Faith: the Center of Our Lives

I had the opportunity to speak in our local elderly care home's sacrament meeting a couple of weeks ago. It was pretty special, because my parents were there, and because it was Seth's first time passing the sacrament as a newly-ordained deacon in the Aaronic Priesthood. Definitely a wonderful day. So...here's my talk:

Good morning brothers and sisters. I’m glad to be with you here today. My parents are in town from out of state for our son’s ordination to the Aaronic Priesthood, and I asked my mom what I should talk about today. She said FAITH.

I said, “That’s a broad topic!”

But as I started to research on this, the first principle of the gospel, I came across a number of great talks from General Conference that helped me prepare a few thoughts about faith and its power in our lives.  

ElderRichard G. Scott described faith and its power: “When faith is properly understood and used, it has dramatically far-reaching effects. Such faith can transform an individual’s life from maudlin, common everyday activities to a symphony of joy and happiness. The exercise of faith is vital to Father in Heaven’s plan of happiness. But true faith, faith unto salvation, is centered on the Lord Jesus Christ, faith in His doctrines and teachings, faith in the prophetic guidance of the Lord’s anointed, faith in the capacity to discover hidden characteristics and traits that can transform life. Truly, faith in the Savior is a principle of action and power.”

Sometimes faith may seem a bit enigmatic: what exactly is it? How does one obtain it? How do you keep it and grow it? What can it really accomplish?

Like any spiritual gift, faith may be given to an individual, but unless used and nurtured and put to righteous use, it can be lost. It actually takes effort to “keep the faith.”

Elder Scott continued, “An axiom we all understand is that you get what you pay for. That is true for spiritual matters as well. You get what you pay for in obedience, in faith in Jesus Christ, in diligent application of the truths you learn. What you get is the molding of character, the growth in capacity, and the successful completion of your mortal purpose to be proven and to have joy.”

Faith is not just a finite, easily-measured THING that you either possess or don’t possess. As we know from Alma 32, it can begin very small, as the mere result of a DESIRE to believe, and grow from there as it is nurtured.

In Alma 32:28, the great Book of Mormon prophet and missionary said: “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.”

Elder Scott described how faith grew like a seed in his life:

“I have personally verified that concepts like faith, prayer, love, and humility hold no great significance and produce no miracles until they become a living part of us through our own experience, aided by the sweet prompting of the Holy Spirit. In early life I found that I could learn gospel teachings intellectually and, through the power of reason and analysis, recognize that they were of significant value. But their enormous power and ability to stretch me beyond the limits of my imagination and capacity did not become reality until patient, consistent practice allowed the Holy Spirit to distill and expand their meaning in my heart. I found that while I was sincerely serving others, God forged my personal character. He engendered a growing capacity to recognize the direction of the Spirit. The genius of the gospel plan is that by doing those things the Lord counsels us to do, we are given every understanding and every capacity necessary to provide peace and rich fulfillment in this life. Likewise, we gain the preparation necessary for eternal happiness in the presence of the Lord.”

Faith has been described in a number of ways. My mom says it’s like the wind: you can’t see it, but you can observe its effects. I agree with that!

Similarly, the Prophet Joseph Smith taught that faith is a principle of action. I like that because it makes it concrete. Faith actually MAKES things happen. It’s a necessary ingredient in the best parts of life. In Ether 12:12-18 we read:

“For if there be no faith among the children of men God can do no miracle among them; wherefore, he showed not himself until after their faith. Behold, it was the faith of Alma and Amulek that caused the prison to tumble to the earth. Behold, it was the faith of Nephi and Lehi that wrought the change upon the Lamanites, that they were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost. Behold, it was the faith of Ammon and his brethren which wrought so great a miracle among the Lamanites. Yea, and even all they who wrought miracles wrought them by faith, even those who were before Christ and also those who were after. And it was by faith that the three disciples obtained a promise that they should not taste of death; and they obtained not the promise until after their faith. And neither at any time hath any wrought miracles until after their faith; wherefore they first believed in the Son of God.”

And that’s the key. Faith is not just a nebulous feeling, a sense that things will turn out okay. Faith is only effective and powerful when centered in the Lord Jesus Christ. In his talk, “Be Not Faithless, But Believing,” President Gordon B. Hinckley said:

“Believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the greatest figure of time and eternity. Believe that his matchless life reached back before the world was formed. Believe that he was the Creator of the earth on which we live. Believe that he was Jehovah of the Old Testament, that he was the Messiah of the New Testament, that he died and was resurrected … Believe and know that he was a man of miracles. He who had created the world and governed it as the great Jehovah understood the elements of earth and all the functions of life. Beginning at Cana, where he turned the water into wine, he went on to cause the lame to walk, the blind to see, the dead to return to life — he, the Master Physician, who healed the sick by the authority inherent in him as the Son of God. He was the comforter of the burdened of his time, and of all the generations who have come after who have truly believed in him.”

My spiritual siblings, I believe in Him. I have faith. I know that as we follow Him, strive to keep His commandments, repent when we fall short, and live our lives as examples of His goodness, serving and blessing others, sharing our great gifts, talents, and blessings, and enduring to the end, our faith will grow, our peace will grow, and our lives will shine as a testament of the unfathomable love that Jesus Christ and God the Eternal Father have for each of us, His children.

I testify to you that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the true church of God, that Jesus Christ stands at its head and directs His prophet, President Thomas S. Monson. I support and sustain and trust the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles . . . I look up to them and love them. I know the Book of Mormon is a true record, and I know that God hears our faith-filled prayers and responds to them in the manner and timing that is ultimately to our best good.

And I leave this message with you in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.