it were. It will change your whole mood. Because the music is uplifting and clean, the baser thoughts will slip shamefully away. For while virtue, by choice, will not associate with filth, evil cannot tolerate the presence of light. In due time you will find yourself humming the music inwardly, almost automatically, to drive out unworthy thoughts. As you young people involve yourselves with righteous and worthwhile things, keep your minds filled with worthy thoughts, for as a man thinketh so is he, and you will have the ability to accomplish those things that will bring fulfillment to your lives." Boyd K. Packer, "The Message: Worthy Music, Worthy Thoughts," NewEra, Apr 2008

I know that what President Packer has said is true. We have the ability to control our thoughts, and thus our destiny. Because we have the power to do so, we have the responsibility to do so. I know that as we seek after and focus upon that which is virtuous, lovely, of good report and praiseworthy that our minds will be filled with light, and no unworthy thought will last long in our presence.

The Book of Mormon chronicles the history of the family of Lehi, a prophet who lived in Jerusalem in 600 BC. After being instructed by God to flee into the wilderness to protect his life, Lehi’s family was led by God to a personal promised land across the waters, in what is now the Americas.

After Lehi’s death, the family and those who had joined them on their journey split into two groups. The Nephites followed the fourth son, Nephi, who was righteous and loved God. The Lamanites followed Laman, the oldest son who rebelled and became very wicked. The Nephites moved to a new area to escape the brutality and persecution of the Lamanites, under the leadership of Nephi.

After Nephi’s death, his younger brother Jacob assumed leadership of the church, while another man was appointed king. Jacob wrote that Nephi’s death led to changes in the until-then righteous Nephites:

15 And now it came to pass that the people of Nephi, under the reign of the second king, began to grow hard in their hearts, and indulge themselves somewhat in wicked practices, such as like unto David of old desiring many wives and concubines, and also Solomon, his son.

16 Yea, and they also began to search much gold and silver, and began to be lifted up somewhat in pride. (Jacob 1)

We seen from Jacob’s brief summary the problems the small society faced: a hardness of the heart, immorality, corruption of the family unit, a love of money, and pride. These particular sins are primary destroyers of the spirit and in future chapters, Jacob will address these in sermons to the people. The fact that he was able to deliver a sermon to them suggests they had not stopped attending church. These were the members of the church living in this way.

It can be very easy for good people to slide into unworthiness. As we’ve discussed in previous articles, Satan doesn’t take perfectly good people and instantly turn them into bad people. He leads them away carefully and gently in small steps. The problems Jacob outlined didn’t suddenly begin upon the death of Nephi.

Nephi’s final sermon had expressed concern that the people seemed puzzled by the teachings he offered, unable to figure out what they meant. He had seen this often with his two oldest brothers, who would listen to their father’s sermon, and then go to Nephi for explanation. When he asked if they had inquired of God, as he had, they said they hadn’t.

Now Nephi and his two younger brothers saw this same problem developing in their own people. It was perhaps this problem that started the other problems. When the people stop going to God for counsel and instruction, they forget how to hear the Holy Ghost. From that point, it becomes easy for Satan to introduce other sins, since the people are no longer hearing the warnings of the Spirit.

Nephi had mentioned previously that his people prospered due to their righteousness. Repeatedly, in the Book of Mormon, we see that as people are blessed as a society, they forget where the blessings came from and begin to credit themselves for their prosperity. With an unwillingness to approach God for guidance and a forgetfulness of God’s blessings, it is but a small journey into the other sins mentioned.

Jacob’s concerns have two factors: The lack of individual worthiness and the carry-over into the larger society. To fix a nation, we must first fix the individuals. Being a member of the church and attending services does not make you a Christian. Only keeping the commandments and centering your life around Christ, crediting Him for all that is good, can make you a true Christian.

When Lehi, the first Book of Mormon prophet died, his family split into two groups, the Nephites and the Lamanites. The Nephites were the part of the family (and those who traveled to their own, personal promised land with them) who chose to follow God, and wanted Nephi as their leader. Nephi was the fourth son of Lehi.

The Lamanites were followers of the oldest of Lehi’s sons, Laman. He was a wicked young man who resented the family’s decision to abandon their wealth and do as God commanded. In time, he became violent and even murderous, and led a portion of the family and their companions away from the church. When Lehi died, they were so threatening, Nephi took his family and followers and moved a distance away.

Nephi’s younger brother Jacob lived with Nephi after his parents died, and become, in time, the spiritual leader of the Nephites. In his book (a section of the Book of Mormon) he wrote:

7 Wherefore we labored diligently among our people, that we might persuade them to come unto Christ, and partake of the goodness of God, that they might enter into his rest, lest by any means he should swear in his wrath they should not enter in, as in the provocation in the days of temptation while the children of Israel were in the wilderness.

8 Wherefore, we would to God that we could persuade all men not to rebel against God, to provoke him to anger, but that all men would believe in Christ, and view his death, and suffer his cross and bear the shame of the world; wherefore, I, Jacob, take it upon me to fulfil the commandment of my brother Nephi. (Jacob 1)

Although Jacob may have been the president of the church, he uses the plural term to discuss efforts to convert people. This reminds us that teaching of Christ is not the sole responsibility of the churches. Everyone who has a testimony of the Savior has a responsibility to share it with others.

Friends who are not of my faith will sometimes tell me, “If what you just told me is true, how could you not share it with everyone?” Today we see people eager forwarding by email information on health or safety they think will help their friends. The message of the gospel of Jesus Christ is far more important than those pass-along messages, so why are we less eager to share them?

Each of us can work to prepare ourselves to share our message with others. It can be done in a non-offensive, non-intrusive way. Often, I find opportunities to mention an aspect of my faith in ordinary conversation. I don’t have to preach—it’s just a natural response to whatever is discussed. It can be done with complete respect for the beliefs of those I talk to. I consider it my responsibility to treat the faith of my friends with the same respect I want them to treat my own. A sharing of beliefs helps to strengthen friendship as we get to know each other.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is rather famous for its missionary program, but we know we can’t rely on those men and women on bicycles to teach everyone, so we’re all taught to be ready to jump in and help out.

Want to know more about our faith? Ask a “Mormon.”

Jacob, apparently the third prophet of the Book of Mormon, wrote that his brother Nephi, the second prophet, had commanded him to keep two records of their people, the Nephites. When Nephi handed over the records to this younger brother, he asked Jacob to keep one set of plates (records) containing the history of the people. The second set would contain something more valuable:

And if there were preaching which was sacred, or revelation which was great, or prophesying, that I should engraven the heads of them upon these plates, and touch upon them as much as it were possible, for Christ’s sake, and for the sake of our people. (Jacob 1:4)

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sometimes known as Mormons, are asked to keep both kinds of records even today. They are commanded to gather their family history, write it, and preserve it for future generations, just as Jacob was asked to do. They’re also asked to keep journals and write personal histories, which include the spiritual aspects of their lives. These too will be handed down to their posterity.

Nephi, and later Jacob, worked hard to make sure the records they kept would be of value to future generations. They listened carefully to the spirit and evaluated what they wrote to be sure it provided something that would help us in our day. Because of their diligence, we have many of God’s teachings to the people, as well as true inspirational stories from their history. These spiritual stories help guide us today, and many have found comfort or wisdom in them, just as people do the stories in the Bible.

What experiences have you had in your life that could be of value to others? What lessons do you want your children and grandchildren to have when you’re gone? Do your children know what your testimony of the Savior is? Is it written down so they can have it to comfort and encourage them after your death? If you keep these records diligently, your influence can continue for many generations to come.

Begin simply. You can write your history for a half hour or so a week. It needn’t even be written in order. Just write what comes to mind, and then insert it into the file wherever it fits. This is an excellent Sabbath activity. Periodically write and date your testimony of the Savior, including what spiritual lessons you’ve learned.

Choose what to write with wisdom. You don’t have to tell it all, but do be honest enough to help others learn from your experiences. As you read the Book of Mormon, you’ll see that sad moments, and moments of spiritual weakness are followed up with an explanation of what can be learned from the experience, and frequently with the ways these events changed lives for those who repented.

Begin your personal record keeping today and have a spiritual impact on your family for generations to come. For more on family history, visit LDSblogs.com’s Genealogy blog or LDS.org’s Family History section.