Say Yes to God
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[00:00:00] So what do a call to serve in Florida, leading women in Missouri, tornado relief in Ohio, and interfaith relationships in Qatar in the Middle East have in common? We'll find out today. Welcome to Grow in the Light. I'm Emily, and today we get to talk with Karen Young, who literally lives on the other side of the world from me.
Technology is such a blessing as we seek to share the light and make the world a brighter place. Today, we're going to talk about the third point of my legacy message, which is that the greatest peace and joy we will find in this life come by living in the center of God's will for us each day. Karen will share how stepping outside of her comfort zone to say yes to God's will for her has led to so much growth and peace and joy through that process.
I think you are just going to love this conversation and love Karen like I do
I'm so delighted to be here with one of my amazing mentors, Karen Young. Karen is such a mentor for me of saying yes to God's will in our life, and her relationship with her husband, Rob, is just a beautiful light in my life. So I am delighted to have her here talking about this topic with me today. And Karen, I want you to tell the listeners a little bit about yourself and where you're joining us from.
Well, I am ... Let's see, about myself. Let's start. I was raised in Utah. I'm not go that ... I won't go to part of that back, but, and I went on a mission to Tampa, Florida, and I was married to Rob for the last 43 years, and we are on a mission now, except it's not a mission. It's a ser- we are a service couple in Qatar in the Middle East, and we are loving it.
And we have the opportunity to serve in three different units of the church, um, Doha 1st and 2nd Ward, which one is an international ward, and the other is a Filipino ward, and then a little, teeny branch on the Air Force Base here. And we also serve in the Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue with about five or six of the most beautiful Muslim people that you will ever meet in your life.
And, um, that's our mission here, and we're having a blast. Aw. And I love, uh, the story that you told me as you were preparing to go to a UN conference a couple of weeks ago, that you never imagined that you, this little girl from Utah, would be having these experiences in your life. And you shared with me about your growing up and the decision to serve a mission.
How old were you when you went on your mission? I was 21. I wasn't gonna go on a mission. Um, you know, it's, it's in the olden days, guys, whoever's listening to this, when only about 10% of the girls went on missions. Girls, a lot, didn't go on missions. I really hadn't planned on a mission. In fact, I just ... my whole life plan was to graduate from high school, go to college a couple years, get married, have seven kids.
They'll all be married in the temple. They'll all be perfect, and, and that they would marry my cute little return missionary, and that was my whole, you know, m- mindset at that point. And, um, I went to about three years at Weber State College, and it was college now. Now, it's a university, but I went to school for there for about three years.
And, and it was, it was after my third year, I was just kind of struggling about what to do with my life, and my, my dad was kind of saying, "Well, maybe you should go on a mission." I'm going, "No, I don't wanna go on a mission." And I was just kind of struggling. My friend told me at one time, uh, that I was like a car with the clutch in, and I was going rrr, but not going anywhere.
And that's, that's about- Okay. I wanna pause for just a second [00:04:00] because I think- Yeah ... it's beautiful. Did you feel peace or joy in your life then? At that moment? Yeah. N- no. Yeah. Yeah. And that ... the, the beauty of this topic that we're talking about is that peace and joy comes from being in the center of God's will, and sometimes what leads us to search for that- is that lack of peace, is exactly- Oh, yeah
what you're describing- This was, this was- ... that you were feeling there. How c- this is not it. How can I find the peace- Yeah ... that God wants for me? Yeah, and I wasn't doing anything wrong. Yeah. You know what I mean? Yeah, totally. I was living, living the life, living the gospel, doing everything I should, but I was in absolute turmoil.
Yeah, there's no doubt about it. So I, um, I had talked to my dad, and I went down in the basement. I'll tell you exactly where I was. I went down in our basement. I, uh, my bedroom's down there. I went in the bathroom, and I fin- I looked in the mirror, and I said, "You know what you need to do. You need to go on a mission."
I said it out loud, and as soon as I said those words out loud, the Spirit just flowed over me, just washed over me. And up to that time, I can't tell you, I'd felt a little bit of the Spirit, but this was, like, huge wash over the Spirit. And I just walked upstairs and I said, "Dad, I want to go on a mission."
And he's like, he thought I was doing it for him because he was kind of wanting me to go on a mission. He goes, "Well, Karen, let's talk about it. Let's fast and pray." And I said, "Sure, let's fast and pray, Dad. That's fine. I know what the answer is." So we fasted, and he gave me a father's blessing, and I think the father's blessing was for him 'cause he, he needed to know it was the right thing, that I wasn't doing it for him.
Does that make sense? Yeah, totally. Yeah, so, so the funny thing- It's just like Lehi and Sariah each needed their different witness that what they- Yeah ... were doing, and it came at a different time and a different way and through different- Yeah ... and their own language, right? Yeah. And so I- But that, how did you know that that was God's will for you?
How did I know it was God's will? To go on the mission. Um, because the Holy Ghost bore witness to me. Yeah. 100%. The Holy Ghost- And you recognized it, and that was enough. Absolutely. Absolutely. 100%, no doubt, no turnaround, do not stop, do not, you know, just- All of that. Yeah ... just move. And it was scary because I
You guys have to know that I hardly left the state of Utah. I had made one trip to California by myself. I flew after graduation to see my brother, and it was a straight through flight. Got on the plane, my brother was there. I've g- been on a f- couple of family vacations, but as far as w- ... We went to California and Arizona.
That was it. I mean, we'd been to Wyoming to a cabin we had there. My experience outside of Utah was so limited, and I remember being scared to death that I was gonna have to learn a language, because I'm not really that good with English, let alone the other language. Just like really, really scared. I went, "Okay," so we, when I put my papers in, my dad, who was the stake president, thought it would be really funny if we didn't tell anybody that I was going on a mission, including my mother.
He, he thinks this is so silly. Oh, my goodness. And so I, I snuck in. We, we filled out the paperwork. I, the bishop was across the street, and he promised not to say anything. Right. And I went and got my physical, and we, we put... Uh, my, he even said... We used to have to take a, a language tr- test to see if you could learn a language, and my dad gave me the keys to his stake president's office, and I went up there and I snuck into his office and took the test all by myself.
And we put all the paperwork in, we sent it all in, and my mom got the, the doctor's, um, bill, 'cause I had to go get a physical, and it said, "Missionary physical." And she came downstairs and she goes, "Karen, are you going on a mission?" And I go, "Well, Dad thought it'd be really funny if we didn't tell you." And she didn't think that was funny at all.
Not at all. But anyway, we, so my mom and [00:08:00] my dad, by the time we got my call, were the only ones that knew that I was going on a mission. And I was so relieved when I went to Florida, because I didn't have to learn a language. But I was scared. I was, I was scared. And hitting the MTC, you had to memorize all these discussions.
And Rob was actually in my MTC group. He was, we were in the same district together. And he was really smart, because he'd done a lot of theater and he could memorize really quickly. And those are the days when you had to memorize all of the discussions, and he would memorize them really, really fast and pass them off.
And then he would come and help me, 'cause I was dead last, you know, to pass them off. And, and that's how we became good friends in the MTC. But anyway, but it was hard. It was scary. And, and I, I definitely stepped out of my, my comfort zone. The first day I was in the mission field, um, the bus dropped us off, and I p- take my stuff and I'm by myself and, and I'm supposed to drop...
The bus is supposed to drop me off at this bus stop. And the bus driver comes up to me and says, "Look, we don't have a bus station for you," because I'm at a different g- it's a Greyhound as opposed to somewhere else. He said, "So I have to drop you off at the side of the road, and you just have to walk over to the bus station."
So I basically get dumped on the side of the road In Florida. This girl that's never left Utah gets dumped on the side of the road. And I put my... And then I got over there, and my companion was late, and nobody was there, and, and she finally showed up. I was definitely out of my comfort zone. But because I did that- my mission, it set me up for the rest of my life.
It gave me confidence that I never would have had. It helped me to talk to people where I'm not, um, afraid. Um, I- everything that's happened good in my life started with that decision to go on that mission. You said yes to God. You said yes to Him. Because I said yes to God. Even though it- Even though it was really scary.
Yeah. Yeah. And I love how you emphasized it was uncomfortable. It was out of your comfort zone. And I want to emphasize God is a developmental God. He didn't make you go to the Doha branch right then, right? 'Cause you wouldn't- Well, that would have been... Yes. You wouldn't have been ready. But He took you one giant step out of your comfort zone to grow within you those things that you needed to take the next step, and to take the next step, and to take the next step.
So that girl that got dumped out of the bus on the side of the road, right, in a place she'd never been on the other side of this country is the same girl right now that is living in the Middle East, doing all of these different things to serve God and to be a blessing to your fellow men. Right? To build Zion.
But it came developmentally as you said yes to God, and I just love the witness you bear of that. Um, what, i- are there other experiences you've had in your life where you've said yes to the uncomfortable? You've said yes to God because you knew that it was God's will? Well, uh, yeah, probably a lot of callings.
But the first one I was, well, uh, I was pregnant with my fourth child when I was called to be the ward Relief Society president. And, and I, we just, we hadn't been very long. This is the first time I'm living outside of Utah again. We, we just graduated, and Rob was, we were doing miscellaneous for Officer Murray, and we were in Missouri.
And I get g- I, and I can remember being so absolutely scared out of my mind when I had to stand up to, to be sustained. I had to hold the pew in front of me, or I probably ... I was shaking so bad, I probably would've fallen over. I mean, I was ... You know, I'm, I'm like, I'm in my ... I don't know. How old was I when I, when I j- which I was, like, 28 years old, and I was just called to be
And not, not ... And pe- girls get called, I'm sure, much younger than me, but I was just scared out of my mind. Um, but there again, I, I consider the time that [00:12:00] I was in Missouri when I truly grew up. Um, and I have to explain this a little bit, because when I grew up, my dad was very, very well-known in the community.
He was a district court judge. He had been this f- fancy dancy attorney. He was a stake president. He'd been the bishop or stake president my entire life. Almost everybody knew who I was and who, who my family was when I, when I grew up in Utah. A- and sometime- some of that's good, and some of that brings a lot of pressure.
My dad was a, a World War II hero, 'cause he got shot up on Iwo Jima. He just had a great legacy, which I'm very proud of. But when I moved to Missouri, nobody knew who my dad was They didn't care who my dad was. You know, all of a sudden Karen had to stand on her own two feet and go, "Oh, I'm gonna live the gospel.
I'm gonna do this all by myself. I don't, you know, I don't have my family right here to lean on." And they raised me beautifully. My... I can't complain about my parents at all, but, but I had to stand on my own two feet. And I consider Missouri that time of just growing up and being an adult in, in the gospel.
D- does that make any sense at all? Yeah. And it was scary, and it was, there again, every, every, I think every calling I've gotten I've gotten scared about, because I, I, I just feel like I'm still this little girl from Syracuse, Utah, going, "What are you doing? You're such a fish out of water." You know? But every calling I got from there to now has helped me to prepare for what we're doing now, you know, by just saying yes to God and, you know, I mean...
Yeah. It's crazy. And, and in those moments where we're shaking, and it's so out of our comfort zone, but we say yes, it's not that the peace and joy just always flow in right away, right? Tell me about your experience with that, maybe if you can there, about being there in Missouri and finding that peace and joy.
You talked a little bit about that with growing in your identity, discovering- Yeah ... who you are. I think when you were, when you started working with the people in the ward, and you started just loving them, just serving them, I think there's something that comes with great growth when you, when you, um, just are serving other people.
And I w- probably wasn't, you know... Nobody's ever perfect at their calling. But you're just, you're out there just trying to do your best, and every day you're on the phone. And in those days, we didn't have a, a cell phone or an email or a, you know, an, um, you could text somebody. Everything was on the phone.
And you're like I can remember having almost all the sisters' phone numbers memorized in my head because, 'cause the only way we could contact them was to dial them up and call them. And, and so I spent a lot of time on the phone. But I think there's great growth that comes when you step out of your comfort zone, and you just try.
And I would just, you know, I spent a lot of time on the phone. I spent a lot of time putting minis- you know, ministering, the visiting teaching, then routes together and, and having fun activities and just, um... You know, I d- I think there's just growth when, when you just try to serve God, you know? And, and, and that, that's what happened.
I... You know, and there was the ups and downs, but I think the Lord protects you. There's rough things that happened in Missouri, and there's good things that happened in Missouri, but the growth is what, what is the best thing. And it's just by stepping one foot in, in front of the other. Yeah. And just keep trying to do better.
Do you know what I love, is the connection as I ask you a question about peace and joy, and the answer comes back as growth, and it, that it's, like, without us really realizing, when we are embracing the plan of the Lord and seeking to be led by the Spirit, we are naturally going to be led on a path of [00:16:00] growth, and that there is peace and joy that come because we are growing, because we are fulfilling the measure of our creation and becoming more like God the more we grow.
So that's a, an interesting connection that I just made in listening to you, is- Hmm ... growth equals peace and joy, because we are beings that are meant to grow, to be alive, to keep growing. To become I, and I wouldn't change any of that. I realized that I would not be the same if I hadn't said yes to God. I mean, my whole life would have never, ever been the same, because I've had many opportunities to serve in leadership positions and, and not that they're, they're...
I don't believe that there's, um, I don't think Heavenly Father's gonna ask you if you're a Relief Society president when, at the pearly gates, 'cause I don't think he cares. But, but I do believe that he cares that we said yes. I do. I think he cares that we tried. I think he cares that we, um, love him and that he loves us, and I'm grateful for those church callings that I've had.
I mean, one of the hardest callings I had was the last one that I had before I came here as the communication director. Um, there again, that, that's, that made me step right out of, um, it, it, it was like going back on my mission again, 'cause you were working with people in the community and- For those that don't know what that calling is, will you explain it?
Oh, yes, yes. I, I- You were living here in Ohio I was living in here, Ohio. I've just skipped over all the other callings in the middle that, that gave me growth too, but that's okay. I was called to be the stake communication director, and it used to be called public affairs, but they don't call it that anymore.
And i-i and most people don't even know what calling this is, honestly, in the church. Whenever I t-tell people that, they give me this look like, "What are you doing?" So, um, we work with the community and we do community reach out, and you do service projects, and you do a lot with JustServe, and you do... We did an interfaith concert and you do things and you re- you're reaching out to the community.
We go to, um... There was a, you and I met at a couple or at least one of the interfaith- The Women's Interfaith ... uh, women's group. Mm-hmm. Yeah. I just love that, and we'd go there and wear a scarf and, you know, and go into these interfaith things. So anyway, I was, two weeks after I got put in, the tornadoes hit Beavercreek, Ohio, and, and they wiped out right across the street from me, um, just over, you know, across the way and down there.
The, the, it just really wiped it out, and all of a sudden we were thrown into trying to do a great big service project with like 700 people that were, they're gonna be there and go out and serve the people and try to get their yards cleaned up. And I was, I w- felt like a fish out of water half the time.
I didn't know what I was doing. Um, uh, COVID hit and it's like, "Well, what do I do now?" And the only thing we could think of is to have blood drives, and so we, we, we did six blood drives in a year, you know? And all of a sudden it was, it was one of those callings that were really, really out of my comfort zone, but one that absolutely 100% prepared me for what I'm doing right now.
'Cause, 'cause I'm- God knew. God knew Oh my goodness, yes. And I can't tell you that it was my favorite, Colleen, because it was, it, I mean, I really, it, it, I had to work really hard at it. But absolutely, 100%, I needed to do that before I came here, and God knew it. Um, you know, because here I am working with all of these beautiful Muslim people that I am learning so much from, and, and, and ooh, that was such a preparation for, for here.
Yeah. I love that. Uh, will you tell our listeners the story of your friend Diane that you met there in Dubai? Okay. This is Diane, yeah. Um, Diane is, um- She and her husband worked here. They were in the, the Middle East six years and then they went home, and then they, they, he had an opportunity to get a job and come back to Doha.
And, um, and it ... her husband went to her and said, "Deanna, we, you, we're gonna get moved to Doha." And she goes, "I don't want to. I don't wanna go back. I..." And she goes, "I just don't wanna go back." Well, the job brought them here, and so they're here. [00:20:00] And, and he b- she becomes, you know, she has a calling with the stake relief society, and he becomes the patriarch of the stake.
Now, this stake here is three countries. It's not like your cute little Dayton stake there where you have three stakes, right, in the same little town, you know? No, we're talking three countries is the s- is the stake here. So you have to fly, he has to fly over to Abu Dhabi to give blessings. It's crazy.
Anyway, they ... But they were here for six and a half years, and they, their job ended and they're retiring, and she got up to bear her testimony, um, i- her last testimony meeting before she left, and she said, she told that story how she didn't wanna be here, and she, but she goes, "Look what I would have missed if I hadn't come."
And it really, really touched me, 'cause that's how I feel. Look what I would have missed if I hadn't come, you know? And, um, boy, the Lord has so much more for us to, to learn if we just have the faith to, to step out of our comfort zone and follow him and say yes. I guess that's why ... Yeah, say yes. Um, you know.
Yeah. Why, why do we sometimes not want to say yes? What is some of the, the resistance that you have felt at times? Um, fear. I think fear is a, is, is a real one for me. I fear. I feel, I think I always feel like I'm not adequate. I, I always feel like- Mm-hmm ... that, like- I think that's a feeling ... I, I shouldn't be doing this.
I, there's no way, you know? I, I don't have the whatever it takes to do whatever. I don't want to, to ruffle my little life, because I like it the way it is, and, and I would have to change. Um, you know. I mean, coming here was like a huge change, and in just a sh- very short amount of time, 'cause we got called and we had to, boom, retire and just jump and, hoo, you know.
That's, that's hard. But, but I think it's easier if you really understand the Holy Ghost. If, if, if the Holy Ghost is a part of your life and you really feel it, then it's easier to jump and run to Doha, or it's easier to jump and- Jump and run to Doha. I love that. Uh, but it's hard. I mean, I, I said in my farewell, and I still believe this with all my heart, um, that I would never leave my beautiful children and their spouses and my 19 grandchildren, never, ever, if it wasn't because this is true This gospel's true.
The Holy Ghost is real, and God is leading our lives, you know, if we let him. And, uh, I would've, I would've never left then. But hopefully growth will come to other people besides me. I don't know. Because of this. We'll see. The impact that you're having with your life. I love that- We'll see ... you, you saying jump and run to Doha.
It makes me see the, the contrast, the polar opposite with the story of Jonah, who God says, "Go to Nineveh. I need you to do this. I need you to be there." And he's like, "No, I'm gonna run the other way," right? So pushing against and resisting that will of God versus running to Doha, like saying yes to God. I just love that contrast.
And- That's good ... I'll just say that a lot of times we do feel like Jonah, right? It's like, oh- Oh, yeah ... my human brain has a lot of reasons that seem really, really good of why that is not a good choice, and why I can justify to myself not following that prompting. But I love what you said, that in the end it boils down to the Spirit, and your testimony of the witness of the Spirit of what is God's will for you.
I, I think another part of that for me is, um, what I learned in the temple because, um, [00:24:00] if we really think about the covenants that we've made in the temple or at baptism, um, we've promised some pretty, pretty important stuff. And when, when it comes right down to it and, a- and you're placed with an opportunity like even what we're here or anything in your life, um- Are you, are you really serious about the covenant you made, you know, to serve God?
And I had to really think about that. You know, i- am I willing to just drop everything? And all of a sudden, my covenants that I made in the temple became very real That I was, that I was serious about what I committed there. It's one thing to make the covenant, and another thing to live the covenant with your life.
Yeah. To commit to being a consecrated soul versus giving your life and consecration to the Lord. Yeah. Yeah. Um- And we're just doing our best. And- That's it ... one day at a time. One developmental step at a time. Yeah. Right? Oh, yeah, and sometimes we're really great about it and sometimes we're not, but that's okay.
You're teaching me it's okay. We hold space and give grace for that process, huh? We give space and give grace. I, I wanted to explain, before we s- started recording for this, you were telling me about, um, a conference you were just at this past weekend with Elder Bednar and about Nephi and following the Spirit and about failure.
Will you share that with the listeners? Oh, yes, yes. I was at, uh, we were at a conference with, with Elder Bednar, and he was ... I gotta go back to my, my red page or I'm not gonna say it. You gonna quote it for me, Emily? There it is. Um, so, um, we were at, at a conference with Elder Bednar, and we got to watch a recording of him, and he was talking about, um, Nephi.
And, um, he said, well, when Nephi went to get the plates, he failed the first time, 'cause he went there and they turned him away. And the second time he failed because they didn't, wouldn't take the money. Well, they took the money, but it didn't work. And the third time he went back and, and I'm gonna read it because it had such an impact, I've marked it.
He said, "I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do." So he didn't have any idea what he's gonna do, but the Spirit was leading him. And this is the part that Elder Bednar just emphasized. He said, "Nevertheless, I went forth." And, and I think that, that, um- It's the story of my life is that I just tried and, and I just went forth.
And the blessings come when you make that leap of faith, and it is a leap of faith sometimes. It's so scary.
But there's a deep sense of peace and joy. Absolutely. And I wouldn't trade anything. I feel that radiating from you. That that is your life witness. That is the fruit that your life bears is peace and joy in the Spirit and in the Lord. Yes. Amen, sister. That's what the Filipinos say. They go, "Sister." I love that.
Love it so much, and I love you, Karen. Love you. I am so grateful for your example and your mentorship in what it means to live a consecrated life where we say yes to God, and the beautiful blessings that flow from that. So thank you for- Oh, thank you ... being here with me and sharing your life- Y- ... with our listeners.
You are very welcome, my friend. Thanks for joining us today at Grow in the Light. Please share this episode with someone you think would enjoy it and be blessed by it. By sharing the light in simple ways, we make the world a [00:28:00] brighter place.
