Young Men Slogans/Themes/Mottos

Since its inception, the Young Men’s programs have used slogans and themes to teach and reinforce important principles. The slogans all began with the phrase “We stand for…” followed by a subject/area of focus. Themes often used scriptures; alternately, themes were authored by Church leaders, as is often the case with the most recent examples.

Slogans

“We stand for…”

1914 – A sacred Sabbath and a weekly half holiday¹

1915 – A weekly home evening

1916 – State and nationwide prohibition

1917 – Thrift and economy

1918 – Service to God and country

1919 – Spiritual growth through attendance at sacrament meetings

1920 – The nonuse and nonsale of tobacco

1921 – Loyal citizenship

1922 – A pure life through clean thought and action

1923 – Divine guidance through individual and family prayer

1924 – The commandment “honor thy father and thy mother”

1925 – An individual testimony of the divinity of Jesus Christ

1926 – A testimony of the divine mission of Joseph Smith

1927 – A fuller knowledge of the Book of Mormon and a testimony of its divine origin

1928 – Law, for the people who live it and the officers who enforce it

1929 – The preservation of our heritage through obedience to law

1930 – Loyal adherence to Latter-day Saint ideals

1931 – Physical, mental, and spiritual health, through observance of the Word of Wisdom

1932 – Enrichment of life through constructive use of leisure and personal service to fellowmen

1933 – Inspired by the refining influences of Mormonism, we will develop the gifts within us

1934 – By my actions, I will prove my allegiance to the Church

1935 – Spirituality and happiness in the home

Themes

1936 – “Let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God” (Doctrine and Covenants 121:45).

1937 – “Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?

“He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

“He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation” (Psalm 24:3–5).

1938 – “By love serve one another.

“For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Galatians 5:13–14).

1939 – “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

“This is the first and great commandment.

“And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

“On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Matthew 22:37–40).

1940 – “My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:

“Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.

“When thou goest, it shall lead thee; and when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee” (Proverbs 6:20-22).

1941 – “I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise” (Doctrine and Covenants 82:10).

1942 – “Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest” (Joshua 1:9).

1943 – “Let us all do the will of our Father in heaven today, and we will then be prepared for the duty of tomorrow, also for the eternities which are to come” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Heber J. Grant [2011], 30).

1944 – “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

“In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:5–6).

1945 – “Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.

“Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

“The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry” (Psalm 34:13-15).

1946 – “Let every one get a knowledge for himself that this work is true. . . . Then let every person say: ‘I will live my religion. . . . I will walk humbly before my God and deal honestly with my fellow beings’” (Discourses of Brigham Young, sel. John A. Widtsoe [1954], 429).

1947 – “If you keep my commandments and endure to the end you shall have eternal life” (Doctrine and Covenants 14:7).

1948 – “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8).

1949 – “How glorious and near to the angels is youth that is clean; this youth has joy unspeakable here and eternal happiness hereafter” (“The Message of the First Presidency to the Church,” Improvement Era, May 1942, 273).

1950 – “Learn wisdom in thy youth; yea, learn in thy youth to keep the commandments of God” (Alma 37:35).

1951 – “Choose you this day whom ye will serve; . . . as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).

1952 – “Be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12).

1953 – “Abide ye in the liberty wherewith ye are made free; entangle not yourselves in sin, but let your hands be clean, until the Lord comes” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:86).

1954 – “Seek not for riches but for wisdom, and behold, the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto you, and then shall you be made rich” (Doctrine and Covenants 6:7).

1955 – “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth” (Romans 1:16).

1956 – “Seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from his hand. For behold, ye yourselves know that he counseleth in wisdom, and in justice, and in great mercy, over all his works” (Jacob 4:10).

1957 – “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou has sent” (John 17:3).

1958 – “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

1959 – “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32).

1960 – “Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers” (Doctrine and Covenants 112:10).

1961 – “I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them” (1 Nephi 3:7).

1962 – “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy might, mind, and strength; and in the name of Jesus Christ thou shalt serve him” (Doctrine and Covenants 59:5).

1963 – “And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost” (Moroni 10:4).

1964 – “For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors” (Alma 34:32).

1965 – “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him” (John 14:21).

1966 – “There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—

“And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated” (Doctrine and Covenants 130:20-21).

1967 – “Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection” (Doctrine and Covenants 130:18).

1968 – “Therefore, cheer up your hearts, and remember that ye are free to act for yourselves—to choose the way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life” (2 Nephi 10:23).

1969 – “For the eternal purposes of the Lord shall roll on, until all his promises shall be fulfilled” (Mormon 8:22).

1970 – “We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things” (Articles of Faith 1:13).

1971 – “Search diligently, pray always, and be believing, and all things shall work together for your good, if ye walk uprightly” (Doctrine and Covenants 90:24).

1972 – “And if you keep my commandments and endure to the end you shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God.” (Doctrine and Covenants 14:7)

1973 – “For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39)

1974 – “When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God” (Mosiah 2:17)

Researchers can find later themes for young men and young women in the New Era.

2019 – I am a beloved son of God, and He has a work for me to do.

With all my heart, might, mind, and strength, I will love God, keep my covenants, and use His priesthood to serve others, beginning in my own home.

As I strive to serve, exercise faith, repent, and improve each day, I will qualify to receive temple blessings and the enduring joy of the gospel.

I will prepare to become a diligent missionary, loyal husband, and loving father by being a true disciple of Jesus Christ.

I will help prepare the world for the Savior’s return by inviting all to come unto Christ and receive the blessings of His Atonement.