Elder Neil L. Andersen urged Brigham Young University students to make a firm, lasting commitment to Jesus Christ rather than allowing confusion, unanswered questions or competing voices to keep their faith in constant uncertainty. During a campus devotional on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, the member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles asked young adults to “settle this in your hearts” and follow the Savior with confidence, according to a Church Newsroom release from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Speaking in the Marriott Center in Provo, Utah, Elder Andersen based his message on a phrase from Joseph Smith’s translation of Luke 14 in the New Testament: “Settle this in your hearts, that ye will do the things which I shall teach, and command you.” He focused on “settle” as a word that describes a decision “definitively and conclusively” resolved—one that remains “stable and permanent.”
Choosing a Settled Commitment to Christ
Elder Andersen asked students to consider what that kind of settled commitment looks like in the life of a Latter-day Saint. “As a Latter-day Saint, what does it mean to have your faith in Jesus Christ and your devotion to the restored gospel ‘settled’ in your heart?” he asked.
He taught that disciples can thoughtfully choose the covenant path, find peace in that choice and proceed with confidence in Jesus Christ and His restored gospel. Such a commitment does not require them to repeatedly reopen their fundamental decision whenever doubt, distraction or another influence competes for their attention.
Elder Andersen acknowledged the particular pressures young adults face as they navigate “a world of information and misinformation overload.” He also described the environment surrounding them as “a world of commotion and unsurprising confusion.”
Many possible directions may appear attractive, but Elder Andersen taught that following Jesus Christ requires deliberate strength and focus. “With so many choices and alluring paths before you,” he said, “it will require strength of heart and mind to boldly, without distraction or deception, settle this in your heart and walk the road less traveled toward the Savior.”
When Questions Remain Unanswered
Elder Andersen addressed the relationship between intellectual reasoning and divine revelation as disciples seek spiritual knowledge. Drawing on a lesson he learned decades ago from a book written by President Dallin H. Oaks, he shared a principle that influenced his own approach to faith: “Reason has the first word; revelation has the last word.”
That approach leaves room for careful thought while recognizing the role of revelation in spiritual understanding. Elder Andersen taught that disciples do not need to resolve every question before they can commit themselves to Jesus Christ and the restored gospel of the Church of Jesus Christ.
Rather than allowing unresolved concerns to suspend their discipleship, students can trust the spiritual witnesses they have already received while patiently awaiting further understanding. “Allow the questions that do not yet have answers to rest patiently in a box labeled, ‘Answers Forthcoming,’” Elder Andersen said.
He identified several foundational truths that can strengthen faith in the Savior while other questions remain unresolved. Those truths include God’s identity as the Father of His children, the divine mission of Jesus Christ, the Restoration through the Prophet Joseph Smith, the importance of covenants and ordinances, and the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Two Invitations for Building Faith
Elder Andersen gave students two specific invitations for deepening their commitment: think more about the Savior and embrace the Book of Mormon more completely. Both invitations centered on strengthening personal confidence in Jesus Christ and the restored gospel.
His first invitation encouraged students to place the Savior more fully into the ordinary pattern of their lives. “The more you put Him into each of your days, the more you will know He is your Savior and Redeemer,” Elder Andersen taught.
He connected daily attention to Jesus Christ with the settled faith he had asked students to develop. “Settling this in your heart will be the natural consequence of your renewed confidence in Him,” he said.
Elder Andersen’s second invitation asked students to embrace the Book of Mormon more completely as a source of faith in Jesus Christ. He testified of the book’s truth and its place in the restored gospel, declaring, “It is absolutely true and sacred scripture.”
His counsel did not present spiritual commitment as a product of complete intellectual certainty or freedom from every question. Instead, he directed students toward repeated engagement with Jesus Christ, revealed truth and the witnesses they have already received.
Consecration, Freedom and Spiritual Power
Near the end of the devotional, Elder Andersen described what can happen when disciples freely choose to dedicate themselves fully to God. He connected that willing consecration with greater freedom and spiritual power rather than compulsion.
“When a heart willingly and completely, on its own, without compulsion, turns the key of consecration, a door of freedom and spiritual power is opened,” he taught. His wording emphasized a personal decision that comes from within and reflects the firm commitment described throughout his message.
Elder Andersen then bore witness of Jesus Christ and His central place in God’s plan. “He lives. He is the central being of all human history. He is our Savior and Redeemer,” he declared.
He concluded by offering a blessing to the students as they seek to settle their commitment to the Savior in their hearts. Elder Andersen told them that their faith in Jesus Christ and commitment to the restored gospel would guide and direct them.
What helps you keep your faith steady when you don’t have all the answers? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Holly Wallace is a writer and storyteller drawn to meaningful questions and overlooked details. Her work explores Latter-day Saint life and culture through faithful inquiry, inviting readers to pause, consider, and engage more deeply with what matters most.
What helps you keep your faith steady when you don’t have all the answers? The unshakable belief that God keeps His promises. That He loves me and there is a good reason the answers are not coming immediately.