There is absolutely nothing in this world that will provide more

On the Power of Truth — A Testament to the Soul

In the long journey of humankind, many treasures have been sought—gold that glitters in the sun, crowns that bind the head, pleasures that fade with the night. Yet few have found what Thomas S. Monson declared as the greatest treasure of all: a testimony of the truth. For in that testimony lies not gold, nor the fleeting warmth of mortal comfort, but a deep and abiding peace—a comfort that endures when all else withers. It is the anchor of the spirit, the unshakable assurance that though the world trembles, one’s soul stands upon eternal ground.

The ancients knew this secret well. They sought truth not in the shifting sands of opinion, but in the bedrock of the divine. Socrates, standing before his accusers, could have saved his life with silence or deceit. Yet he chose to speak truth, saying, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” He drank the hemlock with calm resolve, for he possessed a testimony greater than fear—the truth that the soul is immortal and that virtue is man’s highest calling. In that final hour, when comfort and happiness seemed far from him, truth became his solace, a light that no death could extinguish.

So too, in the words of Monson, the testimony of truth is not mere knowledge—it is a living flame within the heart. It speaks softly in the darkness, reminding us that life has purpose, that goodness prevails, and that we are known and loved by a higher power. This testimony does not come from the noise of the world, but from quiet communion with the spirit, from moments of stillness when the heart listens more deeply than the ear ever could. It is the inner certainty that truth—divine, unchanging, eternal—dwells within us and around us.

Many have sought comfort in fleeting things: wealth, recognition, and power. Yet when the night falls and the storms rise, these idols crumble like clay before the wind. The one who has truth stands firm, though all else fails. Consider the story of Viktor Frankl, a man imprisoned in the depths of a concentration camp. Stripped of everything—freedom, family, dignity—he yet found a deeper truth: that man’s spirit is free when it clings to meaning. “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing,” he wrote, “the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances.” His testimony of truth gave him strength where despair reigned, and it became his source of comfort when the world offered none.

To have such a testimony is not to escape sorrow, but to endure it with purpose. For truth does not shield us from the trials of life; rather, it gives those trials meaning. It tells us that there is order in the chaos, light in the darkness, and mercy beyond the grave. The man who holds truth within him can face death with serenity and life with gratitude. He needs not the approval of men, for he has found communion with eternity.

Let this teaching be passed down as a torch to future generations: seek not first for pleasure, nor for ease, but for truth—and with it will come all that the soul desires. The truth may not flatter you; it may demand humility, repentance, and change. Yet it will give you something no lie can offer—peace, that quiet joy that neither time nor sorrow can steal away. For truth is not an idea alone; it is a presence, a companionship, a living bond between the soul and the divine.

Therefore, my child, let your daily life be a pilgrimage toward truth. Read deeply, pray earnestly, and listen to the whisper within your heart. When confusion reigns, seek clarity not in the voices of men but in the stillness where the eternal speaks. When sorrow visits, remember that comfort lies not in escape but in understanding, not in denial but in the knowledge that truth is unbreakable.

And in the end, when the years are many and the body is weary, you will see that Monson’s words were no mere saying, but a revelation: that there is absolutely nothing in this world that will provide more comfort and happiness than a testimony of the truth. For the truth is life itself—unchanging, radiant, and eternal—and those who walk in it walk in peace.