Sister Amy A. Wright, the first counselor in the Primary General Presidency, challenged the BYU community to apply lessons from the apostle Paul’s journey recorded in the Bible to their own lives during a campus worship service on November 5.

“As we search for parallel patterns between individuals in scripture and the Savior, we realize that we, too, must be living witnesses of His coming and coming again,” Sister Wright said.

Sister Wright illustrated this idea by talking about the story of the apostle Paul in the New Testament. He said that the apostle Paul was a type of Jesus Christ, the events that led to the deaths of both were quite similar.

“We learn more about this connection in Acts chapter 27 as Paul embarks on a dangerous sea voyage,” Sister Wright said. “As we examine His salvation from this perilous journey, we discover that there is a divine pattern of salvation in our own lives and that there are lessons to be learned that will help us successfully weather the storms of our day.”

Sister Wright said Paul was arrested by Roman soldiers after completing his third mission. After requesting to be tried before Caesar, he was sent to Rome. To get there he had to make a dangerous journey across the sea.

Sister Wright said Paul and those traveling with him spent 14 days “in the misery and terror of the storm.”

He then quoted Acts 27:29: “Then they were afraid lest they should fall upon the rocks, and cast down four anchors from the stern, and wished for that day.”

“During the struggle of life, do you ever find yourself ‘wishing for the day,’ praying and searching for calmer seas?” Sister Wright asked the audience. “When will those calm seas come? After you complete your next project, semester, or degree? Once your health has improved, Are your relationships getting better, are you married, do you have a family, do you have a home or are you well established in your career? There will always be something in life that we wish were different – wishing, waiting and hoping for the waters to be calmer. It would be wise to strengthen and strengthen our anchors.

Sister Wright detailed the four anchors she noticed from Paul’s story about the ocean and summarized and reviewed them at the end of her talk.

“Anchor number one,” Sister Wright said. “Choose good friends. It is crucial that you choose good friends who will lead you to Jesus Christ in these last days and, most importantly, that you choose to be that type of friend as a way of fulfilling your covenant responsibility to love and serve God.

The second pillar that Sister Wright mentioned was trusting in Jesus Christ. He quoted Proverbs 3:5–6, which says that if we trust in the Lord, He will “direct our paths.”

“Anchor number three,” Sister Wright continued. “Follow the Prophet. Prophets see things we cannot see.”

Fourth, Sister Wright said that we must believe not only in God, as Paul did, but also in Him. In the midst of the terrible storm, Paul said in Acts 27:25: “Therefore, gentlemen, be of good cheer; for I believe God will do as I have been told.

Sister Wright challenged the audience to trust that Heavenly Father will fulfill all He has promised.

“As I navigated the ‘storm’ of a cancer diagnosis and treatment several years ago, these four pillars connected me to the Savior,” Sister Wright concluded. “And because of this experience, I will remain committed to Jesus Christ for the rest of my life.”