Elder David A. Bednar
The Message
Elder Bednar taught that priesthood ordinances and covenants are essential parts of our journey back to Heavenly Father. Like spiritual credentials, they open opportunities for divine direction, strength, and promised blessings—but honoring our covenants is the continuing “challenge of mortality.”
The Holy Ghost, as the Holy Spirit of Promise, confirms our righteous acts and covenant faithfulness as acceptable to God. This generally happens over time as we sincerely repent, honor our covenants, and continually yield our hearts to God. Elder Bednar also reassured us that another person’s choices cannot deprive a faithful covenant keeper of blessings God has promised.
Start the Conversation
Read the summary of the message and the Try This at Home ideas with your family. Then say: “Let’s choose one small way we can better honor a promise we’ve made to Heavenly Father this week.”
Try This at Home
What Belongs to Me?
Think of something involving another person that concerns you. Ask: “What part of this actually belongs to me?”Maybe it’s how you respond, whether you pray, whether you forgive, whether you keep a promise, or whether you show love.
What Doesn’t Belong to Me?
Now identify what belongs to the other person is their choices, beliefs, decisions, feelings, or use of agency. Practice allowing that part to remain theirs.
Do Your Part, Then Release the Rest
Choose one appropriate thing you can do about a difficult situation. Do it. Then deliberately say: “I’ve done what belongs to me. I can trust God with the rest.”
Remember a Promise
Think of one promise from God that gives you hope. Write it down, remember it during the week, or tell someone in your family why it matters to you.
Let Someone Have Their Agency
Notice a moment when you’re tempted to persuade, pressure, remind, or manage someone else’s choice. Before acting, ask: “Is this mine to do?” Sometimes the answer will be yes. Sometimes love means allowing another person to choose.
Find It in the Scriptures
Read Mosiah 2:41, which Elder Bednar used at the conclusion of his message. Notice King Benjamin’s assurance that those who faithfully follow God are blessed. Ask: How could trusting God’s promises bring us peace when circumstances aren’t turning out the way we hoped?
Choose Your Own
Choose another part of Elder Bednar’s message that brings your family reassurance, hope, or something you would like to practice.
What Belongs to Me”
“I need to return.” Then make the next choice that points you back toward the commitment you’ve already made. What Belongs to Me? When you’re worried about something involving another person, ask: “What belongs to me?”
My choices.
My faithfulness.
My response.
My relationship with God.
Then ask: “What doesn’t belong to me?”
Another person’s choices.
Their beliefs.
Their decisions.
Their use of agency.
You can love someone deeply without being responsible for the choices they make.
Check Back In
At the end of the week, talk as a family about what you noticed. Was there something you discovered wasn’t yours to control? Was it difficult to let it go? Did separating your responsibility from someone else’s bring any peace? Was there something that genuinely did belong to you that you chose to do? Did trusting God change the way you carried a worry? Did Elder Bednar’s promise that another person’s choices cannot deprive you of God’s promised blessings feel different after trying this?
No grading. No guilt. Just notice what happened.
