The truthfulness of the restored Church boils down to a few important core truths.
Is God our loving Heavenly Father? Is Jesus Christ the Savior of the world? Was Joseph Smith a prophet of God? Is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints the kingdom of God on earth?
I have pondered the importance of these questions throughout my life, and they only seem to become more relevant the older I get. I love the words of Elder Lawrence Corbridge:
“If you answer the primary questions, the secondary questions get answered too, or they pale in significance...” (“Stand Forever”, Corbridge, 2018)
I know that this is true. Knowing that Jesus is the Christ answers far more questions than knowing the logistics of how He created the world. Knowing that the Book of Mormon is the word of God is far more applicable and enabling than knowing exactly how Joseph translated it. Seeking answers to the questions that lie at the core of our beliefs is the best way to build a strong foundation that will stand forever.
The same applies to the secular. Often, we can be caught up in the specifics of daily life, fixating on interesting, but ultimately inconsequential things. One of the easiest and most common ways that I think that the adversary drags us down is by making us feel like the insignificant is all that matters, and the significant should fall by the wayside. Distractions fight for our time and attention constantly, while simple truths can often seem boring or not worth our concern.
I want to underscore that zooming out and focusing on the simple joys of life, like family, friends, nature, and time on earth in general, can greatly improve mentality and optimism. It is the most effective tool against the distractions and sadness that plagues our day.
Like Elder Corbridge said, we should strive to align our focus with what is most important! Then and only then will we be able to discern truth from error, and “live after the manner of happiness” (2 Nephi 5:27).