I am
grateful for this chance to speak to you today, especially since within a few
weeks I will be starting a new chapter in this adventure we call life. It is
with bittersweet feelings that I will leave Green River as I have made so many
wonderful friends here in the 18 years since I first arrived and it will be
hard to leave you behind. But I have faith that I am following the path that
the Lord would have me take at this time in my life and that gives a great deal
of comfort.
What is faith? Most people would say that faith is belief. You and I both have faith that it was inspiration and not desperation that had Brother Holyoak asking me to speak this week… I have faith that despite how greatly my hands are shaking and my knees are knocking the Spirit will be with me and that I will be able to share the message the Lord would have me speak and that you will be able to receive it in the same way.
What is faith? Most people would say that faith is belief. You and I both have faith that it was inspiration and not desperation that had Brother Holyoak asking me to speak this week… I have faith that despite how greatly my hands are shaking and my knees are knocking the Spirit will be with me and that I will be able to share the message the Lord would have me speak and that you will be able to receive it in the same way.
In Alma
chapter 32 verse 21 we are told - And now
as I said concerning faith—faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things;
therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are
true. And in Hebrews chapter 11 verse 1 it states - Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things
not seen. In our lives and in our membership in the Church there are many
things and people that we have faith – or -
a confidence and belief in. But the faith that is spoken of most often
in the church is Faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ.
The first
Article of Faith states: We believe in
God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.
And the first of the “principles and ordinances of the Gospel” as defined in
the fourth Article of Faith is - Faith in
the Lord Jesus Christ. That is something to think about. Ultimately
everything we do and every reason we are here today boil down to our belief and
faith in Jesus Christ and his divinity.
If that is
true, then how do we build our Faith in Jesus Christ so that it is strong
enough to sustain us during difficult times we face in our lives, as a church,
and as a society? What can we do to withstand the ‘fiery darts of the
adversary’? One common theme I kept seeing as I prepared my talk was the idea
that faith is not a passive principle. Faith requires action. If we are to
build our faith in Jesus Christ we must act and not sit idly on the sidelines.
In Alma
chapter 32, starting with verse 27 and going through verse 43 we are taught: “(27)
But behold, if ye will awake and arouse
your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of
faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work
in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion
of my words.
(28) Now, we will compare the word
unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart,
behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your
unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to
swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will
begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or
that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth
to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.
(29) Now behold, would not this
increase your faith? I say unto you, Yea; nevertheless it hath not grown up to
a perfect knowledge. (30) But behold, as the seed swelleth, and sprouteth, and
beginneth to grow, then you must needs say that the seed is good; for behold it
swelleth, and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow …
(34) And now, behold, is your knowledge
perfect? Yea, your knowledge is perfect in that thing, and your faith is
dormant; and this because you know, for ye know that the word hath swelled your
souls, and ye also know that it hath sprouted up, that your understanding doth
begin to be enlightened, and your mind doth begin to expand.
(35) O then, is not this real? I say
unto you, Yea, because it is light; and whatsoever is light, is good, because
it is discernible, therefore ye must know that it is good; and now behold,
after ye have tasted this light is your knowledge perfect? (36) Behold I say unto
you, Nay; neither must ye lay aside your faith, for ye have only exercised your
faith to plant the seed that ye might try the experiment to know if the seed
was good.
(37) And behold, as the tree
beginneth to grow, ye will say: Let us nourish it with great care, that it may
get root, that it may grow up, and bring forth fruit unto us. And now behold,
if ye nourish it with much care it will get root, and grow up, and bring forth
fruit.
(38) But if ye neglect the tree, and
take no thought for its nourishment, behold it will not get any root; and when
the heat of the sun cometh and scorcheth it, because it hath no root it withers
away, and ye pluck it up and cast it out.
(39) Now, this is not because the
seed was not good, neither is it because the fruit thereof would not be
desirable; but it is because your ground is barren, and ye will not nourish the
tree, therefore ye cannot have the fruit thereof. (40) And thus, if ye will not
nourish the word, looking forward with an eye of faith to the fruit thereof, ye
can never pluck of the fruit of the tree of life.
(41) But if ye will nourish the word,
yea, nourish the tree as it beginneth to grow, by your faith with great
diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall
take root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting life.
(42) And because of your diligence
and your faith and your patience with the word in nourishing it, that it may
take root in you, behold, by and by ye shall pluck the fruit thereof, which is
most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which is white above
all that is white, yea, and pure above all that is pure; and ye shall feast
upon this fruit even until ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye
thirst. (43) Then, my brethren, ye shall reap the rewards of your faith, and
your diligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for the tree to bring
forth fruit unto you.”
As I speak
today, I want you to know that the talks and scriptures that I will share today
are only a very small portion of what the scriptures and our Church leaders
have said about faith in Jesus Christ and about building and strengthening it.
There are so many more resources out there available to us. I recommend going
to LDS.ORG and searching for Faith and Building Faith. You will be amazed at
what you will find. There is enough information and guidance on the subject
there to supply personal study, Family Home Evenings, and Primary, Youth, and
Relief Society and Priesthood lessons for months.
In April of
2014 during General Conference there was an address given by Elder Neil L.
Andersen titled “Spiritual Whirlwinds.” If you haven’t read it recently I
recommend doing so as it is especially timely. To me it is yet another
testimony that the Lord inspires his prophets, seers, and revelators to give us
the guidance we need at the time that we need it. It was a talk aimed primarily
at the youth but it has great value for all of us.
In his talk,
Elder Andersen begins by saying, “My
young friends, the world will not glide calmly toward the Second Coming of the
Savior. The scriptures declare that “all things shall be in commotion.” Brigham
Young said, “It was revealed to me in the commencement of this Church, that the
Church would spread, prosper, grow and extend, and that in proportion to the
spread of the Gospel among the nations of the earth, so would the power of
Satan rise.”
He continues
by saying, “In nature, trees that grow up
in a windy environment become stronger. As winds whip around a young sapling,
forces inside the tree do two things. First, they stimulate the roots to grow
faster and spread farther. Second, the forces in the tree start creating cell
structures that actually make the trunk and branches thicker and more flexible
to the pressure of the wind. These stronger roots and branches protect the tree
from winds that are sure to return.
You are infinitely more precious to
God than a tree. You are His son or His daughter. He made your spirit strong
and capable of being resilient to the whirlwinds of life. The whirlwinds in
your youth, like the wind against a young tree, can increase your spiritual
strength, preparing you for the years ahead.
How do you prepare for your
whirlwinds? “Remember … it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the
Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send
forth his mighty winds, … his shafts in the whirlwind, … when all his hail and
his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power … to drag you down
… because of the rock upon which ye are built.”(Helaman 5:12) This is your safety in the whirlwind.
Elder
Andersen gives the following guidance for building a stronger faith to help
withstand the ‘whirlwinds’: Build more firmly your foundation upon the
rock of your Redeemer. Treasure more completely His incomparable life and
teachings. Follow more diligently His example and His commandments. Embrace
more deeply His love, His mercy and grace, and the powerful gifts of His
Atonement.
Elder
Andersen also says, “The Lord has given
you another way to stand firm, a spiritual gift more powerful than the
whirlwinds of the adversary! He said, “Stand … in holy places, and be not
moved.” (Doctrine and Covenants 87:8) When I was a teenager, there were only 13
temples in the Church. Now there are 142. Eighty-five percent of Church members
live within 200 miles (320 km) of a temple. The Lord has given your generation
greater access to His holy temples than any other generation in the history of
the world. Have you ever stood in the temple, dressed in white, waiting to do
baptisms? How did you feel? There is a tangible feeling of holiness in the
temple. The peace of the Savior subdues the swirling whirlwinds of the world.
The way you feel in the temple is a pattern for how you want to feel in your
life.” So, as Elder Andersen tells
us, by attending the Temple both as youth and as adults, we can strengthen our
faith in Jesus Christ.
Another way
to strengthen our faith was given by President Harold B. Lee when he said: “The only safety we have as members of this
church is to … learn to give heed to the words and commandments that the Lord
shall give through His prophet. … There will be some things that take patience
and faith. You may not like what comes. … It may contradict your political
views … your social views … interfere with … your social life. But if you
listen to these things, as if from the mouth of the Lord Himself, … ‘the gates
of hell shall not prevail against you … and the Lord God will disperse the
powers of darkness from before you …’ (D&C 21:6).”
Elder
Quentin L. Cook also spoke on the necessity of following the council of our
leaders in building faith in October 2007 when he was called to be a member of
the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He states, “We live in a precarious time. The world is in desperate need of the
fresh springwater, which is the gospel of Jesus Christ. We should listen
intently to the prophet as we make choices. My own informal records indicate
that President Hinckley has continually emphasized faith in the Lord Jesus
Christ. That has been followed by his emphasis on strengthening families and
having family religious observance in the home. Over and over again he has told
us that if we would live a principle, we would gain a testimony of the
truthfulness of that principle, which would in turn increase our faith.
I know that many of you are concerned
about raising your children during these difficult times and increasing their
faith. When my wife and I were starting our family in the San Francisco Bay
Area, we had that same concern. At a critical point our stake members were
advised by Elder Harold B. Lee, then a member of the Twelve, that we could
raise our families in righteousness if we would:
1. Follow the prophet. 2. Create the true
spirit of the gospel in our hearts and homes. 3. Be a light to those among whom
we live. 4. Focus on the ordinances and principles taught in the temple. (See
D&C 115:5; Harold B. Lee, “Your Light to Be a Standard unto the Nations,”
Ensign, Aug. 1973, 3–4.)
As we followed this counsel, our
faith increased and our fears decreased. I believe we can raise righteous
children anywhere in the world if they are taught religious principles in the
home.
Elder Cook
further teaches that, “It is our faith in
Jesus Christ that sustains us at the crossroads of life’s journey. It is the
first principle of the gospel. Without it we will spin our wheels at the
intersection, spending our precious time but getting nowhere. It is Christ who
offers the invitation to follow Him, to give Him our burden, and to carry His
yoke, “for [His] yoke is easy, and [His] burden is light” (Matthew 11:30).
There is no other name under heaven
whereby man can be saved (see Acts 4:12). We must take upon us His name and
receive His image in our countenance so that when He comes we will be more like
Him (see 1 John 3:2; Alma 5:14). When we choose to follow Christ in faith
rather than choosing another path out of fear, we are blessed with a
consequence that is consistent with our choice (see D&C 6:34–36).
President
Henry B. Eyring encourages us to build our faith in Jesus Christ by studying
the Book of Mormon. He testifies: “I
[love to] go back to the Book of Mormon and drink deeply and often.”“[It] is
the most powerful written testimony we have that Jesus is the Christ.”
President
Dieter F. Uchtdorf gave this counsel in October 2005. “Living according to the basic gospel principles will bring power,
strength, and spiritual self-reliance into the lives of all Latter-day Saints.
Faith is such a principle of power. We need this source of power in our lives.
God works by power, but this power is usually exercised in response to our
faith. “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:20). God works according to the
faith of His children.”
President
Uchtdorf goes on to say, “The Prophet
Joseph Smith explained, “I teach them correct principles, and they govern
themselves” To me, this teaching is beautifully straightforward. As we strive
to understand, internalize, and live correct gospel principles, we will become
more spiritually self-reliant.” Later he tells us, “Having faith in Jesus Christ and in His Atonement means relying
completely on Him—trusting in His infinite power, intelligence, and love.
Christlike attributes come into our lives as we exercise our agency
righteously. Faith in Jesus Christ leads to action. When we have faith in
Christ, we trust the Lord enough to follow His commandments—even when we do not
completely understand the reasons for them. In seeking to become more like the
Savior, we need to reevaluate our lives regularly and rely, through the path of
true repentance, upon the merits of Jesus Christ and the blessings of His
Atonement.”
As with many
of his talks President Uchtdorf ends with an airplane analogy, “Our faith in Jesus Christ will provide power
and a strong forward thrust; our unwavering and active hope will provide a
powerful upward lift. Both faith and hope will carry us across oceans of
temptations, over mountains of afflictions, and bring us safely back to our
eternal home and destination.”
I would like
to finish with part of another talk by Elder Neil L. Andersen given in October
2012 which focuses on those times when we have trials of our faith. Once again,
a very powerful address and one I would recommend rereading.
Elder
Andersen teaches us, “The gift of faith
is a priceless spiritual endowment. “This is life eternal,” Jesus prayed, “that
they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”
Our faith is centered in God, our Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, our
Savior and Redeemer. It is bolstered by our knowledge that the fulness of the
gospel has been restored to the earth, that the Book of Mormon is the word of
God, and that prophets and apostles today hold the keys of the priesthood. We treasure
our faith, work to strengthen our faith, pray for increased faith, and do all
within our power to protect and defend our faith.
The Apostle Peter identified
something he called a “trial of your faith.” He had experienced it. Remember
Jesus’s words: “Simon, … Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you
as wheat: “But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not.” Peter later
encouraged others: “Think it not strange,” he said, “concerning the fiery trial
which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you.”
These fiery trials are designed to
make you stronger, but they have the potential to diminish or even destroy your
trust in the Son of God and to weaken your resolve to keep your promises to
Him. These trials are often camouflaged, making them difficult to identify.
They take root in our weaknesses, our vulnerabilities, our sensitivities, or in
those things that matter most to us. A real but manageable test for one can be
a fiery trial for another.
How do you remain “steadfast and
immovable” during a trial of faith? You immerse yourself in the very things
that helped build your core of faith: you exercise faith in Christ, you pray,
you ponder the scriptures, you repent, you keep the commandments, and you serve
others.
When faced with a trial of
faith—whatever you do, you don’t step away from the Church! Distancing yourself
from the kingdom of God during a trial of faith is like leaving the safety of a
secure storm cellar just as the tornado comes into view.
The Apostle Paul said, “Ye are no
more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the
household of God.” It is within the sanctuary of the Church that we protect our
faith. Meeting together with others who believe, we pray and find answers to our
prayers; we worship through music, share testimony of the Savior, serve one
another, and feel the Spirit of the Lord. We partake of the sacrament, receive
the blessings of the priesthood, and attend the temple. The Lord declared, “In
the ordinances … , the power of godliness is manifest.” When you are faced with
a test of faith, stay within the safety and security of the household of God.
There is always a place for you here. No trial is so large we can’t overcome it
together.
Elder
Andersen then continues, “Joseph Smith
said, “I never told you I was perfect; but there is no error in the
revelations.” The miracle of God’s hand in the history and destiny of The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is understood only through the lens
of spiritual inquiry. President Ezra Taft Benson said, “Every [person]
eventually is backed up to the wall of faith, and there … must make his stand.”
Don’t be surprised when it happens to you!
By definition, trials will be trying.
There may be anguish, confusion, sleepless nights, and pillows wet with tears.
But our trials need not be spiritually fatal. They need not take us from our
covenants or from the household of God.
And here
Elder Andersen reminds us of Helaman 5:12 again, “Remember, … it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the
Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send
forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his
hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you
to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon
which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men
build they cannot fall.”
…Like the intense fire that
transforms iron into steel, as we remain faithful during the fiery trial of our
faith, we are spiritually refined and strengthened.
…Peter described these experiences as
“much more precious than … gold.” Moroni added that a witness follows “the
trial of your faith.”
Elder
Andersen concludes by reminding us, “With
faith come trials of faith, bringing increased faith. The Lord’s comforting
assurance to the Prophet Joseph Smith is the very same promise He makes to you
in your trial of faith: “Hold on … , fear not … , for God shall be with you
forever and ever.”
I have a
testimony that as we study the scriptures, attend our church meetings, serve
others, attend the Temple, and listen to and follow the leaders of the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, our faith in our Savior Jesus Christ will
grow and as our faith grows so will our ability to withstand whatever we may be
confronted with during our journey here in mortality. I have a testimony that
Thomas S. Monson is the living Prophet upon the earth today and that he leads
through the power and authority of Jesus Christ. I have a testimony of the
truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and that it is as Joseph Smith said, “…the most correct of any book on earth, and
the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by
its precepts, than by any other book.” I have a testimony that our Heavenly
Father hears and answers prayers, maybe not in the time or in the way that we
want or expect but he ALWAYS answers. I have a testimony that because of the
sealing power of the Priesthood which was restored to earth and found within
the Temple that families are eternal. We will see our loved ones – both family
and friends - who have gone before us once again. And finally, I have a
testimony of the divinity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, that he came as
man to earth and that through his death and resurrection and atonement for our
sins we can return to live with Him and with our Heavenly Father once again if
we live worthily.
I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sources:
-
Spiritual
Whirlwinds - By Elder Neil L. Andersen – General Conference – April 2014
o
Teachings
of Presidents of the Church: Harold B. Lee (2000), 84–85; see also Robert D.
Hales, “General Conference: Strengthening Faith and Testimony,” Ensign or
Liahona, Nov. 2013, 6–8.
o
Henry
B. Eyring, Choose Higher Ground (2013), 38.
o
Henry
B. Eyring, To Draw Closer to God (1997), 118.
-
Trial
of Your Faith - By Elder Neil L. Andersen – General Conference – October 2012
-
Live
by Faith and Not by Fear - Quentin L. Cook – General Conference - October 2007
-
Christlike
Attributes—the Wind
beneath Our Wings - Dieter
F. Uchtdorf – General Conference – October 2005
-
Alma
32:21, 27-41
- Hebrews
11:1
- Articles
of Faith 1 and 4
-
-
Other
scriptures as found in the talk resources
