Salani Lesā Pita spoke at the campus-wide BYU devotional at the Marriott Center on May 13 about creating patterns in our life to bring us closer to Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father.
Pita is a budget analyst in the university Budget Office, a member of the University Belonging Committee and the project manager for the University Master Safety Plan.
She joked at the beginning of her talk that she has few credentials or accolades, which caused her to question why she was asked to speak at this devotional, and why now?
“Because I am to share two specific personal experiences with you, both of which have happened over the course of several years in my life,” Pita said. “One concerns a little red notebook, and the other involves my second-born son.”
In April 2010, President Henry B. Eyring gave a general conference address titled, “Act in All Diligence.” At the end of the talk, he said something that struck Pita. She felt it was an important pattern that she needed to incorporate into her life, so she broke it down into seven points:
1. Ponder deeply and diligently in the scriptures and in the words of living prophets.
2. Persist in prayer for the Holy Ghost to reveal to you the nature of God the Father and His Beloved Son.
3. Plead that the Spirit will show you what the Lord wants you to do.
4. Plan to do it.
5. Promise Him to obey.
6. Act with determination until you have done what He asked.
7. Pray to give thanks for the opportunity to serve and to know what you might do next.
As she strove to incorporate these patterns into her life, Pita began paying closer attention to the positive thoughts that came to her.
“I was surprised at how many good thoughts I would have throughout the day,” she said.
She started keeping a red notebook to write down “the good thoughts” she did not have time to act on immediately.
It quickly began filling up with ways she could serve friends and family and follow promptings from the Lord.
“I have seen enough to know of a surety, that every time I act in faith on a prompting from the Lord, His purposes are accomplished,” Pita said. “I don’t need to know his purpose to be obedient, and I don’t need to see his purpose accomplished for it to happen. I am willing to go forward in faith and leave the outcomes to Him.”
Each time she lets the Lord know she wants to be part of His work, He includes her, Pita said — and she doesn’t have to be perfect to be included.
Pita also spoke about her second son, Sa’olotoga, who was born with many challenges, including being deaf and insensate.
Neurologists taught Pita that she could help her son by using intentional and consistent patterning.
Despite some skepticism about some of their methods, Pita chose to trust the medical specialists and faithfully followed their instructions. Over time, Sa’olotoga slowly started to show signs of improvement and was able to hear.
“Helping my son to hear and feel with his physical body was important for his safety,” Pita said. “Without the ability to feel pain, Sa’o had no warning that an action was causing him physical harm and had to rely on the intervention of others for his safety.”
Being able to hear and feel brought joy to Sa’olotoga’s life. He was able to find joy and fascination in the feeling of everyday things that others may take for granted.
“In the same way that physical feeling is important, feeling God’s love is essential not just for our spiritual safety, but for the joy it brings to our lives,” Pita said.
She emphasized that people can learn to recognize and feel God’s love through consistent and intentional patterning.
Some of the ways she listed to help individuals feel God's love included praying, being where the spirit of God is present and remembering God’s goodness.
“If today you feel your prayers are not heard, or you can’t feel God’s love for you, please know that every effort you make matters, even if you don’t yet recognize it. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ know, hear, and love you. It is as certain as the truth that you exist,” Pita said. “I encourage you to continue with your patterning efforts. Don’t give up. Pray for help, not to give up.”
Pita’s message offered a simple but powerful truth that by creating intentional patterns of faith, anyone can draw closer to God and feel his love more fully.