Brothers and sisters, we welcome you from Temple Square in Salt Lake City to the worldwide devotional for young adults. This broadcast is originating from the Conference Center, where general conference is broadcast every April and October. We especially want to welcome those who are attending for the very first time. We hope that these devotionals will strengthen and enrich your lives. I am Chad Webb, administrator of Seminaries and Institutes of Religion. We are excited to welcome Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, who presides this evening. He is accompanied by his wife, Harriet, and we are thrilled to hear from both of them. We also recognize and welcome Elder Kim B. Clark, who serves as the Church Commissioner of Education, along with his wife, Sue. Also seated on the stand are members of the Seventy, stake presidents of many young single adult stakes in Utah, and administrators from the Church Educational System. We will begin this evening with the congregation singing "There Is Sunshine in My Soul Today," hymn number 227 in the English hymnbook. We appreciate the assistance of Sister Maura Chilcott of the Riverton YSA Third Ward, who will conduct the music, and Tabernacle organist Sister Linda Margetts, who will be our accompanist. After the hymn, Brother Scott Oliphant of the Mount Jordan YSA Ward will offer the invocation.

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Our kind, most gracious Father in Heaven, as we humbly bow our heads this evening in this worldwide devotional, we give thanks unto Thee for all of our many blessings, for this opportunity that we have to listen to President and Sister Uchtdorf. Heavenly Father, we ask Thee this evening to bless us with Thy Spirit that we might receive revelation from on high, that we might open our hearts and our minds, that we might be able to receive this message and apply it into our daily lives.

Heavenly Father, we are indeed grateful for this Sabbath day and for the opportunity we had to renew our covenants with Thee. Bless us always to remember these covenants, that we might be examples unto those that are around us, that we might stand as beacons and examples, that we might have opportunities to share our testimonies with those that are around us.

Heavenly Father, yet again we are indeed grateful for the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Bless us always to more fully apply the Atonement in our lives so that we can draw closer unto Thee.

We love Thee and are indeed grateful for all that Thou hast done for us, and we say these things humbly in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, amen.

This evening we are joined by a young adult stake choir from Brigham Young University and the University of Utah, who will sing "If the Savior Stood beside Me." They are directed by Brother Marshall McDonald, an institute instructor at the Salt Lake institute, and accompanied by Sister Margetts. After the musical number, we will be pleased to hear from Sister Uchtdorf, followed by Elder Uchtdorf. At the conclusion of their remarks, the combined Brigham Young University and University of Utah stake choir will sing "How Firm a Foundation." They will be under the direction of Brother Ryan Eggett, an institute instructor at the Utah Valley institute. The benediction will then be offered by Sister Sally Desautels of the Capitol Hill YSA Ward. It is now my privilege to introduce tonight's speakers. Dieter Uchtdorf and Harriet Reich Uchtdorf grew up in Germany and met as teenagers while actively participating in their LDS branch in Frankfurt. They married in 1962 and have two children, six grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. Elder Uchtdorf was called as a General Authority in 1994 and sustained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in October 2004. He was called to serve in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in February 2008. Elder Uchtdorf was born in Ostrava, Czechoslovakia. In 1947 his family became members of the Church in Zwickau, Germany. He received an education in engineering in Frankfurt/Main, and in 1959 he joined the German Air Force and served for six years as a fighter pilot. In 1965, Elder Uchtdorf began working for Lufthansa German Airlines as a pilot. He flew as captain of the Boeing 737, Boeing 747 and DC10, and various Airbus models while also working as training and check captain and serving in several management responsibilities. These positions included Section Chief Pilot Boeing 737, head of Lufthansa pilot school in Arizona, head of all cockpit crews, and finally Senior Vice President Flight Operations and Lufthansa Chief Pilot. He was also chairman of the Flight Operations Committee of the International Air Transport Association. Sister Harriet Reich Uchtdorf was born in northern Germany in the medieval town of Wolfenbuettel. She received her bachelor's degree in business administration in Frankfurt, Germany. Sister Uchtdorf has served in presidencies and as a teacher in ward and stake callings in the Relief Society, Young Women, and Primary, among many other Church assignments. She loves and knows world literature as well as classical music and is interested in almost all kinds of art. She collects artifacts and paintings from all over the world. Dieter and Harriet Uchtdorf enjoy outdoor activities, cherish the arts, and are happiest when spending time with their family. The choir will now sing "If the Savior Stood beside Me."

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Thank you, beautiful choir. That was so lovely. My dear brothers and sisters, my dear young friends, you look wonderful! You are beautiful! You are amazing! Wow! I wish I could give each of you a big hug. Too many. Last week was a time of sorrow and gratitude. I love President Monson. I will miss him. But I am sure he is happy to be again with Frances, his eternal companion. It is so good to be with you today. I also like to be with my favorite Apostle.

[LAUGHTER] I know we shouldn't have favorites. [LAUGHTER] But in my case, it seems OK because I am married to him.

[LAUGHTER] We just celebrated our 55th anniversary, and we are still in love! Mm-hmm.

Talk about the fruits of the gospel! When we receive messages of love and congratulations on such occasions from our grand- and great-grandchildren, we know how precious the blessings of Church membership and the gospel are. Those of you who are single, divorced, or live in challenging family circumstances, please know that God knows and loves you, and when you stay true to your covenants, the joy of family life will not be shortened or kept from you. I do not know exactly how this will be, but I do know that the Lord's grace, mercy, and love is sufficient for all of us. He will make it happen according to His ways and His time. Dieter and I grew up in the same branch in Frankfurt, Germany. I knew he had a crush on me, but I was not really interested.

He was nice, and we were friends. We learned to dance together at our Church activities. That was the time of foxtrot, boogie-woogie, and rock and roll. After he joined the air force to become a fighter pilot, I didn't see him for almost two years. To be honest, when he returned to Frankfurt, my first impression was not too favorable. He looked a little bit like the guys in the movie Top Gun.

But when he spoke with me, I was mildly impressed--obviously he had matured over those two years. He knew what he wanted to do with his life, and he was strong in the gospel. He was also quite determined and creative in his courting efforts. Only a few months later we married, and my name changed from Reich to Uchtdorf. I have never regretted that I took a good look at him even after an uncertain first impression. Dieter is the love of my life and the proud father and grandfather of our children and children's children. And you must know, we still love to dance together even to this very day. Let me take you back to the time when I was 12 years old. It was a sad time in my young life. My father had passed away from cancer a few months earlier. He was a great father, a loving husband, and a very good man. He was very well educated, spoke five languages, played different musical instruments in a symphony orchestra, and came from a prominent musician's family in Frankfurt. My parents had great plans for us. The future looked bright and promising, even after the destructive years of World War II. But the years of my father's illness turned our home into a place of suffering, sadness, and hopelessness. After my father's death, my mother was extremely depressed. On Sundays we went to our Protestant church service, but we could not find the balm of Gilead. It appeared as though there was nothing or no one who could bring comfort to my mother. Well, not quite! Our Heavenly Father, in His great love, had not forgotten us. It was eight months after the passing of my father when two American missionaries knocked on our door in Frankfurt. Those two missionaries, guided by the Spirit and well prepared, knew exactly what our little family needed. They left the precious Book of Mormon with my mother. My mother loved to read, and she loved the Bible. She was immediately captivated by this new book of scripture. When she started to read the Book of Mormon, she could not stop until she had read it cover to cover. My mother was so excited about the content and the message that she often had my sister and me sit down and listen as she read verses that seemed to be written just for us. During the last weeks of my father's life, I had often stood at the window of our apartment, earnestly praying to God for relief from our pain. And the answer came. It came through the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. How I love the Book of Mormon. How I love its message of the plan of salvation, the plan of happiness. What a beautiful and powerful message of hope and light given to us by Heavenly Father. As we embraced the Book of Mormon, it calmed our heartache and healed our despair and sadness caused by the death of my father. With the Book of Mormon entering our home, there was no more darkness in our family, since both light and darkness cannot occupy the same space at the same time. We felt the Spirit so strongly, and we knew with all our heart and mind that the message these missionaries brought was true. Peace came back to our home. The gospel message and the membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints brought a true miracle to our family. It was as if angels had been sent to us. The two missionaries who came to our home were about your age. They had no impressive history of their own. But they were like two angels of glory sent to us by God. They brought us the blessings of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. My dear young friends, you are made of the same divine material. Some of you are married, some are single, but all of you are living among the people of this world. You are the chosen ones of our days, who by word and deed teach and live the gospel message among your people. For this purpose, you are placed in your village or city, your school or workplace, your nation, your family. Don't forget, you have the potential to be angels of glory to those right next to you. You are representing the Church of Jesus Christ, and you are powerful leaders in proclaiming the gospel message by your good life and courageous testimony. A leader is one who helps others to see, feel, and find the right way. Please help each other to stay deeply grounded in the Church and in the gospel. God has put you in a place where you have many opportunities to be tools in the hands of the Lord Jesus Christ. He relies on you, He knows you, He trusts you, and He will empower you. He lives; He is real! Every simple and plain word or deed of goodness, integrity, charity, kindness, service, love, and compassion can become your act of leadership in the kingdom of God. Don't underestimate your influence and power for good. These two young missionaries your age helped me to see the path to our Savior and back to Heavenly Father. Of course I had to go this path by myself, overcome challenges, find answers to questions, face serious choices, and make decisions. And so will you! The Church and the Lord offer you powerful resources to accomplish your purpose in life. The Book of Mormon is one of them, and it is placed right in front of you. Reach out and embrace it and its teachings. Reach out to Heavenly Father, and He will guide you. Trust the Lord! My dear young friends, please know of my love and gratitude for each and every one of you. My prayers and blessings are with you. You are a significant part of this wonderful and sacred work of our Redeemer, and of this I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Am I blessed?

Yeah, she's a wonderful lady and a wonderful friend, and I really love her. And we love you. We love you. You're special. My dear young friends, my dear brothers and sisters, I bring you today the love and blessings of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. I miss President Thomas S. Monson too. He was my cherished and treasured friend, my tutor and mentor. But I can assure you, the Lord Himself is at the head of this Church, His Church, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Lord has provided a divine plan so that His Church is always led by prophets, seers, and revelators.

You are in our thoughts continually. We pray for you, and we love and admire you. The global "Gathering and Sharing" event that preceded and will continue after this meeting is one example of your goodness. Tens of thousands of you have participated in remarkable ways, from helping those in distress to lifting the spirits of others through song. And I must say, this choir is something special, isn't it? It is beautiful, and it is an example again that the Brigham Young University and the University of Utah can be in harmony.

And you are destined to share the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ through social messaging and other means and through your personal example. Thank you for demonstrating your willingness to serve God and fellowmen. It is so good to be with you today and to feel your spirit, your strength, your energy. I am very happy that we have had a chance to hear from my wife. Harriet is indeed the sunshine of my life. Everyone who knows her loves her. She is the kind of person who makes those around her better and happier. She has certainly had that influence on me. As you heard, we just celebrated our 55th wedding anniversary. When we look at our two children and their spouses, our six grandchildren with their families, and our three great-grandchildren, we are amazed at the great adventure our life has been. An interesting thought occurred to me as I was preparing for this event. Yes, it is true, the years when I was ages 18 to 30 are barely visible in my rearview mirror. But despite my current age, I still feel young inside. You wouldn't believe it.

In fact, most of us older people consider ourselves to be young people who have just been living a very long time.

Older generations have much more in common with yours than you might suppose. I believe that the differences between Heavenly Father's children, whatever their age, are minor compared to the similarities. For instance, many of you have questions about God and about yourself--deep, fundamental questions that are similar to those asked by people much older than you: "Does God really exist? Does He care?" "Am I on the right path?"

"Why do I sometimes feel empty, overwhelmed, overlooked, or lonely?" "Why hasn't God intervened in my life? Why didn't He answer a prayer? Why did He allow me to experience this sadness, illness, or tragedy?" These can be very difficult questions to answer. In this age of instant answers--where seemingly absolute and unassailable knowledge is merely a Google search away--we sometimes get frustrated when answers to our most personal, important, and urgent questions are delayed. We lift up our hearts to heaven, and all we seem to get is a frustrating, spinning "wait cursor."

We don't like waiting. When we have to wait more than a few seconds for a search engine to respond, we might suppose the connection is down or 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 that come 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 patience. These answers are worth the wait. My purpose today is to offer my certain witness that your Father in Heaven knows you, He hears you, and He will never abandon you. As you incline your hearts to Him and strive to follow His way, He will intervene in your life and direct your path as you journey through this great and exciting adventure of mortality.

One of the great innovators of our time, Steve Jobs of Apple, had this insight: "You can't connect the dots looking forward," he said. "You can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future." What did he mean by that? Perhaps an illustration will help. In the late 19th century, artists such as Georges Seurat and Paul Signac began painting in a new style that would become known as Neo-Impressionism. Their technique consisted of dotting canvases with small specks of color. Close up, these dots appear unconnected and random. But when you take in the entire painting, you can 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 Neo-Impressionistic art. The dots of color that make up the moments and events of our days can appear unconnected and chaotic at times. We can't see any order to them. We can't imagine that they have a purpose at all. However, when we step back and take an eternal perspective, when we look at our lives in the frame of the gospel of Jesus Christ, we can begin to see how the various dots in our lives interconnect. We may not be able to see the entire picture just yet, but we'll see enough to trust that there is a beautiful, grand design. And as we strive to trust God and follow His Son, Jesus Christ, one day we will see the finished product, and we will know that the very hand of God was directing and guiding our steps. We will know that the Master Artist had a plan for those random dots all along. We will see that He has amplified our talents, prepared opportunities, and introduced us to possibilities far more glorious than we ever could have imagined or accomplished on our own. I have certainly seen this in my own life. Many of you know that when I was very young, my family was twice forced to flee our home and leave everything behind. 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. My parents struggled to provide for our family. My mother started a laundry business, and I, with bicycle and cart, served as the "home delivery specialist" for that wonderful 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 a most 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 postwar 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. I still remember when a young American missionary taught this principle from the scriptures. He said, "If God [is] for [you], who can be against [you]?" There was something about this 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 aim higher and attend night school to study mechanical engineering. It took a great deal of extra work, but it led me to discover my great passion for aviation! It came as a shock when I learned that to become a pilot, I needed to know English.

But I wanted to become a pilot. And somehow, miraculously, my mouth seemed to change, and English no longer was such an impossible language. With new motivation, a fresh commitment to work hard, and with trust in Heavenly Father, I took small steps that helped me to build the confidence that I could do it. 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!

[LAUGHTER] 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 a lot of time at church. The local members welcomed me into their branch and into their homes, and we even built a chapel in Big Spring together. My instructors worried that such activities were impairing my chance at a high 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 and finished first in my class. I became a fighter pilot and later an airline captain. And that beautiful, brown-eyed girl of my dreams? Well, she is right here with me.

Is there a lesson in this? I think there are several! One might be this: Don't get overwhelmed by the many large, difficult tasks of life. If you commit to doing the "easy" things--the "small" things God asks you to do--and you do them as perfectly as you can, big things will follow. Some of these "small and easy" things you could do perfectly are daily prayer, studying the scriptures, living the Word of Wisdom, attending church, praying with real intent, and paying your tithes and offerings. Do these things even when you don't want to. These "sacrifices" may appear to be small, but they are important, for "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 painting of your life. You may not see how the dots connect now, and you don't need to yet. Simply have faith, and 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."

Now, you may be thinking, "Yes, President Uchtdorf, that's all very nice for you." [LAUGHTER] "But you are an Apostle. I'm not like that. I'm not important to God. My prayers are not answered. My life is not directed. If there is a plan for me, it's a thrift store version." [LAUGHTER] "A hand-me-down plan. A pat-on-the-head, just be content with what you have plan."

Well, my dear friends, remember what Steve Jobs said. You cannot connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward. 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 listened to the advice of loving family and wise friends and took small steps of faith, believing that if I did the best I could in the moment, God would take care of the big picture. He did. He knew the end from the beginning when I did not. I could not see the future, but He could. Even during those times of hardship when I thought I was abandoned, He was with me--I see that now. In Proverbs, we find this great 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 don't believe there is a question mark at the end of that verse. No, I think there should be an exclamation point!

So you have to ask yourself, "Can I muster up enough faith to believe God? Am I willing to trust that He loves me and He wants to guide my path?" In fact, you might do quite OK on your own in many things.

But I urge you to believe that 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 great Apostle Paul testified, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him." Do you want your Heavenly Father to guide you, bless you, uphold you? Then believe. Love Him. Seek Him with all your heart. Walk in His ways--which means keeping the commandments, honoring your covenants, following the teachings of the prophets, and hearkening unto the promptings of the Spirit. Do this, and God will "increase you a thousand times and bless you as he has promised!" I understand that for some, this may seem easy to say and hard to do. I agree that 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. Such voices are amplified in our day by unmatched advances in communication. That is your challenge. But it is also your privilege. I am confident that you will find means to deal with it the Lord's way! It is part of your adventure of mortality. How you do it will greatly influence your future and the part you play in God's work here on earth. Nevertheless, what you are experiencing in life is not all that uncommon. Yours is not the only generation whose faith in God has been challenged and ridiculed. In fact, this seems to be part of the mortal test for all of God's children. "If ye were of [this] 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 the likelihood 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 what you did to overcome the temptations of the world and follow the path of righteousness. He will ask if you followed the Savior, if you loved your neighbor, if you earnestly tried to stay on the path of discipleship. My dear young friends, my dear brothers and sisters, you can't have it both ways. You cannot receive the incomprehensible blessings of discipleship while at the same time maintaining your membership records in the Babylon First Ward.

My dear brothers and sisters, now is the time to commit to Christ and follow His path. One day all of God's children will know what is right, including those who mock the truth. They will bow the knee 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. You will know with certainty how blessed you are because you kept the faith, kept God's commandments, served your fellowmen, and built God's kingdom here on earth. My beloved friends, believe, and God will be with you. Incline your heart to Him, and He will guide you on your journey through this great and exciting adventure of mortal life. Now, when we speak of letting God guide our lives, I would like to clarify one thing. You might not like what I'm about to tell you. When you ask God what to do about decisions in your life--including some important decisions--He may not give you a clear 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 gospel. In many cases, the decisions you make may not be as important as what you do after making the decision. For example, a couple may choose to get married even though some of their own families 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 and focusing on one another's emotional, spiritual, and temporal needs--by doing the "little" things consistently--they become the perfect match. In contrast, the couple who thinks they picked the "perfect" person and then assumes that all the heavy lifting is over. If they quit courting each other, stop communicating one-on-one, and slide back into egotism and 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 pick a less prestigious occupation but who do the best they can and find ways to make their work interesting and challenging. I have less hope for those who choose impressive-sounding occupations but along the way lose that inner fire necessary to make them successful at their work. In fact, successfully adapting to changes in the workplace will be one of the prime attributes your generation will have to develop to cope with the future. But you will do that. You are good. You are blessed. So how does the Lord want you to approach key decisions? His instructions to Oliver Cowdery and Joseph have been very helpful to me. The Lord told them, "You must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right." Heavenly Father 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. For many decisions, you have more than one good option to choose from. When this happened to Joseph and his companions, the Lord used an interesting phrase as they sought His guidance. The phrase is "It mattereth not."

But the Lord immediately added, "Only be faithful."

Your work is to make the best decisions you can, based on the information available to you, grounded in the values and principles of the gospel. Then strive with all your might to succeed in the things you undertake--and be faithful. Do that, and the dots will connect. Perhaps it's disappointing to hear that God won't necessarily give you a detailed itinerary for your life's journey. But do you really want direction in every detail of your life? Do you really want someone giving you the cheat codes to life before you have a chance to figure things out for yourself? What kind of adventure would that be? My dear young friends, you pass through the adventure of mortality only once. Wouldn't an individually tailored walkthrough, complete with spoilers and answers to all of life's great questions, take away your great feeling of accomplishment and your increase of confidence in the Lord and in yourself?

Because God has given you your agency, there are many directions you can choose to go and still lead a fulfilling life. Mortality is actually an open-ended, choose-your-own-adventure story. You have commandments, you have covenants, you have inspired prophetic counsel, and you have the gift of the Holy Ghost. That 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--maybe even messed up. That is how you learn. That's part of the adventure! No, adventures never go smoothly from start to finish, but if you are faithful, you can be assured of a happy ending. Just consider the example of Joseph of Egypt. In many ways, his life was disastrous. He was sold into slavery by his brothers. He was cast into prison for a crime he did not commit. Despite all the terrible circumstances forced upon him, he maintained his faith. He trusted God. He made the best out of it. Year after year, even when it appeared that he had been overlooked and abandoned, he believed. Joseph always inclined his heart to God, and God showed that He is able to turn negatives into positives. Today, some 4,000 years later, we still find inspiration in Joseph's story. Your adventure may not be quite as dramatic--I hope so--but it will have its ups and downs. So remember Joseph's example: Remain faithful. Believe. Be honest. Don't become bitter. Don't be a bully. Love God, and love your fellowmen regardless of where they are coming from or what socioeconomic situation they have. Trust the Lord even when things appear bleak. You may not see it until much later, but you will look back and know that the Lord did indeed direct and guide your path. The dots did 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, have a little faith. Incline your hearts to God. Believe that you are important to God, and trust He will make more of you than you can possibly make of yourself. Learn of Him. Love Him. Believe Him. Speak with Him regularly, intensely. Listen for His voice. Third, walk as best you can on the path of discipleship. Don't get overwhelmed. Just do the small things as perfectly as you can, and the big things will fall in place. 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, make the best decisions you can by following the promptings that come to your heart and mind. Use both. Give your best efforts to follow through. Have faith, and God will consecrate your honest efforts for your eternal good. Do this, and in the end, all will be well. I leave you my blessing this day, at the beginning of this new year, that as you earnestly strive to know your God, your faith will increase. As you seek to follow your Savior, your confidence will grow. And as you walk in faithfulness and open your heart to the Light of Christ, your love of God will mature and your ability to love your neighbor will be refined. And all this will bring you happiness and joy. It will bring you peace. One day it will bring you eternal glory. On that future day, you will look back on this cherished and exciting adventure of mortality, and you will understand. You will see that the dots really did connect into a beautiful pattern, more sublime than you ever could have imagined. 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 guiding your steps as you walked toward Him. Of this I testify and give you my blessing as an Apostle of the Lord. And I do this in the sacred name of our Master, in the name of our Redeemer and our Savior, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

Our dear Heavenly Father, we are so very grateful for the opportunity that we have had to be gathered together this Sabbath day. We are so especially grateful for Elder and Sister Uchtdorf, for their willingness to be with us tonight, and for their examples and their messages that they have shared with us. We ask Thee to bless them and bless that they will be able to feel our love and appreciation for them.

Heavenly Father, we ask Thee to bless, as we move forward, that we will be able to be faithful and to have Thy Spirit with us, to know what Thou would have us do. We ask Thee to bless that we will be able to be instruments in Thy hands, to serve and love those around us, and to share the light of Thy Son, Jesus Christ, with those that are seeking it. We are so grateful for our Savior and for His Atonement for us. We ask Thee to bless that we will be able to use His power more effectively in our lives each and every day. Heavenly Father, we love Thee, and we love Thy Son, and we love this gospel. And we are so grateful for all of the many blessings that Thou gives us, and we say these things in the name of Thy Son, Jesus Christ, amen.