BYU devotional — Samuelson: Follow the path of trust

PROVO — Encouraging Brigham Young University students to temper their trials with trust, Elder Cecil O. Samuelson said informed and earned trust is integral to all that is good, necessary and uplifting.

President at BYU for a half-dozen years and a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' First Quorum of Seventy since 1994, Elder Samuelson was joined by his wife, Sharon, in speaking Tuesday at the university's first devotional of the winter semester.

Twice during his address, he quoted LDS Church President David O. McKay: "To be trusted is a greater compliment than to be loved."

Elder Samuelson listed four suggestions in helping achieve the necessary dimensions of trust in one's life.

• First, learn to trust the Lord. "We may not know everything about God, but we do now, as did Nephi, that He loves His children and He is completely trustworthy and keeps His promises."

• Second, learn to trust yourself. "A necessary component of being able to trust ourselves is repentance — sincere, regular and authentic repentance," he said, adding "we must forsake our sins if we expect to be trusted by others, but especially by ourselves."

• Third, learn to trust others. "When trusting is exercised wisely, like exercising faith, trust is increased, and increased trustworthiness on the part of well-intentioned others can be the result."

• Lastly, learn to trust the power of the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ, which makes the first three relationships of trust truly possible.

"Becoming one with God and the Savior must be a primary goal for each of us and the reason for the expectations and promises explained to each of us long before we accepted the assignment to come to earth and be tested and trusted," he said Elder Samuelson concluded with a testimony of supreme trusts and a challenge.

"God does live and He trusts us," he said. "Jesus Christ, His Son, likewise loves and trusts us so much that He gave His mortal life for us. President Thomas S. Monson and those who serve with him love and trust as well. May we never ignore or betray the sacred trusts bestowed upon us."

Speaking of the figurative darkness due to individuals falling to Satan's temptations and the pride and vanity of the world, Sister Samuelson encouraged students to follow the guiding light of the Savior and His gospel.

"Riches, power and status are all worldly aspirations which have been built up to great importance in the eyes of men, but these can take you down the path toward darkness if you let them," she said. "Live so that you are worthy to have the Holy Ghost as a constant companion to help guide you in your choices and in the paths you take which will lead you in righteousness and joy."

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