“When Covenants Become Your Compass,” Liahona, Feb. 2026.
From YA Weekly
When Covenants Become Your Compass
What if your decisions were shaped more by your covenants with God than your circumstances?
Growing up, I sometimes daydreamed about the kind of guy I’d marry. But when I met my husband, Johnny, I stopped daydreaming—because Johnny was even better than anything I’d imagined.
The thing that stood out the most was that Johnny let his covenants guide his life. No matter what he faced, he stayed faithful and joyful.
Covenants—sacred agreements we make with God—became his compass. They grounded him, gave him purpose, and helped him stay close to Jesus Christ.
Johnny’s family situation wasn’t picture-perfect. His parents divorced when he was two, and his dad isn’t active in the Church, although he did support Johnny in his own way—going to his Primary programs and encouraging him in what mattered most.
In high school, Johnny made seminary a priority, even if he had to go alone. During summers when he lived with his dad, he drove himself and his sister to church. He read his scriptures without anyone nudging him. And when the time came to serve a mission, he chose to serve, even though he was nervous.
Recently, Elder Sandino Roman of the Seventy shared: “Notice that faith sprouts as we trust in Jesus Christ and blooms as we are faithful and loyal to Him. If you want a true relationship with Christ, show Him by making covenants and honoring them with faithfulness and loyalty. Making covenants with Jesus Christ builds hope. Honoring them builds faith.”
For Johnny, letting his covenants guide his life wasn’t about having a perfect family or ideal circumstances. It was about choosing Jesus Christ, even when it was hard. As he did this, his relationship with Christ deepened and allowed him to increase his faith and hope for the future.
Blessings in the Unexpected
In 2020, Johnny and I were both called to serve in the Mexico Villahermosa Mission. Then COVID-19 hit. The First Presidency gave missionaries the option to stick with their original timeline and possibly be reassigned—or delay their mission with a chance to serve in their original assignments.
After lots of prayer, I chose to delay and continue school at Brigham Young University–Hawaii for the time being.
The wait brought blessings I didn’t expect. When I finally made it to Mexico 18 months later, Johnny had just transferred there from the Las Vegas West Mission. We ended up in the same district for over four months and became good friends.
After Johnny went home, we kept in touch and wrote each other every week. One Monday, I asked him, “What are some of your goals and dreams for your life?”
He wrote back, “One of my goals is to get sealed in the temple and have a family that grows up in the gospel.”
Reading that, I had a moment of clarity—I wanted to marry him! His priorities were clear. Honestly, if someone had asked me that same question, I probably would’ve said something like “travel the world” or “run an ultramarathon.” While these are worthwhile goals, Johnny helped me see what matters most.
Overcoming with Covenant Strength
Even through the chaos of the pandemic, mission reassignment, and losing a loved one, Johnny kept going. His covenants weren’t just checkboxes—they were binding connections to the Savior’s power, peace, and strength.
During the pandemic, President Russell M. Nelson (1924–2025) asked: “Are you willing to let God prevail in your life? Are you willing to let God be the most important influence in your life? Will you allow His words, His commandments, and His covenants to influence what you do each day?”
Johnny definitely allowed Heavenly Father’s covenants to influence his decisions. He prayed for comfort when he felt alone. He took the sacrament intentionally, using it as a moment to reset. He studied the scriptures and served others because those were ways he kept his covenants and felt close to the Savior. He went to the temple as often as he could.
When one of his siblings passed away during his mission, Johnny held on to his temple covenants by relying on God’s promises. Those promises reminded him that families are eternal and that this life isn’t the end.
After my mission, Johnny and I started dating. Eventually, we were sealed in the Mesa Arizona Temple.
Kneeling across the altar from him, I couldn’t help but think about how our choices—especially to keep our covenants—had brought us here.
Johnny could’ve walked away from the gospel. His background gave him plenty of reasons. But he didn’t. And now, because of that, our family is built on a foundation of faith in Jesus Christ, a foundation that Johnny laid long before I met him.
Letting Your Covenants Guide Your Life
I used to think covenants were just promises we make to God. But through Johnny’s example, I’ve seen that they’re how we stay connected to God and access His eternal power.
Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught: “By making and keeping temple covenants, we learn more about the Lord’s purposes and receive a fulness of the Holy Ghost. We receive direction for our lives. We mature in our discipleship. … Ultimately, our destinies are changed because the covenant path leads to exaltation and eternal life.”
Johnny’s story proves you don’t need to come from a “perfect” family or background to walk the covenant path.
As Larry R. Laycock shared in a YA Weekly article: “Some of us come from backgrounds and life experiences that are less than desirable, but our life circumstances do not define us or determine our destinies. It is our omnipotent Father in Heaven that can and will lift us to His heavenly courts on high if we will simply come unto His Son, Jesus Christ, through being obedient and keeping our covenants.”
You don’t have to have it all figured out. But you must choose Jesus Christ—again and again. One day at a time.
If things are hard right now, ask yourself: “What would it look like if I let my covenants guide my life?”
Letting your covenants guide your life doesn’t mean you have to be perfect—it just means you keep trying. It can look like choosing to pray when you feel overwhelmed, going to church when it feels easier to stay home, or reading your scriptures, even if it’s just a few verses a day. It’s forgiving someone when it’s hard, showing up for a friend, or saying no to something that doesn’t align with your values. These small, consistent choices are how we live our covenants day by day and how we stay close to Jesus Christ.
When you let your covenants guide your life, the Lord promises you strength, peace, and direction. Life won’t be perfect, but your covenant relationship with Heavenly Father will keep leading you toward something better.