The annual youth theme is usually determined a few years in advance, but every year and especially for 2022, “I think we’ve seen the inspiration,” said Sister Michelle D. Craig, first counselor in the Young Women general presidency.
The 2022 youth theme “Trust in the Lord” 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.”
Sister Craig described this Old Testament counsel as “a timely message,” pointing out that many of President Russell M. Nelson’s recent teachings — including moving mountains with faith and letting God prevail — are about trusting in the Lord.
“The more you learn about the Savior, the easier it will be to trust in His mercy, His infinite love, and His strengthening, healing and redeeming power,” President Nelson said in the April 2021 general conference. “The Savior is never closer to you than when you are facing or climbing a mountain with faith.”
Read more: Young Women and Young Men general leaders — 3 ways youth can ‘Trust in the Lord’ in 2022
President Nelson’s message to the worldwide Church six months prior: “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?”
Below are six more general conference talks from the last five years about trusting in the Lord.
‘Get close to God’
“In the midst of this refiner’s fire, rather than get angry with God, get close to God. Call upon the Father in the name of the Son. Walk with Them in the Spirit, day by day. Allow Them over time to manifest Their fidelity to you. Come truly to know Them and truly to know yourself. Let God prevail. ... I bear witness that no matter what our mortal experience may entail, we can trust God and find joy in Him.”
— Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “Our Relationship With God,” April 2022 general conference
‘Trust again’
“Have you ever felt like you are running from home? Often, running from home means trust has been frayed or broken — trust with ourselves, with each other, with God. When trust is challenged, we wonder how to trust again. My message today is, whether we are coming home or going home, God is coming to meet us. In Him we can find faith and courage, wisdom and discernment to trust again.”
— Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “Trust Again,” October 2021 general conference
‘The best principle we can use’
“Trust in the Lord is a familiar and true teaching in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. That was Joseph Smith’s teaching when the early Saints experienced severe persecutions and seemingly insurmountable obstacles. That is still the best principle we can use when our efforts to learn or our attempts to find comfort encounter obstacles in matters not yet revealed or not adopted as the official doctrine of the Church.”
— President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, “Trust in the Lord,” October 2019 general conference
Recognize His voice
“We must each ask: How do I keep centered and lean not unto my own understanding? How do I recognize and follow the Savior’s voice when the voices of the world are so compelling? How do I cultivate trust in the Savior? … We can center our lives on the Savior by coming to know Him, and He will direct our paths.”
— Sister Bonnie H. Cordon, then second counselor in the Primary general presidency, “Trust in the Lord and Lean Not,” April 2017 general conference
Put trust in God and His prophets
“Brothers and sisters, I invite you to place all of your trust in God and in the teachings of His prophets. I invite you to renew your covenants with God, to serve Him with all your heart, regardless of the complex situations of life. I testify that by the power of your unwavering faith in Christ, you will become free of the captivity of sin, of doubt, of unbelief, of unhappiness, of suffering; and you will receive all of the promised blessings from our loving Heavenly Father.”
— Elder Ulisses Soares, then of the Presidency of the Seventy, “Confide in God Unwaveringly,” April 2017 general conference
Trust in His love
“Faith means that we trust not only in God’s wisdom but that we trust also in His love. It means trusting that God loves us perfectly, that everything He does — every blessing He gives and every blessing He, for a time, withholds — is for our eternal happiness.”
— President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, then second counselor in the First Presidency, “Fourth Floor, Last Door,” October 2016 general conference
This article was originally published in January 2022.
