Howdy Ya’ll. As most of you know, I have been called to serve in the Texas Fort Worth Mission, and I enter the MTC on Wednesday.
I have been asked to speak on Richard C Edgley’s talk from the Saturday session of General Conference entitled; Faith- The choice is yours. And since I won’t be able to do his work justice, I feel it would be appropriate to simply read his talk to you.
Ok, that would not be appropriate; instead I’ll just quote him, a lot.
Today we live in a world of great turmoil. Many great disagreements are heard throughout our everyday lives. Everything from legal and political arguments, to religious and science, or even disputes with people with the delusion that BYU’s basketball team is going to stand a chance against Utah State University next year once Jimmer is gone. Many of these disagreements, except maybe the one about Jimmer, could be settled, or even avoided if people would simply have more faith.
Faith in The Lord Jesus Christ is the most basic principle of the gospel. When Joseph Smith was asked by the editor of the Chicago Democrat what the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints believed, his response was inspired, and he wrote the Articles of Faith. These 13 points briefly and clearly express the beliefs of members of our church. The 4th Article of Faith clearly states that the first principle of the gospel is Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith is the building block of our growth in the gospel. Faith in Christ will guide us in our daily actions to serve him with all our heart, might, mind, and strength.
Elder Edgley states in his talk “Because of the conflicts and challenges we face in today’s world, I wish to suggest a single choice—a choice of peace and protection and a choice that is appropriate for all. That choice is faith. Be aware that faith is not a free gift given without thought, desire, or effort. It does not come as the dew falls from heaven. The Savior said, “Come unto me” (Matthew 11:28) and “Knock, and it shall be [given] you” (Matthew 7:7). These are action verbs—come, knock. They are choices. So I say, choose faith. Choose faith over doubt, choose faith over fear, choose faith over the unknown and the unseen, and choose faith over pessimism.” He continues, “Alma’s classic discussion on faith, as recorded in the 32nd chapter of Alma in the Book of Mormon, is a series of choices to ensure the development and the preservation of our faith. Alma gave us a directive to choose. His were words of action initiated by choosing. He used the words awake, arouse, experiment, exercise, desire, work, and plant. Yes, faith is a choice, and it must be sought after and developed. Thus, we are responsible for our own faith. We are also responsible for our lack of faith. The choice is yours.”
In Alma 32:28 we read “Now if ye give a 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 breast; 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.”
This concept is very simply explained in the Primary song, Faith. It reads
“Faith is knowing the sun will rise, lighting each new day.
Faith is knowing the Lord will hear my prayers each time I pray.
Faith is like a little seed:
If planted, it will grow.
Faith is a swelling within my heart.
When I do right, I know.”
In the Epistle of James, in the New Testament, we read in chapter 2:18” Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.” And then in verse 24, “Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.” In the book of Matthew in the New Testament we read, in chapter 9 “And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, [Christ], and touched the hem of his garment: For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.” This woman had such enormous faith. She knew that if she could just touch his garment, she would be healed. She understood the concept that James was teaching. She had faith that Christ could and would heal her, but she knew that the faith alone was not enough. She had to act in order to receive her blessing. She had to reach forth her hand and act to receive it. She had to try. Through her actions, she showed her faith, and through her actions, she was saved.
In Gordon B. Hinckley’s book, Stand A Little Taller, there are several entries about faith. On February 18th, which happens to be my birthday, the entry is entitled Strengthen Faith and Testimony. He quotes James 2:20 “But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” He then states, “Faith and testimony are like the muscles of my arm. If I use those muscles and nourish them, they grow stronger. If I put my arm in a sling, and leave it there, it becomes weak and ineffective, and so it is with [Faith and] Testimony.”
We must exercise our faith in order to have it grow. We must act in order to show our real faith, in order to show Christ that we have real faith.
Hinckley’s Entry for January 6 is Faith Overcomes. Quoting Matthew 17:20 he states, “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” And then he tells us “There is no obstacle too great, no challenge too difficult, if we have faith.”
This passage is huge for missionaries. We are to go out and preach the joy and happiness of the gospel of Christ. This is no easy task. All missionaries encounter stresses, difficulties, and pains that they would never have experienced outside of a mission, but these encounters, when faced with faith, will strengthen our testimonies and our faith. We are told that with even a small amount of faith we will be able to move mountains, but unfortunately for me, I won’t be seeing any real mountains for another two years, so I’ll just have to wait until I get back to try that.
Elder Edgley says this about Matthew 17:20, “I have never witnessed the removal of an actual mountain. But because of faith I have seen a mountain of doubt and despair removed and replaced with hope and optimism. Because of faith I have personally witnessed a mountain of sin replaced with repentance and forgiveness. And because of faith I have personally witnessed a mountain of pain replaced with peace, hope, and gratitude. Yes, I have seen mountains removed.”
In Hebrews 11:1, Paul says “faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
In Ether, 12:6, we read “And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen;”
The constant theme of faith throughout all scripture is not coincidental. The prophets know the importance of Faith. Moroni continues, “Wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith”
President Hinckley says this about that passage “It is faith that is the converter. It is faith that is the teacher. This precious and marvelous gift of faith, this gift from God, our Eternal Father is the strength of this work and the quiet vibrancy of its message. Faith underlies all. Faith is the substance of it all. Whether it be going into the mission field, living the Word of Wisdom, paying one’s tithing, it is all the same. It is the faith within us that is evidenced in all we do.”
What Moroni and president Hinckley were trying to tell us is that as we go throughout life living faithfully, we will encounter trials. It is through these trials that we must keep our faith, and then, only then, can we receive a witness. And through that witness, our faith will grow even more.
I would like to read a poem that illustrates this concept very well. It is entitled, Darkened Paths.
I was once a man of great pomposity,
Known for blatant, frank ferocity,
Who, compelled by curiosity,
Headed on my way.
To achieve my fame, and fortune, too,
I deserted everything that I knew,
And, leaving behind all that was true,
I traveled forth that day.
The paths were long, and often dark,
The light was oft less than a spark.
I began to wonder why I did embark
On this journey of the soul.
My coat was ripped by clinging thorns,
My shoes were wet, my pants were torn.
I began to grow ever more forlorn
As I lost sight of my goal.
And then I reached the final straw,
Upon my drive I could no longer draw,
As I was swallowed by the wood’s great maw
And plunged into despair.
All alone, and filled with fear,
Surrounded by nothing that I held dear,
Anguish became an icy spear,
Driven through my heart.
To trembling knees, I then did sink,
As all was lost, so I did think,
I found myself right on the brink
Of succumbing to the dark.
But then, to my extreme surprise,
A spectacle unfolded before my eyes:
A hidden path lost its disguise,
And like a light did shine.
A flowing strength did fill me then,
And I looked back to where I’d been,
And then looked on, then back again,
Down the paths of time.
And finally, I understood,
Why I had entered into this wood:
It had been for my own good,
This truth did I discern.
I got back up, and looked ahead,
I was not done, my will not dead,
I took a step, and, grinning, said:
“My lesson I have learned.”
So now, my friends, this you must hear:
When light is gone, and darkness near,
Do not give up, or in to fear,
Instead, have faith in Christ.
And you’ll become an honest soul,
Humble, happy, you’ll reach your goals.
For darkened paths play a vital role:
They lead you to the light.
-Karl Southwick
For darkened paths play a vital role:
They lead you to the light.
Through our trials, our faith will be realized. Through our struggles, our faith will grow. Through our pains, our faith can heal. Throughout our entire lives, every situation we could possibly encounter, our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, our savior and the only begotten of the son, he who endured every pain we ever will endure, can guide us, protect us, and save us. Through that faith our eternal glory will be realized.
Elder Edgley closes with “Because of my faith I have activated the power of the priesthood that I hold and have been a partaker of the sweetness of the gospel and have embraced the saving ordinances. Because of my faith I work through the struggles and difficulties in life with peace and assurance. Because of my faith I have been able to turn questions and even doubts into assurances and understanding. Because of my faith I approach the unknown, unseen, and unexplained with unquestioning assurance. And because of my faith—even in the seemingly worst of times—I recognize with peace and gratitude that in reality it is the best of times.”
I add my testimony to this statement. I have also had the opportunity to use the power of the priesthood which I hold. I have partaken of the sweetness of the Gospel, and embraced saving ordinances. I have worked through struggles and difficulties in my life, and I look forward to the struggles and difficulties that await me in the next two years, and the years to come after that. I know that through my faith I can turn questions and doubts into assurances and understanding. I know that through the faith that I have developed, and that I am continuing to work to develop, and through my choices, my actions, and my works, that I can have peace and gratitude for what the lord has blessed me with, whether in the worst of times, or in the best of times.
I love my family and my friends. I am so grateful to all those who have come to support me. I am grateful to all my teachers and leaders that I’ve had through the years. I could not have gotten to this point without them. I am grateful for the experiences I had in my life helping me to prepare. The boy scouting program, the mission prep class, and, most recently, the opportunity I have had to be a Ward missionary. Serving with the other ward missionaries, especially with Clark Christensen and with Josh Hadley, has helped me to gain a testimony of the work itself. The opportunity I had to teach Hunter Mott was incredible for helping me to learn how to teach.
Having the opportunity to go to Utah State for fall semester had a huge impact on my preparation for my mission. In the first couple weeks I saw the light of Christ enter a close friend and had to opportunity to see him baptized, and then to stand in his circle confirming him in sacrament the next morning. I also was able to interact with many people of different faiths. Everything from listening to Eli, the preacher in the TSC plaza that everyone just loves so much, to sitting down and having a private conversation with a friend of a different religion and hearing her views, beliefs, and feelings. These experiences, along with others, have helped me so much to prepare.
I know that the mission field is exactly where I need to be right now. I know that as I serve my lord my faith will grow, and that as I invite others to come unto Christ, their faith will grow as well. I know that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of God. I know that Joseph Smith saw our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, and that he, through his faith and actions, restored the gospel to the earth. I know that this, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true church on the earth today. I know that the Book of Mormon is true, and that through its teachings we can have an increase in our faith and in the spirit of God to a degree that we could not without it. I know that I am entering the best two years of my life. I look forward to the opportunities that I get to experience.
I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
