The Dots Will Connect

My dear brothers and sisters, dear friends, I bring you the love and blessings of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

I am delighted to be with you and especially grateful that we have had a chance to hear from my wife.

Harriet is the sunshine of my life. Everyone who knows her loves her. She makes those around her better and happier. She has certainly had that influence on me.

As you heard from Sister Uchtdorf, we married very young. Now, after many years I am grateful for every moment with Harriet.

Over time, I have learned that we of the older generation have many of the same questions about life that you have—only we have been asking them longer. Questions like:

Am I on the right path?

Does God really notice me? Does He care?

Why do I sometimes feel empty, overwhelmed, overlooked, or lonely?

Why didn’t God provide the miracle I needed so urgently?

Why did He allow me to experience this sadness, illness, or tragedy?

These are difficult questions at any age.

Questions like these can become incredibly frustrating when we don’t get instant answers. Nowadays we can ask Google almost anything and get answers in seconds.

Yet answers to our most personal, important, and far-reaching questions don’t always come quickly. Often, we lift our hearts to heaven, and all we seem to get is that spinning wait cursor.

We don’t like waiting, do we?

When we have to wait more than a few seconds for a search engine to respond, we suppose the connection is broken. In our frustration, we might even abandon the search. But when it comes to eternal questions, matters of the soul, we must be more patient.

Not all answers are of equal worth. Answers from worldly wisdom or popular opinion are easy to come by, but they lose their worth quickly when new theories or trends emerge. Heavenly answers—eternal answers—are priceless. Receiving these answers often requires sacrifice, work, and repetition.

But I assure you, these answers are worth the wait.

If you have unanswered questions, I bear you my certain witness that your Father in Heaven hears you, He knows you, and He will never give up on you. So don’t give up on Him. Keep striving to follow His way and He “will lead you along” to find answers with just enough guidance to keep moving in the right direction—without limiting your growth or opportunities to exercise faith or exercising your moral agency.

Steve Jobs, cofounder of Apple, once said: “It [is] impossible to connect the dots looking forward. You can only connect them looking backward, so you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.”

What did he mean by that? Perhaps you have seen paintings made by dotting very small specks of color on canvas. Close up, these dots appear unconnected and random. But when you take in the entire painting, you see how the dots blend into colors and how the colors eventually form shapes that reveal a beautiful pattern. What once seemed arbitrary and even confusing begins to make sense.

Sometimes our lives are like these paintings. The dots that make up our experiences in life can appear unconnected and chaotic at times. We cannot see any order to them. We can’t imagine that they have a purpose at all.

However, when you look at your life from the eternal perspective of the gospel of Jesus Christ, you begin to see how the dots connect to the grand design God has in mind for you.

And as you strive to trust God and follow His Son, Jesus Christ, one day you will see the finished product, and you will know that the Master Artist had a plan for those random dots all along. You will see that He was preparing you for opportunities and possibilities far more glorious than you ever could have imagined or accomplished on your own. I have certainly seen this in my own life.

Some of you may know that when I was very young, my family became refugees twice. On both occasions, it became quite apparent that people in our new locations considered us as “less than them.” Among the children my age, my accent marked me as an outsider, and it was a rich source of ridicule and laughter for them.

It was difficult for my parents to provide for our family. So my mother started a laundry business, all helped, and I, with bicycle and cart, worked as the “home delivery specialist” for that enterprise after school.

The trauma and stress of our relocations caused me to fall behind in my studies, and I lost one full school year.

In East Germany, I had studied Russian as a second language. It was difficult, but I managed. Now, in West Germany, I was required to learn English.

This seemed impossible to me! I believed that my mouth was simply not made for the English language.

During my teenage years, I had a crush on an amazing girl with beautiful, large brown eyes. Unfortunately, Harriet didn’t seem the slightest bit interested in me. Whatever I tried, it didn’t seem like I could catch a break. Well, you heard her side of the story.

So there I was, a rather insignificant and struggling young man living in post-war Germany who didn’t seem to have much chance of success in life.

However, I had a couple of good things going for me.

I knew that my family loved me. In school and in church there were teachers who encouraged me to always set my goals high and never give up. I still remember when a young American missionary taught, “If God is for [you], who can be against [you]?” And “with God all things are possible.”

There was something about these scriptures that struck me with great power. If that’s the case, I thought, then why should I fear?

So I believed. And I trusted God.

For a time, I was in an apprenticeship program. One of my teachers challenged me to attend night school to study mechanical engineering. This led me to discover my passion for aviation!

And it shocked me when I learned that to become a pilot, I needed to know English. I really wanted to become a pilot, and somehow, miraculously, my mouth seemed to change, and English was no longer such an impossible language.

Of course, that didn’t mean things always went smoothly.

When I was 19, I traveled to San Antonio, Texas, to begin my Air Force pilot training. On the airplane, I sat next to a man who spoke with a thick Texan accent. I realized to my horror that the English I had worked so desperately to learn was not the same English they spoke in Texas!

At pilot training school, things were difficult too. It was an extremely competitive program, with everyone vying for the top spot at graduation. I knew right away that I was at a disadvantage because most of my classmates were native English speakers.

My flight instructors cautioned me about another potential disadvantage—I spent way too much time at church. The local members welcomed me into their branch and into their homes, and we even built a chapel during my time in Big Spring, Texas, together. My instructors worried that such activities were impairing my chance to achieve a high class ranking. I didn’t think so. So I trusted God and did the best I could.

Eventually, I did learn English (though I’m still working on it). I completed my pilot training very successfully. I became a fighter pilot and later an airline captain. And that beautiful, brown-eyed girl of my dreams? She is right here with me.

So until the full picture is revealed, don’t get overwhelmed by the large, difficult tasks of life. Remember that big things are made up of small things. If you commit to doing the “small and simple things” God asks you to do—and you do them as diligently as you can, big things will follow.

Some of these “small and simple things” include intentional daily prayer, studying the scriptures, making Come Follow Me and For the Strength of Youth part of your routine, living the Word of Wisdom, attending church, paying tithes and offerings, and making sure that you have a current temple recommend.

Do these things even when you don’t want to, even when they require sacrifice. It’s the sacrifice that makes them sacred, and “sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven.”

In a sense, your “small and simple” sacrifices are the dots of daily living that make up the masterpiece of your life. You may not see how the dots connect now, and you don’t need to yet. Simply have faith enough for the moment you are living in now. Trust in God, and “out of small things [will come] that which is great.”

When I was your age, I had no idea where my life would take me. I definitely didn’t see any dots connecting in front of me.

But I did trust God. I believed that if I did my best in the moment, God would take care of the big picture.

And He did.

He knew the end from the beginning when I did not.

I could not see the future, but He could.

Even during hard times, when I thought I was abandoned, He was with me—I see that now.

In Proverbs, we find this promise: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

I urge you to believe your life will be infinitely better if you rely on God to guide your steps. He knows things you cannot possibly know, and He has a future prepared for you that you cannot possibly imagine. The Apostle Paul testified, “No eye has seen, … no ear has heard, … [no] mind has conceived [what] God has prepared for those who love him.”

So ask yourself, “Can I muster up enough faith to believe God? Am I willing to trust that He loves me and wants to guide my path?”

If you can find even a mustard seed–size particle of faith in your heart—even if it’s just a desire to believe—start there.

God knows how to turn little seeds into big trees. Do the small and simple things, and God will “increase you a thousand times and bless you as he has promised!”

You don’t have to go far in today’s culture to hear contradictory voices that discourage or even ridicule belief in God generally and in our religion specifically.

Social media amplify such voices.

But yours is not the only generation whose faith in God has been challenged and ridiculed. This seems to be part of the mortal test for all of God’s children.

“If ye were of the world,” Jesus told His disciples, “the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you … , therefore the world hateth you.”

You might as well accept that once you make the commitment to follow the Savior, the residents of the great and spacious building will disapprove—quite vocally at times. They may even attempt to bully and shame you.

But remember that you do not answer to them. You answer to God. One day, you will stand before Him to account for your life.

He will ask if you followed the Savior, if you loved your neighbor, if you earnestly tried to stay on the path of discipleship and honor your covenants.

My dear young friends, now is the time to commit to Christ and follow His path.

One day all of God’s children will kneel and confess that Jesus is the Christ, the Redeemer, the Savior of the world. They will know that He died for them.

On that day it will be clear that His is the only voice that ever really mattered.

Now, as we speak of letting God guide our lives, I would like to clarify one thing. You may not like what I’m about to tell you. When you ask God for guidance about decisions in your life—including some important decisions—He may not give you a detailed answer.

The truth is that sometimes it just doesn’t matter to the Lord what you decide as long as you stay within the fundamental covenants and principles of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

There are times when God has a specific path He wants you to follow. There are also times when He will warn you against certain choices because of dangers you can’t foresee. But then there are times when a question has multiple “right” answers, and you can find joy in any of them as long as you live by God’s eternal truths.

When this happened to Joseph Smith and his companions, the Lord gave an interesting answer as they sought His guidance. He said, “It mattereth not [to me].”

Then He added, “Only be faithful.”

Perhaps it’s disappointing to hear that God won’t give you a detailed itinerary for your life’s journey. But do you really want to be directed in every detail?

Do you really want the cheat codes to life before you have a chance to figure things out for yourself? What kind of adventure would that be? Wouldn’t that take away your feeling of accomplishment? How would you ever grow and increase your confidence in the Lord and in yourself?

As the Lord told Oliver Cowdery, “You must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right.”

Heavenly Father gave you His plan, His Way. He gave you the big picture. And he has given you a brain and a heart. If you trust Him, He will help you to use both of them properly in your decision-making. He trusts you to make the best possible decisions by following Jesus Christ.

In many cases, the decisions you make at the time may not be as important as what you do after the decision is made.

For example, a couple may choose to get married even though some family members do not consider them a perfect match. However, I have a great deal of hope for such a couple if, after the decision is made, they stay totally committed to each other and to the Lord with all their heart and mind. By treating each other with love and kindness, focusing on each other’s emotional, spiritual, and temporal needs—and by doing the “little” things consistently—they become the perfect match for everyone.

In contrast, consider the couple where everybody thinks they picked the “perfect” person but then assumes all the heavy lifting is over. If they quit courting each other, stop communicating, neglect their sacred covenants, and slide into egotism and a self-centered life, this couple is on a path that leads to sorrow and regret.

The same principle applies to vocational choices. I have great hope for those who decide to perhaps pick a less prestigious occupation but who do their best and find ways to use their work to glorify God and bless His children.

I have less hope for those who choose impressive-sounding occupations but, along the way, lose focus on their divine identity and the good they could accomplish by serving God and His children at the same time.

God has prepared eternal blessings beyond your imagination. To help you receive them, He gave you commandments, sacred covenants, inspired prophetic counsel, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and moral agency. This is more than enough to lead you to mortal happiness and eternal joy. Beyond that, don’t despair if you make some decisions that are less than perfect. That is how you learn. That’s part of the adventure!

No, adventures never go smoothly from start to finish. Your life will have ups and downs. But if you are faithful to Jesus Christ, see His atoning sacrifice as a gift of love and repentance as the way to accept it, you can be assured of happy endings.

You may not see it until much later, but you will look back and know that the Lord never abandoned you, even when He let you make a lot of decisions for yourself. You will see that the dots do connect.

So, what do I hope you will remember from our time together today?

First, know that God’s answers to your most profound questions may take a little time, and they may come in ways you hadn’t expected. God’s answers are of eternal value. They are worth the wait.

Second, don’t get overwhelmed as you walk the path of discipleship. Just do the best you can with the small things, and the big things will fall into place.

Third, have a little faith. Believe that you are important to God, that He sees what you cannot see, and that He will lead you on the right path. He loves you. Trust Him.

Fourth, don’t let discouraging voices dissuade you from your journey of faith. Remember, you don’t answer to your critics. You answer to your Father in Heaven. His values count.

Fifth, seek the Lord’s guidance, and when He says, “It mattereth not,” make the best decisions you can based on the truths you know. Then “be faithful.”

I leave you my blessing at the beginning of this new year that as you earnestly strive to know your Heavenly Father, follow Jesus Christ, and honor His covenants, your faith will increase.

Your confidence will grow as you seek to follow your Savior and His teachings.

In Jesus Christ, His gospel, and His Church, you will find happiness, joy, and peace! And one day, He will embrace you in divine love.

With unspeakable gratitude, you will see that God Himself, in His abounding love, grace, and compassion, was always there, watching over you, blessing you, and preparing a place for you.

Of this I testify and give you my blessing, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.