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Elder L. Todd Budge: 'Consistent and Resilient Trust'

General Authority Seventy

"The good news of the gospel is not the promise of a life free of sorrow and tribulation but a life full of purpose and meaning — a life where our sorrows and afflictions can be ‘swallowed up in the joy of Christ.’"

"Trusting in the Lord includes trusting in His timing and requires patience and endurance that outlasts the storms of life."

"I testify that as we commend ourselves to the Lord and consistently and resiliently trust in Jesus Christ and His divine purposes in our lives, He will visit us with assurances, speak peace to our souls, and cause us to ‘hope for our deliverance in him.’"

Summary points:

  • Afflictions and sorrow prepare each person to experience joy if they put trust in the Lord and His plan.
  • Through faith in Jesus Christ and choosing to trust in Him, each person can have light continually whether in the midst of trials or not.
  • By choosing to consistently and resiliently trust in Jesus Christ, He will give assurance and peace.

Talk summary:

Afflictions and sorrow prepare people to experience joy if they put trust in the Lord and His plan. “Our trials and afflictions make space for greater joy.”

The Jaredites’ journey to the promised land can be a metaphor for a journey through mortality. 

The Lord promised the brother of Jared and his people that He would go before them to the promised land, then commanded them to build barges. As they began following the Lord’s instructions, the brother of Jared realized they would have no light or air in the barges. So he poured out his soul to God for answers.

“The Lord made it clear that ultimately the Jaredites could not make it to the promised land without Him.”

The only way the Jaredites could make it to the promised land was to put their trust in the Lord.  “These experiences and tutoring from the Lord seemed to deepen the brother of Jared’s faith and strengthen his trust in the Lord.”

While the Jaredites didn’t know how things would work out for them, they still got aboard the barges and commended themselves to the Lord. 

“Trusting in the Lord includes trusting in His timing and requires patience and endurance that outlasts the storms of life.”

The journey was difficult, but the Jaredites were continually blown toward the promised land and they rejoiced in the promised blessings. When they ultimately landed on the shore, they immediately thanked God.

“If we are faithful in keeping our covenants, we too will one day arrive safely home and will bow before the Lord and shed tears of joy for the multitude of His tender mercies in our lives, including the sorrows that made space for more joy.”

In the news:

  • During a BYU-Hawaii devotional on Sept. 24, Elder L. Todd Budge encouraged students to find more joy by letting go of things that aren't of God and holding on to things that are.
  • An ongoing partnership between BYU, Latter-day Saint Charities, the Asia areas of the Church and government officials is helping change lives in the landlocked country of Mongolia
  • Elder Dale G. Renlund gave a morning devotional before 800 youth and leaders from Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota before they commenced a day of serving those affected by devastating floods in the area. Elder Carl B. Cook of the Presidency of the Seventy and Elder Brian K. Taylor and Elder L. Todd Budge, both General Authority Seventies, were also present at the devotional, joined by Sister Lynette Cook and Sister Lori Budge.

About the speaker:

  • Elder L. Todd Budge was sustained as a General Authority Seventy in the April 2019 general conference.
  • Elder Budge has spent 22 years of his life in Japan, and the Budge family has served in nearly all the missions in Japan — with the exception of one child who served in Hong Kong and another serving in Accra, Ghana. Elder Budge served in Fukuoka, a son served in Sendai, another served in Kobe, one daughter in Sapporo, another in Tokyo, and Elder and Sister Budge presided over the Japan Tokyo Mission.
  • After returning from his mission, he studied economics at BYU, where he met Lori Capener. They were married in August 1981 in the Logan Utah Temple.
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