We have all heard the phrase “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Elder Rasband reminds us that words have great power, to harm or to help.
“Ridiculous”
“Disgraceful”
“Shame”
“Repugnant”
These are some of the words that were directed at a classmate of mine. An article of theirs received negative attention in the media, and many aggressive comments, not just the ones listed here, were directed at this student, who wrote the article for a class.
The plot twist? I had edited that article.
The comments were not directed at me, but I still felt bad. Had I really not seen what had offended these people? I felt hurt that so many good people would use such words to attack a student that was still learning about the world.
My entire education has been centered on words, and in this moment, words were influencing my perspective of myself, my desire for education, and my testimony.
In April 2024, Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles gave a talk entitled “Words Matter,” illustrating that words can have great power to hurt—but also to help. “[Words] are the bedrock of how we connect; they represent our beliefs, morals, and perspectives,” Elder Rasband said.
In his remarks, Elder Rasband used three types of words as examples: the words that come from God, prophets, and every one of us. In emphasizing the importance of our own words, Elder Rasband said that we should show regard for others in our word choice, no matter the medium in which we use them.
“Our words can be supportive or angry, joyful or mean, compassionate or tossed aside. In the heat of the moment, words can sting and sink painfully deep into the soul—and stay there. Our words on the internet, texting, social media, or tweets take on a life of their own,” he said. “So be careful what you say and how you say it.”
Though the words directed at my classmate still hurt sometimes, I can only control how I respond to the situation. I can choose to use my words respectfully in all circumstances.
If words really do matter, let me ask you:
What words will you use today?
To watch or read Elder Ronald A. Rasband’s talk “Words Matter.”
Source: General Conference
—Brianne Barrus, Latter-day Saint Insights
FEATURE IMAGE BY GLENN CARRIE
Find more insights
Read more about the importance of words, in the article “Words that Stick” from For the Strength of Youth.
Read and listen to Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s words from the 2007 general conference, “The Tongue of Angels,” for more guidance on using our words to uplift others.