“Trusting Our Father”

Last updated on March 8th, 2025 at 11:03 am

General Conference Applied

S4 E25 – Thursday, February 27, 2025 | “Trusting Our Father” by Elder David P. Homer; October 2024 General Conference

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Podcast Episode Outline

Introduction

Bio

• “Elder David P. Homer was sustained as a General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on March 31, 2018. At the time of his call, he had been serving as a member of the Third Quorum of the Seventy in the Europe Area. He previously served as a member of the Sixth Quorum of the Seventy in the North America Northeast Area from 2013 to 2014. He currently serves as a member of the Seventy with assignments at Church headquarters in Salt Lake City.
  
  “Elder Homer has served in a number of Church callings, including full-time missionary in the China Hong Kong Mission, bishop, stake president, and regional welfare chairman.
  
  “Elder Homer received a bachelor of science degree in economics from the University of Utah in 1985. In 1987 he received a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Pennsylvania. For 31 years he worked at General Mills, Inc., including assignments in the United States, Latin America, Australasia, Canada, and Europe. When he retired, he was CEO of Cereal Partners Worldwide, a global joint venture between General Mills and Nestlé S.A.
  
  “David Paul Homer was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, on April 25, 1961. He married Nancy Dransfield in 1984. They are the parents of six children.”
• This was Elder Homer’s second general conference address. His most recent address was “Hearing His Voice” from the April 2019 General Conference.
• “Free to Choose“, Elder David P. Homer, Ensign College Devotional Address, October 10, 2023

Barb Lindquist

• Read more about Barb Lindquist whom Clay shared about in this podcast episode.

Trusting God Is Synonymous With Trusting God’s Prophet

• “On June 1, 1843, Addison Pratt left Nauvoo, Illinois, to preach the gospel in the Hawaiian Islands, leaving his wife, Louisa Barnes Pratt, to care for their young family.
  
  “In Nauvoo, as persecutions intensified, forcing the Saints to leave, and later at Winter Quarters as they prepared to migrate to the Salt Lake Valley, Louisa faced the decision of whether to make the journey. It would have been easier to stay and to wait for Addison to return than to travel alone.
  
  “On both occasions, she sought guidance from the prophet, Brigham Young, who encouraged her to go. Despite the great difficulty and her personal reluctance, she successfully 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.’
  
  “Louisa’s story has deeply inspired me. I admire her willingness to set aside her personal preferences, her ability to trust God, and how exercising 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.” -Elder Homer
  • Note that Elder Homer is saying that “trusting God” is synonymous with “trusting God’s prophet.”
  • Three Book of Mormon stories about trusting God’s prophet: 1) Nephi and the brass plates (1 Nephi 3:7); 2) Nephi breaking his bow; 3) Captain Moroni asking Alma where the armies of the Lamanites would next strike
  • “Trust in the Lord“, Elder Paul B. Pieper, April 2024 General Conference: “Several years ago, two friends of mine, Leonid and Valentina, expressed interest in becoming members of the Church. As Leonid began to learn the gospel, he found it difficult to pray. Earlier in his life, Leonid had suffered from manipulation and control by superiors and had developed a distrust of authority. These experiences affected his ability to open his heart and express personal feelings to Heavenly Father. With time and study, Leonid gained a better understanding of God’s character and experienced feeling God’s love. Eventually, prayer became a natural way for him to express thanks and the love he was feeling for God. His increasing trust in God eventually led him and Valentina to enter into sacred covenants to strengthen their relationship with God and each other.
    
    “If prior loss of trust is keeping you from trusting God, please follow Leonid’s example. Patiently continue to learn more about Heavenly Father, His character, His attributes, and His purposes. Look for and record experiences feeling His love and power in your life. Our living prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, has taught that the more we learn about God, the easier it will be for us to trust Him.
    
    “Sometimes the best way to learn to trust God is simply by trusting Him.”

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Invitation One

What is the speaker inviting me to do?

• “Seek to understand truths we do not yet fully appreciate.” -Elder Homer
  • In my own words: Intentionally seek to understand eternal truths.

Why does it matter, or why is it important? (Doctrines, Principles, Christlike Attributes)

• Christlike Attribute: “I seek to understand the truth and find answers to my questions. (Doctrine and Covenants 6:7)” (Knowledge)
  • “[7] Seek not for riches but for wisdom, and behold, the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto you, and then shall you be made rich. Behold, he that hath eternal life is rich.”

What’s in it for us? (Promises)

• “He will respond to our sincere prayers through the Holy Ghost as we seek to understand truths we do not yet fully appreciate.” -Elder Homer
• “When we focus on the Savior, our faith can start to overcome our concerns.” -Elder Homer

How will we take action? (Directives, Personal Revelation)

• “Elder Neil L. Andersen once taught that we should not be surprised ‘if at times [our] personal views are not initially 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.’
  
  “At all times, it is helpful to remember 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. This loss of knowledge does not mean that the truth was wrong; rather, it shows that we have lost the capacity to understand it. …
  
  “It is easy for our pride to come between us and eternal truth. When we don’t understand, we can pause, let our feelings settle, and then choose how to respond. The Savior urged us to ‘look unto [Him] in every thought; doubt not, fear not.’ When we focus on the Savior, our faith can start to overcome our concerns.” -Elder Homer
• Mitch:
  • Patriarchal Blessing: “Through your adherence to the Word of Wisdom, numerous and significant blessings will come into your life. You will be able to run and not be weary, to walk and not faint, and to have hidden treasures of knowledge revealed to you. You have a keen mind and as you continue your study in the gospel and in secular pursuits your mind will seize upon those things which are eternal truths, if you remain faithful to that commandment.
    
    “One of the most significant gifts that you can receive is the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. You are to live your life in such a manner as to always be worthy of his companionship. As you receive this gift through your faithfulness you will be guided, directed, and inspired by the thoughts that emanate from that Source.”
  • Action: As I strive to write in my personal journal each day, also write down “eternal truths” that my mind “[seized] upon” throughout the day.

Invitation Two

What is the speaker inviting me to do?

• “The choice to submit our will to God’s is an act of faith that lies at the heart of our discipleship.” -Elder Homer
  • In my own words: Like the Savior, let our will be swallowed up in God’s will.

Why does it matter, or why is it important? (Doctrines, Principles, Christlike Attributes)

• Christlike Attribute: “I trust the Savior enough to accept His will and do what He asks. (1 Nephi 3:7)” (Faith)
  • “[7] And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.”

What’s in it for us? (Promises)

• “The choice to submit our will to God’s is an act of faith that lies at the heart of our discipleship. In making that choice, we discover that our agency is not diminished; rather, it is magnified and rewarded by the presence of the Holy Ghost, who brings purpose, joy, peace, and hope we can find nowhere else.” -Elder Homer
• “We can be of good cheer as we trust Them more than anyone or anything else.” -Elder Homer

How will we take action? (Directives, Personal Revelation)

• “Prayer“, Guide to the Scriptures: “The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that we must ask for in order to obtain.”
• Helaman 10:2-5 – “[2] And it came to pass that Nephi went his way towards his own house, pondering upon the things which the Lord had shown unto him. [3] And it came to pass as he was thus pondering—being much cast down because of the wickedness of the people of the Nephites, their secret works of darkness, and their murderings, and their plunderings, and all manner of iniquities—and it came to pass as he was thus pondering in his heart, behold, a voice came unto him saying: [4] Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments. [5] And now, because thou hast done this with such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee forever; and I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works; yea, even that all things shall be done unto thee according to thy word, for thou shalt not ask that which is contrary to my will.”
• “The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics” by Daniel James Brown: “In the last desperate few hundred meters of the race, in the searing pain and bewildering noise of that final furious sprint, there had come a singular moment when Joe realized with startling clarity that there was nothing more he could do to win the race, beyond what he was already doing. Except for one thing. He could finally abandon all doubt, trust absolutely without reservation that he and the boy in front of him and the boys behind him would all do precisely what they needed to do at precisely the instant they needed to do it. He had known in that instant that there could be no hesitation, no shred of indecision. He had had no choice but to throw himself into each stroke as if he were throwing himself off of a cliff into a void, with unquestioned faith that the others would be there to save him from catching the whole weight of the shell on his blade. And he had done it. Over and over, forty-four times per minute, he had hurled himself blindly into his future, not just believing but knowing that the other boys would be there for him, all of them, moment by precious moment.”
• Mitch: As I continue to have my journal open with me as I pray each morning, I will also strive to seek to understand Heavenly Father’s will for me. I want to more intentionally align my will with His.

What will you do?

How will you take action on the invitations extended in this General Conference address?

Conclusion

The focus of our next podcast episode will be the October 2024 General Conference address that was delivered by Elder Gregorio E. Casillas and was entitled “God Loves All His Children.”

As we conclude this episode, we would invite you to refer to the podcast episode details for each podcast episode where we have provided important information for connecting with us and further supporting the General Conference Applied Podcast. The best ways to help us are to like and subscribe to the podcast and to share it with others.

Please remember that General Conference Applied is meant to be a supplement for your review of General Conference Addresses. We promise that you will get more out of each General Conference Applied episode when you study the General Conference address first.

Thank you for joining us in this effort to become doers of the word and to take action on general conference invitations.

Tags

Agency | Discipleship | Faith | God the Father | Trust

Additional Content

Previous Podcast Episode (“God’s Favourite” by Elder Karl D. Hirst)

Next Podcast Episode (“God Loves All His Children” by Elder Gregorio E. Casillas)

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