“Let Go, and Listen,” For the Strength of Youth, Sept. 2023.
Let Go, and Listen
I had a plan to achieve my dreams. But when I let go and allowed the Lord to guide my path, I was blessed in beautiful ways.
Illustration by Michael Mullan
When I was just barely 17, I moved to San Francisco, California, USA, to go to art school. I dreamed of becoming an illustrator for Disney.
At college, I learned a lot more than art. I learned about who I was to my Heavenly Father. I wasn’t at home anymore. My parents weren’t waking me up to take me to church every Sunday. No one would know whether or not I was living the gospel. But I knew I needed Him. I looked up The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in a phonebook. When I walked into the Church building and heard “I Know That My Redeemer Lives” (Hymns, no. 136) being played, it felt like home. I began to realize what the gospel meant to me and what I really wanted.
Make the Lord Number One in Your Life
At that point, I wanted to involve my Heavenly Father in everything I did. For example, I started to ask Him what He thought about my career plans and where I should be. As I prayed and asked these questions, I began to feel that I needed to be somewhere else.
I was a little heartbroken. I had set all of my dreams and my focus on my plan. I thought I knew exactly where I would go and what I would do. But now, I knew I wanted the Lord to be number one in my life, and that meant more to me than anything else. Even though I knew that my path may be different from what I had pictured, I had felt His love for me, and I trusted in His wisdom.
I was led to Brigham Young University–Idaho and Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, to finish my illustration degrees. Just before graduating, I received an internship at a local game studio. About a year later, after I was hired full-time, the studio was unexpectedly bought by Disney, which brought new opportunities and growth.
When you let go of what you think you need to have, the Lord will bless you at the right time with what will truly make you happy. You never know where the Lord is going to take you. Just let go, and listen.
Put First Things First
During school, I had to juggle classes and homework and Church responsibilities. I had to figure out what my priorities were. Do I go visit people to minister to them, or do I study for this test? Do I read my scriptures now, or do I finish this assignment?
Every time I put the Lord first and did the work He called me to do, things always worked out, and then some. He always keeps His promises. When we put the Lord first, everything else falls into place.
When I went to graduate school, I faced similar choices. I was the ward Young Women president at the time. One day I had to choose between studying for an exam and helping the young women plan an activity. I went with the young women. With the spare time I had, I prayed and I studied as best I could. Somehow I passed the exam, and with far better grades than I’d expected.
Let Him Guide You
Heavenly Father will guide you. He loves you and knows exactly where you’re at. He knows exactly what’s going to bless you the most and when.
In my life, things have changed and shifted quite a bit. But He has been in it the whole time. As I have followed His guidance for me, things have turned out beautifully. Not how I expected, but beautiful.
He wants to be a part of our lives. If we can just let Him into our lives, there are wonderful surprises waiting for each one of us. What else does He have in store for you that you can’t even see?