By Elder David P.

Homer boundaries Himself, based on eternal

Of the Seventy truths for our benefit and blessing.
The desire to change God’s eternal
truth has a long history. It started
before the world began, when Satan
rebelled against God’s plan, seeking
selfishly to destroy human agency.4
Following this pattern, people like
Trusting Our Father Sherem, Nehor, and Korihor have
argued that faith is foolish, revelation
is irrelevant, and whatever we want to
God trusts us to make many important decisions, and in all matters He asks us to
do is right.5 Sadly, so very often these
trust Him. deviations from God’s truth have led to
great sorrow.
While some things may depend
On June 1, 1843, Addison Pratt left The Source of Truth on context, not everything does.
Nauvoo, Illinois, to preach the gospel God trusts us to make many impor- President Russell M. Nelson has consis-
in the Hawaiian Islands, leaving his tant decisions, and in all matters He tently taught that God’s saving truths
wife, Louisa Barnes Pratt, to care for asks us to trust Him.3 This is especially are absolute, independent, and defined
their young family. difficult when our judgment or public by God Himself.6
In Nauvoo, as persecutions inten- opinion differs from His will for His
sified, forcing the Saints to leave, children. Our Choice
and later at Winter Quarters as they Some suggest that we should redraw Whom we choose to trust is one
prepared to migrate to the Salt Lake the lines between what is right and of life’s important decisions. King
Valley, Louisa faced the decision of what is wrong because they say that Benjamin instructed his people,
whether to make the journey. It would truth is relative, reality is self-defined, “Believe in God; believe that he is . . . ;
have been easier to stay and to wait for or God is so generous that He does not believe that he has all wisdom . . . ;
Addison to return than to travel alone. actually care about what we do. believe that man doth not compre-
On both occasions, she sought As we seek to understand and hend all the things which the Lord
guidance from the prophet, Brigham accept God’s will, it is helpful to can comprehend.”7
Young, who encouraged her to go. remember that the boundaries Fortunately, we have the scriptures
Despite the great difficulty and her between right and wrong are not for and guidance from living prophets
personal reluctance, she successfully us to define. God has established these to help us understand God’s truth. If
made the journey each time.
Initially, Louisa found little joy in
traveling. However, she soon began
to welcome the green prairie grass,
colorful wildflowers, and patches of
ground along the riverbanks. “The
gloom on my mind wore gradually
away,” she recorded, “and there was
not a more mirthful woman in the
whole company.”1
Louisa’s story has deeply inspired
me. I admire her willingness to set
aside her personal preferences, her
ability to trust God, and how exer-
cising her faith helped her to see the
situation differently.
She has reminded me that we have
a loving Father in Heaven, who cares
for us wherever we are, and that we
can trust Him more than anyone or
anything else.2

Malaysia

18 S AT U R DAY M O R N I N G S E S S I O N
clarification beyond what we have is
needed, God provides it through His
prophets. And He will respond to our
sincere prayers through the Holy Ghost
as we seek to understand truths we do
not yet fully appreciate.
Elder Neil L. Andersen once taught
that we should not be surprised “if at
times [our] personal views are not ini-
tially in harmony with the teachings of
the Lord’s prophet. These are moments
of learning,” he said, “of humility,
when we go to our knees in prayer.
We walk forward in faith, trusting in
God, knowing that with time we will
receive more spiritual clarity from our
Heavenly Father.”8
At all times, it is helpful to remem-
ber Alma’s teaching that God gives
His word according to the attention
and effort we devote to it. If we heed
God’s word, we will receive more; if
we ignore His counsel, we will receive
less and less until we have none.9 This
loss of knowledge does not mean that
the truth was wrong; rather, it shows
that we have lost the capacity to under-
stand it.10

Look to the Savior

In Capernaum, the Savior taught
about His identity and mission. Many
found His words difficult to hear, Madagascar
leading them to turn their backs and
“[walk] no more with him.”11 that come through faith in the Lord decision. When we find it difficult to
Why did they walk away? Jesus Christ.”13 understand or embrace God’s will, it is
Because they did not like what He comforting to remember that He loves
said. So, trusting their own judgment, Blessings Come to Those Who Stay us as we are, wherever we are. And
they walked away, denying themselves As the disciples walked away from He has something better for us. If we
blessings that would have come had the Savior that day, He then asked the reach out to Him, He will assist us.
they stayed. Twelve, “Will ye also go away?” While reaching out to Him can be
It is easy for our pride to come Peter answered: difficult, just as the father who sought
between us and eternal truth. When “Lord, to whom shall we go? thou healing for his son was told by the
we don’t understand, we can pause, hast the words of eternal life. Savior, “All things are possible to him
let our feelings settle, and then choose “And we believe and are sure that that believeth.”15 In our moments of
how to respond. The Savior urged us thou art that Christ, the Son of the struggle, we too can cry out, “Help
to “look unto [Him] in every thought; living God.”14 thou [my] unbelief.”16
doubt not, fear not.”12 When we focus Now, the Apostles lived in the same
on the Savior, our faith can start to world, and they faced the same social Submitting Our Will to His
overcome our concerns. pressures as the disciples who walked Elder Neal A. Maxwell once taught
As President Dieter F. Uchtdorf away. However, in this moment, they that “the submission of one’s will is
encouraged us to do: “Please, first chose their faith and trusted God, thus really the only uniquely personal thing
doubt your doubts before you doubt preserving blessings God gives to those we have to place on God’s altar.”17 No
your faith. We must never allow who stay. wonder King Benjamin was so eager
doubt to hold us prisoner and keep us Perhaps you, like me, sometimes that his people become “as a child,
from the divine love, peace, and gifts find yourself on both sides of this submissive, meek, humble, patient, full

NOVEMBER 2024 19
of love, willing to submit to all things I then asked her what she had His children to choose to return to Him’
which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon learned in her journey. [General Handbook: Serving in The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1.1, Gospel
him, even as a child doth submit to his With some emotion, she shared that Library], and He employs every possible
father.”18 she had learned that she needed to measure to bring [us] back” (“God’s Intent
As always, the Savior set the perfect attend church long enough to break Is to Bring You Home,” Liahona, May
2024, 87).
example for us. With a heavy heart, the habit of not coming and that she 3. See 2 Nephi 4:34.
and knowing the painful work He had needed to stay until it was where she 4. See Moses 4:3.
to do, He submitted to His Father’s wanted to be. Her return was not 5. See Jacob 7:7; Alma 1:4; 30:13–18, 23–28.
6. See Russell M. Nelson, “Think Celestial!,”
will, fulfilling His messianic mission easy, but as she exercised faith in the Liahona, Nov. 2023, 117–19; “The Love and
and opening the promise of eternity to Father’s plan, she felt the Spirit return. Laws of God” (Brigham Young University
you and me.19 And then she added, “I have learned devotional, Sept. 17, 2019), speeches.byu.
edu; “Pure Truth, Pure Doctrine, and Pure
The choice to submit our will to for myself that God is good and that Revelation,” Liahona, Nov. 2021, 6–7.
God’s is an act of faith that lies at the His ways are better than mine.” 7. Mosiah 4:9.
heart of our discipleship. In making I bear witness of God, our Eternal 8. Neil L. Andersen, “The Prophet of God,”
Ensign or Liahona, May 2018, 26.
that choice, we discover that our Father, who loves us; of His Son, Jesus 9. See Alma 12:9–11.
agency is not diminished; rather, it is Christ, who saved us. They know our 10. See Alma 32:38–39.
magnified and rewarded by the pres- hurts and challenges. They will never 11. John 6:66; see also verse 60.
12. Doctrine and Covenants 6:36.
ence of the Holy Ghost, who brings forsake us and know perfectly how to 13. Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Come, Join with Us,”
purpose, joy, peace, and hope we can succor us. We can be of good cheer as Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2013, 23.
find nowhere else.20 we trust Them more than anyone or 14. John 6:67–69.
15. Mark 9:23.
Several months ago, a stake presi- anything else. In the sacred name of 16. Mark 9:24.
dent and I visited a sister in his stake Jesus Christ, amen. ◼ 17. Neal A. Maxwell, “Swallowed Up in the Will
and her young adult son. After years of the Father,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 24.
18. Mosiah 3:19.
away from the Church, wandering NOTES 19. See Doctrine and Covenants 19:18–19.
difficult and unfriendly paths, she had 1. Louisa Barnes Pratt, in Saints: The Story of 20. See Acts 5:32; Galatians 3:2; Jarom 1:4; Alma
the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days, 32:28; Mormon 9:25; Ether 4:11.
returned. During our visit, we asked vol. 2, No Unhallowed Hand, 1846–1893
her why she had come back. (2020), 103; see also Saints, vol. 1, The
“I had made a mess of my life,” Standard of Truth, 1815–1846 (2018), 494–95.
2. After all, He is our Father. He loves us. And,
she said, “and I knew where I as Elder Patrick Kearon taught, “[He] is in
needed to be.” relentless pursuit of [us]. He ‘wants all of

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