Digital Only: Young Adults
4 Things I Rely On When I’m Trying to Trust Heavenly Father
The author lives in Verona, Italy.
God wants to speak to us and guide us along the covenant path.
“Is this part of the plan?”
This is a question I sometimes find myself asking. I know Heavenly Father has a perfect plan, but at different times in my life, I’ve struggled to see how my life will unfold. When we experience trials that are confusing and painful, it can hard to see how they will “work together for [our] good” (Doctrine and Covenants 90:24).
The good news is that God wants to speak to us and guide us along the covenant path. He wants us to turn to Him when we’re struggling so we can understand His eternal perspective. And He’s given us a few tools to help us hear Him.
My Patriarchal Blessing
When I was 18, I faced a turning point in my faith. I knew a lot of people who had grown up religious but weren’t actively involved in their religion, and I felt tempted to fall into that same pattern. But I also knew that real commitment to the Church of Jesus Christ requires much more than passive discipleship, and it was time for me to make a choice.
As I decided if I wanted to serve a mission and fully commit to the Lord, I knew I needed the extra direction that a patriarchal blessing could provide. I needed some personal direction and a glimpse of what Heavenly Father had in store for me.
Although we know from Elder Kazuhiko Yamashita of the Seventy that “a patriarchal blessing is not going to map out your life or answer all your questions,” it is “a message from your Heavenly Father and will likely include promises and inspired counsel to guide you throughout your life.”
My patriarchal blessing was exactly what I needed. I found inspired counsel from Heavenly Father and confirmation that there was a plan for my life.
Prophetic Revelation
One of the most amazing things that happened to me on my mission was receiving a real testimony that prophets and apostles are called of God. I’d never prayed for that knowledge before, and when that confirmation came, it was really powerful to me. The knowledge that they truly do speak God’s word gave me another resource for finding direction for my life.
As Elder Allen D. Haynie of the Seventy testified: “Knowing by revelation that there is a living prophet on the earth changes everything. … A prophet is someone God has personally prepared, called, corrected, inspired, rebuked, sanctified, and sustained.”
Personal Revelation
If we find ourselves wondering about trials we face, we can ask ourselves these questions posed by President Russell M. Nelson: “What will your seeking open for you? What wisdom do you lack? What do you feel an urgent need to know or understand?”
When we know what we really need from Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, we can follow President Nelson’s counsel: “Pray in the name of Jesus Christ about your concerns, your fears, your weaknesses—yes, the very longings of your heart. And then listen! Write the thoughts that come to your mind. Record your feelings and follow through with actions that you are prompted to take.”
As I’ve learned how to seek personal revelation, I’ve realized that it brings together a lot of different aspects of what we practice in the Church. When I want to know if something is true, I rely on prayer, I study the scriptures, and I seek out the words of living prophets.
Building consistent spiritual habits keeps me ready to receive personal revelation when I need it. When I have questions or feel lost, I remember that I have a way to get the answers I need.
The Promise of a Perfect Plan
In those moments when I find myself asking if Heavenly Father really is guiding my life, I remember the ninth article of faith: “We believe that [God] will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.”
Heavenly Father has more to reveal to His prophets about the Church, and He has more to reveal to us about our lives.
As Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles once promised young adults, “As we strive to trust God and follow His Son, Jesus Christ, one day we will see the finished product, and we will know that the very hand of God was directing and guiding our steps.”
Heavenly Father can make everything in our lives fit into His perfect plan as we continue to trust and follow Him.