Primary general president Camille N. Johnson spoke about securing a relationship with the Savior during the BYU devotional address on Jan. 11.
She began by comparing one’s attachment to the Savior to the attachment of a boat to a mooring or a dock. She said just as windage threatens the security of a boat, there are spiritual “windages” that threaten one’s connection to the Savior.
Sister Johnson posed the question, what are our personal “windages” that inhibit a full relationship with the Savior? She said she could not define those things for us, but she could share some of her own “windages” that she is working on eliminating from her life.
“I’ll start by telling you about the dinghies I am trying to deflate, the sails I’m trying to secure and the cushions I’m tossing off my personal ship to stay securely bound to the Savior,” Sister Johnson said. “Perhaps as I work through these, some inspired ideas will come to you.”
She listed six things she classified as “windages” in her life: failure to trust in the Lord, failure to employ daily repentance, procrastination, the company we keep, validation from unreliable sources and distractions.
Sister Johnson addressed anxiety and how she personally wished she could have had her life spelled out for her, or for an angel to tell her which career path to take and which person to marry. But that didn’t happen.
“Instead, the Lord trusted me,” Sister Johnson said. “And more importantly, I trusted in the Lord and just kept taking steps forward, believing that if I was off course, the Lord would redirect me.”
She then spoke about the company we keep and the people from whom we seek validation. She warned that if we're not careful, it could be a hindrance to our connection with the Savior.
“Who is good company?” Sister Johnson asked. “I choose to spend time with people who respect what I believe and who encourage me to live in a moral way. For me, that is choosing good company, and it is neither exclusive nor exclusionary.”
She concluded her address by talking about priorities and eliminating distractions.