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Dallas Jenkins, the creator of "The Chosen," addressed students at Brigham Young University on October 29, 2024. Speaking to a full audience at the Marriott Center, Jenkins shared his experiences with failure and the importance of trusting in God's plan.
Jenkins recounted the poor performance of his film "The Resurrection of Gavin Stone" in January 2017, which left him questioning his career direction. He shared his reflection: “God’s not the author of failure. That’s what we’ve been told our whole lives. And I failed.”
A pivotal moment came when a friend reminded him of the biblical story where Jesus fed 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish. The friend advised, “Remember, it’s not your job to feed the 5,000; it’s only to provide the loaves and fish.” This insight helped Jenkins refocus on offering his best efforts while leaving outcomes to divine will.
Jenkins also highlighted the success of "The Chosen," attributing its achievements to divine guidance and community support. He noted that one-third of the series is filmed on The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ set in Goshen, Utah.
In his address, Jenkins urged students to embrace failures and find peace in their endeavors by surrendering outcomes to God. He stated: “Whether in failure or success, the message is the same: When you make your five loaves and two fish … and He deems it worthy of acceptance, the transaction is over.” Jenkins encouraged students not to wait until later in life for this realization but to start now by giving up control to God.
The full address can be viewed on byutv.org.
