Abstract

This study is an examination of changes in the various editions of the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet, an outline of standards and expectations for the youth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Over the course of the past forty years, eight editions of the pamphlet have been printed. The first edition was published in 1965 and the most recent publication was in 2001.

The study revealed that significant changes have been made in the various editions. The initial six pamphlets, which were published from 1965-1972, focused on social behavior of the youth such as dress standards, grubby clothes, curlers, hairstyles, good grooming, and standards of propriety. Rather than listing correct behaviors, both the 1990 and 2001 versions of the pamphlet focused more on correct moral principles and doctrines, such as honesty, gratitude, accountability, and repentance to name a few.

The 2001 edition emphasized teachings of the current prophet (President Gordon B. Hinckley), youth programs (Personal Progress and Duty to God), and other Church publications (Principles of the Gospel and True to the Faith). This latest edition of the For the Strength of Youth has received much more notoriety by the General Authorities of the Church in both written and spoken sources compared to earlier editions.

Despite all the changes to the text, the content, or emphasis given the pamphlet, all the editions reflected the needs of the time and were written for the strength of youth.

Degree

College and Department

Religious Education