Faith in Christ Gives Strength and Direction, Teaches President Cordon

Bonnie-H-Cordon-Missionary-Devotional
A missionary cries while she hugs Young Women General President Bonnie H. Cordon after she spoke in a devotional at the Provo Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah, on Tuesday, May 23, 2023. Photo by Adam Fondren, courtesy of Church News. Copyright 2023 Deseret News Publishing Company.

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The people of Jared were a barge-building people already, says Ether 2:6 in the Book of Mormon:

“And it came to pass that they did travel in the wilderness, and did build barges, in which they did cross many waters, being directed continually by the hand of the Lord.”

Then, the Lord instructed the people to build special barges to cross the ocean to the promised land. These were made with specific directions and instructions, as outlined in Ether 2:16-18.

The people trusted in the Lord and did not use their own understanding to build the barges. But they had no light and could not steer, and had no air and could not breathe inside (Ether 2:19).

The brother of Jared went to the Lord with these concerns, trusting that the Lord would help him, Young Women General President Bonnie H. Cordon explained in a devotional at the Provo Missionary Training Center.

“It was in the challenge that the brother of Jared came to know Jesus Christ,” President Cordon said. “Sometimes in our challenges and struggles, that’s when we come to know the Savior.”

Through new holes in the barges and with lighted stones, the people of Jared now had light and air, but they still needed to steer. Yet they moved forward in faith, President Cordon said.

Ether 6:4 reads: “And it came to pass that when they had prepared all manner of food, that thereby they might subsist upon the water … they got aboard of their vessels or barges, and set forth into the sea, commending themselves unto the Lord their God.”

President Cordon emphasized “commending.”

“Isn’t that what you’ve done on your mission?” she said. “You are commending yourself to the Lord, allowing Him to steer and direct.”

She told the missionaries to allow the Lord to teach and guide them, just as the brother of Jared did, even if it is different than they expected.

All Things Through Christ

This year’s youth theme is “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13).

President Cordon and the missionaries held up their hands and counted off the 10 words on their fingers as they said them. The first half is encouraging: “I can do all things.” But President Cordon said the second half is crucial and more powerful: “through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

President Cordon told the missionaries about being called to serve a full-time mission in Portugal and struggling to learn Portuguese.

But she knew she could do hard things — and so can the current missionaries. They can learn a new language, teach a discussion, forgive, get along with strangers and other things through Christ.

She explained that faith according to a dictionary definition is “belief and trust in and loyalty to God.”

Meanwhile, the missionary purpose is to “invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.”

This is also the doctrine of Christ, and missionaries will apply this throughout their missions and their lives, President Cordon said.

They are going out to the world to testify that Christ lives, and if people exercise faith, repent, make covenants and endure to the end, they can live with Him forever.

A Life Hack From Proverbs

President Cordon gave the missionaries a life hack — something she said would make their lives easier or simpler — and it comes from Proverbs 3:5-6.

“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.”

These verses have two invitations. First, to “trust in the Lord with all thine heart.” Second, “in all thy ways acknowledge him.”

But there’s a warning: “lean not unto thine own understanding.” The promise is, “He shall direct thy paths,” as He did for the brother of Jared and his people.

President Cordon pointed out the plural word “paths,” and so did her husband, Brother Derek Cordon, who offered remarks as well to the missionaries.

“He will direct your paths with an ‘s,’” Brother Cordon said. “There’s more than one. Trust in Him. Put aside your own thoughts, and watch the miracles that occur.”

President Cordon also testified that as the missionaries trust in the Lord with all their hearts, they will see miracles.

“In those miracles, you will see that the Lord is directing the work. And you will see that you are coming to know the Savior Jesus Christ. As you have faith in Him and cherish the gift of repentance, there is nothing you can’t do.”