Known and Loved
By Sister Nancy D. Homer
My husband and I moved from Minnesota to Florida in 1995 with four kids in tow. The day we arrived, a powerful hurricane was heading to our area in Fort Lauderdale. As the movers were unloading our belongings, Elder Homer quickly went to the store to purchase water and canned goods, but he returned home a short time later with nothing. The shelves were completely empty. Panic started to set in as we noticed people boarding up windows in stores and homes.
Just as we were trying to figure out what to do, we saw a minivan pull up in front of our house. A woman got out and unloaded a wagon full of water and canned goods—and a homemade meal. A native Floridian, she told us all the things we needed to do: fill every sink and bathtub with water, except for one. This one we would all lie in and cover ourselves with a mattress, should the hurricane hit.
This woman, we learned, was the bishop’s wife, and she knew we were moving in this particular weekend. So, she had planned ahead for us, in addition to preparing for her own large family. We were overwhelmed with gratitude for this covenant-keeping woman. Through these kind acts, I felt deeply of Heavenly Father’s love for us and for me as His child.
The hurricane did not hit our area, but we were now well prepared for the next one.
We know we are all children of God, but how is knowing that significant? After all, every single person born is a beloved child of God, from the most faithful to the most sinful.
Does our knowing this truth make us better or more special than someone else? No, but many blessings are available to us as we embrace the truth of our divine identity.
First of all, we know that we are loved, even when we feel unlovable. Second, we know we are seen as capable in spite of all our weaknesses. And most amazingly, we know that we are seen for who we can become. As we embrace the truth that we are children of God, we are reminded of our purpose: to learn how to communicate with Him, to have faith in Him, to be willing to change or to repent, to make and keep covenants, and to live with Him again with our families.
These truths that we accept do not make us better than others, but knowing these things helps us be better at serving and loving those around us. Recognizing the truth that we are children of God motivates us to grow and improve, and He will help us. As Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf said, “Indeed it is by the grace of God that, if we humble ourselves and have faith, weak things can become strong. … [God’s] grace refines us. His grace helps us become our best selves.” [1]
Just less than one year after our arrival in Florida, our five-year-old son was diagnosed with a medical condition that would make life significantly challenging for him. We hoped it was a misdiagnosis and prayed for a miracle.
I do believe in miracles! But they didn’t seem to be happening for us the way I hoped. Did we not have enough faith? Did Heavenly Father hear our prayers?
Life was busy as we adjusted to a new place and new schools with a growing family. Elder Homer’s job required a lot of travel. It was a stretching time for sure. I wanted our home to be a happy, comfortable place for our children, yet I felt incapable of providing this for them as I was heartbroken and worried for our son. I often poured out my heart in prayer, and sometimes in those moments, I felt such peace, and I felt known and loved. I arose from those prayers feeling more lighthearted and capable, and this hope carried me through the tough times.
Our son is doing well now, but watching the ups and downs of his life was challenging. The truth that I was known and loved by God, and that, with His help, I can do what once seemed too difficult, deepened my testimony. Life, as President Russell M. Nelson said, did not become easy, but it became easier. [2] I know we are all children of a loving Father in Heaven, and while we may not fully understand what we are capable of, He does.
Steven J. Lund, Young Men General President, said, “There have been times in my life—with a child on a ventilator in the hospital, during months and years of sickness—when I have really been in a dark place, pleading for help, and not felt answers, not seen any light, couldn’t even find the tunnel. And I struggled for long periods. I think Heavenly Father sometimes will let us spend a little time in the wilderness, because there is something to be learned from that, too. And then other times Heavenly Father periodically will just tap us on the shoulder and say, ‘I know you, I know where you are, and I’m following you.’” [3]
In retrospect, those times of struggle become quite sacred. Our covenant bond becomes tighter and more meaningful as we recognize Him in our lives. I believe that peace, clarity, and heavenly power flow into our lives as we remember and believe and come to know that we are beloved children of God. With that, we can serve and love those around us, do our part to make the world a better place, and become who Heavenly Father knows we can become. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Choose to Believe
By Elder David P. Homer
I am deeply honored to be here with Sister Homer. She has blessed my life now for almost 41 years. Marrying her was, without a doubt, among the best and most meaningful decisions I have ever made.
Today, my goal is to accomplish three things. First, I would like to share some thoughts about you. Second, I want to invite you to embrace the exceptional opportunity you have at BYU-Idaho. And finally, I wish to invite you to choose faith in Jesus Christ, His restored Church, and His restored gospel.
Getting to Know You
As I prepared for this assignment, I asked President Meredith for some insight about you. After proudly sharing some praise, he also provided me with some additional background information.
I discovered that BYU-Idaho has a student body of approximately 30,000 individuals. Roughly half of you are women and the other half are men. Some of you are married, though three out of four of you are single. Impressively, more than half of you have served missions.
Your favorite dining spots include Righteous Slice, Big Jud’s burgers, the Crossroads, and for those with a sweet tooth, Karie Anne’s or Kiwi Loco for custard, gelato, and frozen yogurt.
It seems that you have a passion for pickleball and country dancing, along with occasional outings to the Dunes for bonfires and four-wheeling adventures.
I also learned that nearly 50 percent of temple workers in the Rexburg Idaho Temple come from your campus.
What an amazing group you are.
Your Amazing Opportunity
And you are experiencing a truly amazing opportunity right now.
As you know, BYU-Idaho is designed to be a prophetically guided preparation center for disciples of Jesus Christ. What you might not fully realize, however, is the exceptional quality and distinct value of the education that you are receiving.
This school consistently ranks highly for its economic value and return on investment. This means that you have the opportunity to obtain a high-quality education without incurring loads of burdensome student debt. In fact, graduates of BYU-Idaho typically recoup their educational expenses faster and at a higher rate than those from many other universities.
You are also immersed in a vibrant and uplifting environment that is dedicated to helping you build the skills necessary for your future success.
I encourage you to make the most of this extraordinary time in your life. Embrace this opportunity to strengthen your faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, refine your skills, and build a solid foundation for your future. This is your chance to cultivate the habits, knowledge, and spirituality that will distinguish you from your peers and pave the way for your lasting happiness and success.
Faith Matters
As you journey through your life, you will encounter challenges and unexpected trials. If you have not faced them yet, they will come. And if you have, they may come again. These moments can test your convictions, revealing that faith is sometimes needed most when it seems to be working least.
Several months ago, I heard a grandmother recount the heartbreaking experience of her young daughter who suffered the devastating loss of an infant girl just days after her birth. Amid overwhelming grief, her daughter sought comfort in God’s plan and held fast to the hope that one day she would be reunited with her baby girl. In a quiet moment of compassion, a caring doctor offered words of comfort to the grieving mother. With remarkable resolve, the mother replied, “Do not worry about us. We know where she is going, and we will see her again.” [4]
This kind of faith, holding to God’s promises even in life’s most difficult moments, empowers us to overcome every challenge. It also serves as a foundation that leads us to a life full of deep and lasting joy.
President Russell M. Nelson once taught that “everything good in life—every potential blessing of eternal significance—begins with faith.” [5] Likewise, Moroni declared that those who trust in God “might with surety hope for a better world,” emphasizing that faith gives rise to hope, which then serves as a steadfast anchor for our souls. [6]
Thus, faith is more than an abstract principle—it is a source of strength and light through which we discover the power to progress, the wisdom to trust, and blessings that our Father in Heaven desires for us.
Increasing Faith
Recognizing the vital importance of faith in Jesus Christ, it is worth considering what it is, where it comes from, and how we can strengthen it.
Elder Neil L. Andersen once taught that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is not a vague or passive concept. It does not come by chance or remain with us by birthright. Rather, he explained, “Faith in Jesus Christ is a gift from heaven that comes as we choose to believe and as we seek it and hold on to it.” “The future of your faith,” he said, “is not by chance, but by choice.” [7]
Alma invited us to “exercise a particle of faith,” [8] explaining that what may begin as a spark of desire is followed by a deliberate choice and that when we choose to believe, heaven grants us the gift of faith, accompanied by the confirming witness of the Holy Spirit that strengthens our spiritual resolve. [9]
Thus, faith in Jesus Christ is something we actively cultivate—it comes as we make the conscious decision to believe in Him, seek it out, and hold fast to it. The responsibility rests with us.
Our faith can also grow as we act in ways that require faith. President Nelson explained that we “receive more faith by doing something that requires more faith.” [10]
Understanding Through Faith
Throughout your life, you will encounter voices that challenge your belief in the divine, the Restoration of the Church, and the gospel of Jesus Christ. Some will attempt to “prove” spiritual truths through intellect alone, relying solely on logic and reasoning. However, such truths are not fully comprehended in that way—they are revealed through spiritual experiences, personal revelation, and the guidance of the Holy Ghost.
The Savior declared that “an evil and adulterous generation [seeks] after a sign,” [11] yet He also affirmed that “signs follow those [who] believe.” [12] What is the difference?
In one instance, people insist on proof before embracing faith, relying on their own reasoning. In the other, a choice is made to believe first, and signs then follow as a confirmation of their trust in God. As the Lord clarified, “Signs come by faith, not by the will of men, nor as they please, but by the will of God.” [13]
Illustrating these important truths, the Apostle Paul wrote, “The things of God knoweth no man, except he has the Spirit of God. … [For] they are spiritually discerned.” [14]
Though skeptics may challenge and defenders may respond, true understanding is not found so much in the debate but in personal revelation and spiritual experience.
An Example
Consider a historical example that reveals the risks of depending exclusively on rational thought.
In April 1843, six small brass plates with strange inscriptions were discovered in a burial mound near Kinderhook, Illinois. The plates were brought to Joseph Smith, and on May 1, William Clayton, a private clerk to the prophet, recorded in his journal that Joseph Smith had “translated a portion” of the plates and said they contained the history of “a descendant of Ham through the loins of Pharaoh, king of Egypt.” [15]
Initially, members of the Church were thrilled, believing that the discovery of the plates corroborated the practice of ancient people writing on metal plates, similar to the backstory of the Book of Mormon. However, that excitement was short-lived as some 30 years later, in 1879, Wilbur Fugate claimed in a letter that the plates were a hoax, forged by him and Kinderhook’s village blacksmith. [16]
With this news, critics of the Church began assailing Joseph Smith as a false prophet. After all, how could an inspired translation come from counterfeit plates?
In the years that followed, a debate raged because the plates had been lost, making it impossible to either verify or falsify Fugate’s claims. However, in 1920, one of the plates was acquired by the Chicago Historical Society, which is now known as the Chicago History Museum. Later, in 1980, Latter-day Saint experts conducted scientific tests on the surviving plate, confirming it was a modern creation.
In an act of transparency, the Church published the results of the scientific tests, [17] and with this confirmation, attacks on Joseph Smith continued, with critics proclaiming, “Only a bogus prophet translates bogus plates.” [18]
For a while, this argument seemed hard to counter. However, a recently rediscovered letter to the editor of the New York Herald, published in May 1843, sheds more light on the matter. This letter provided a firsthand account of Joseph’s experience with the plates, noting that he translated by comparing the characters on the plates with Egyptian characters found on papyrus that he possessed, doing so openly in front of Church members and others.
This means that the Prophet employed a scholarly approach, rather than claiming revelation, to decipher the meaning of one or more of the characters. In fact, contrary to previous assumptions, the Prophet never claimed revelation when examining and attempting to interpret the characters on the plates. And the attacks of those claiming otherwise were unfounded. The Prophet never produced a translated text of the plates, and he quickly lost interest in them.
This historical episode serves as a powerful reminder that truth is often more complex than it first appears, and that both we and our critics may claim to comprehend things that extend beyond our full understanding. While rational analysis has its place, spiritual understanding is not solely built on intellectual inquiry—rather, it requires humility, faith, and a willingness to seek divine guidance.
In navigating questions of faith, we must approach uncertainty with patience and recognize that true enlightenment comes not only from knowledge but also from personal revelation and the confirming witness of the Holy Spirit.
Conclusion
As we conclude, I urge you to seize this remarkable opportunity to expand your knowledge, refine your talents, and prepare for the path ahead. Approach this time with intention—build a foundation where faith and intellect work in harmony, shaping a future filled with purpose and strength.
Above all, make the deliberate choice to believe in Jesus Christ. Actively seek truth through spiritual means, opening your heart to divine guidance and personal revelation rather than relying solely on reason.
I testify of a loving Father in Heaven and His Son, Jesus Christ. Though challenges will come and doubts may arise, choosing to believe in Jesus Christ will bring clarity, peace, and hope. Now is the time to fortify your faith—to stand firmly, and to move forward with unshaken confidence in His love, His truth, and His divine promises. In the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Notes
[1] Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “The Gift of Grace,” Liahona, May 2015, 108.
[2] See Russell M. Nelson, “Overcome the World and Find Rest,” Liahona, Nov. 2022.
[3] Steven J. Lund, Come Follow Up (podcast), Jan. 12, 2025.
[4] Shared with permission following a conference in Redlands, California, September 2024.
[5] Russell M. Nelson, “Christ Is Risen; Faith in Him Will Move Mountains,” Liahona, May 2021, 102.
[6] Ether 12:4.
[7] Neil L. Andersen, “Faith Is Not by Chance, but by Choice,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2015, 65.
[8] Alma 32:27; see also Hebrews 11:6.
[9] See 1 Thessalonians 2:13; Jarom 1:4; Alma 32:28–43; Helaman 6:36; Ether 4:11; Mormon 9:25; Doctrine and Covenants, 5:16; 14:8; 18:8.
[10] Russell M. Nelson, “Christ Is Risen; Faith in Him Will Move Mountains,” 103.
[11] Matthew 12:39.
[12] Doctrine and Covenants 63:9.
[13] Doctrine and Covenants 63:10.
[14] 1 Corinthians 2:11,14.
[15] William Clayton, Journal, May 1, 1843, Church History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.
[16] See Wilburn Fugate to James Cobb, June 30, 1879, in W. Wyl, Mormon Portraits: Or, the Truth about the Mormon Leaders from 1830 to 1886 (1886), 207. See also Wilburn Fugate to James Cobb, Apr. 8, 1878, Theodore Albert Schroeder Papers, 1845–1901, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin.
[17] See Stanley B. Kimball, “Kinderhook Plates Brought to Joseph Smith Appear to Be a Nineteenth-Century Hoax,” Ensign, Aug. 1981, 66–74.
[18] Charles A. Shook to James D. Bales, quoted in James D. Bales, Book of Mormon? (1958), 98. This quip has been published over and over again.