Elder Patrick Kearon
The Message
Elder Kearon compared our spiritual lives to flying a glider. A glider rises when it finds currents of rising air called “lift,”but it loses altitude in sinking air called “sink.” In the same way, there are influences, choices, habits, people, and spiritual practices that draw us toward Jesus Christ and others that quietly pull us away.
Most importantly, Elder Kearon taught that Jesus Christ lives to lift us. When we find ourselves sinking, we can turn toward Him. And when we find spiritual lift ourselves, we can help someone else find it too.
Start the Conversation
Read the summary of the message and the Try This at Home ideas with your family. Then say: “Let’s choose one way we can find more spiritual lift this week.”
Try This at Home
Choose one idea your family would like to try this week—or choose your own.
Name Your Lift
Have each person name something that usually helps them feel closer to Jesus Christ such as prayer, music, scripture, the temple, being outdoors, serving someone, attending church, talking with someone they trust, or something else. Choose one to do more intentionally this week.
Notice the Sink
Ask each person to think about something that tends to leave them feeling spiritually lower, discouraged, distracted, or farther from the Savior. Don’t criticize one another’s answers. Simply ask: “What could help you turn away from that?”
Follow Someone Who Has Found Lift
Elder Kearon said glider pilots sometimes join other pilots who have already found rising air. Choose someone whose discipleship strengthens you. Watch what that person does or ask them what helps them stay close to Christ and try one thing you learn from the conversation.
Lift Someone Else
Choose one person who may be having a difficult week. Do one small thing to provide some lift like a message, a visit, encouragement, help with a task, or simply listening.
Look for Jesus Lifting
Choose one of the scripture stories Elder Kearon mentioned: Jesus lifting Peter from the water, Jairus’s daughter, or the afflicted boy whom Jesus took by the hand and lifted up. Read the story and talk about what Jesus did.
Find It in the Scriptures
Read Alma 26:14–16, where Ammon describes being brought from darkness into light and being surrounded by God’s love. Ask: What words in these verses sound like “lift” to you?
Choose Your Own
Choose another part of Elder Kearon’s message your family would like to live together this week.
Check Back In
At the end of the week, talk as a family about what you noticed. Where did you find lift? What seemed to create sink? Did you recognize any patterns you hadn’t noticed before? Was it easier to turn away from sink once you recognized it? Did someone else help lift you? Were you able to lift someone else? Did your experience help you understand what Elder Kearon meant when he said, “Jesus Christ lives to lift”?
No grading. No guilt. Just notice what happened.
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