As we build bridges of trust, we direct our thinking toward the importance of peace, the central feature of what disciples may hope to achieve.
Discipleship grows when we place peace at the center of our decisions. As we work for peace, the key to triumph is trust. We can come to know our Heavenly Father and find inner peace as we prioritize the principle of trust in our discipleship. Focusing on the Savior and his anointed leaders results in a growing connection to each other. Our deepening connection to each other reflects the hopes spoken over the past forty years by many Church leaders: for us to build bridges of trust.
Peace builds upon bridges of trust. Elder Marvin J. Ashton speaks specifically about how trust creates peace in his 1985 address “Peace—A Triumph of Principles.” He says, “Peace must stem from an inward contentment built upon trust, faith, and goodwill toward God, fellowmen, and self.” These patterns of behavior create discipleship, which in turn creates bridges between people that lead to lasting peace.
Elder Ashton connects the concept of peace with every aspect of life, discussing what peace is, and what it isn’t; where peace comes from, and where it does not exist. The Savior built bridges of understanding as he frequently used the idea of peace in his communications: “Peace be unto you” (see Luke 24:36). Elder Ashton shows that following the Savior’s example is the way to “gain true inner peace.” This pattern of peace is built upon trust, which, like a bridge over troubled times, helps to end painful events. He adds, “We must blend balance in our lives and increase in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man (see Luke 2:52).” In striving to be like the Savior, we too will discover that peace stems from trust, and the result of our action will be triumph seen in our discipleship.
Read the full text of Elder Marvin J. Ashton’s insightful “Peace—A Triumph of Principles” for a unique perspective on how relationships are built from trust, understanding, and peace.
Source: General Conference
—Matthew L. Tyler, Latter-day Saint Insights
Find more insights
Read two Latter-day Saint Insights articles, “What Should I Do When the Answer Is No?” by Renee Stevens and “Freedom in All Things” by Tori Hamilton, for more insights into discipleship and peace.