Believing is Seeing

One of the most fundamental principles that Jesus Christ taught while on the earth is faith. It is the power behind everything that we do. Everyone, whether they realize it or not, has some level of faith in something. Even waking up and getting dressed in the morning is an exercise of faith that your day will actually be worth waking up for. But, faith in Jesus Christ is more than a simple belief in something to come. It involves trust, reliance, and hope in the knowledge that because of Him, you can change, you can learn, and your prayers will be answered. We have been talking with a man recently who has a strong belief in God and in Jesus Christ. He is very educated in theology, and is interested in learning about the Book of Mormon. We explained to him that he didn't need to take our word for it, but that he could read the Book of Mormon, pray about it, and ask God for answers (see Moroni 10:4-5 on page 529). We told him how it is an act of faith to pray and ask God for guidance. He responded that he believes in God, but that he bases his faith on historical evidence, proof, and information and "doesn't need God to give him answers." I know that this is not true, and that Heavenly Father is open and ready to give us answers to our questions as we are willing to ask in faith. Just like the story of the apostle Thomas in the Bible, it is better to believe and act on our belief than just to go by sight: "Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." More often than not, we have to take a few steps into the dark to get to the light at the end of the tunnel. 

Opposition in All Things

It's a fact of life -- there are two sides to every coin, bitter for everything sweet, darkness and light, hard and soft, wrong and right. The world is made up of opposing factors that bring complexity and depth to our lives. Often, life is an "uphill battle" and we have to work hard to do what is right. Though these opposites often mean that we must experience difficulty in our lives, they also help us to see the miraculous, the joyous, the exciting, and the peaceful moments more clearly. This true principle of opposition and contrast in all aspects of life is not just an interesting fact. It is an eternal truth that is vital and very intentional. Heavenly Father sent us to Earth to learn, grow, and experience opposition. He knew that we would not always make the right choice, but that we would be able to learn, become wiser, and grow to rely on Him through our experiences. A woman that we have been meeting with teaches me so much about how to overcome adversity. She has been on dialysis three times a week for over five years. She experiences so much pain, lack of mobility, and suffering. Though an independent spirit, she must depend on those around her for everything that she does. Yet, you will never see this woman without a content smile on her face. She is at peace because she knows that this life is not the end. She knows that God loves her and that as she follows His plan, she will be able to experience peace and rest one day from all of her troubles. She sees everything that she must endure not as a nuisance or a reason to doubt God, but as a blessing and proof that He is guiding her. Heavenly Father knows what we can handle and He allows us to experience hardship so that we can become better. We all have potential more infinitely great than we can even imagine, and God will guide us as we strive to become more refined, more faithful, and more obedient to His will. I know that faith is power and that "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" (Ether 12:12 on page 509 of the Book of Mormon). Though life is full of surprises and challenges at every corner, it is also full of opportunities to grow. I know that as we view our challenges as growing experiences instead of roadblocks, we will be able to become the person God knows that we can. Learn more about God's plan here: http://www.mormon.org/beliefs/plan-of-salvation

Also read this article for further insight: https://www.lds.org/ensign/2014/03/trials-tribulations-and-trust-in-the-lord?lang=eng&query=trials+trust+in+the+Lord&cid=HPWE041614697

Families are Forever

This past week, we stopped by to visit a woman from church who we hadn't seen in a while. She welcomed us in and immediately gave us the story of what has been going on in her life the past few weeks. She told us about her elderly father and all the health problems he has been experiencing. He has been in and out of the hospital, suffering from multiple very severe illnesses that cannot currently be treated without causing other health issues. Basically, she told us, it is not looking good and he is likely to pass on soon. As she talked, I felt her sadness, her despair, and her pain. But, I also felt a quiet and subtle strength. Though she cried and mourned, I could tell that she had hope for her father. She knew that he would be alright, and that knowledge came because of her faith in her Heavenly Father and her Savior, Jesus Christ. She powerfully testified of her knowledge that her father would be happy and that he would be reunited with his wife, siblings, parents, and other family members soon. This experience illustrates to me the eternal principle that our families can be united and bonded together forever because of Jesus Christ. Because of His gospel and teachings, we can not only be forgiven, but we can be perfected. We can prepare to live in the presence of our Heavenly Father, and we can help our friends and family to get there too. There is a scripture in Alma 34:32 on page 295 of the Book of Mormon that reads: "For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors." To me, this means that our purpose here on Earth is to do all that we can to be ready to return to God. Jesus Christ came to the Earth to make it possible for us to return to the Father, and as we follow His teachings and commandments, we can be made worthy to live in God's presence. I am so grateful to know that my family can be together forever. I love my family and I don't know what I would do without them in my life. I testify that God intended our families to be together not just until death, but for all of eternity. To learn more about how, read here: http://www.mormon.org/values/family

Love Breaks Down Barriers

Yesterday, we had an amazing experience that testifies to me of the power of love and the Spirit. We were out talking to some people at an apartment complex, and teaching them more about the Book of Mormon. After talking with them, we asked them if they knew of anyone who might be going through a loss and would need some uplift. They immediately referred us to a friend who had lost a child recently. We went to knock on her door and told her that her friend from across the street told us she might be in need of some help. She was very stand-offish and skeptical of us, unsure of why these two random young women would just show up at her door offering to help her. She even asked, "There's gotta be a catch -- what is it?" We simply responded that there wasn't one, but that we knew she was in need of help and that we wanted to do all that we could to provide some. She reluctantly let us in and we talked to her about how much we knew that God was aware of her and loved her. We shared a scripture from the Book of Mormon: "And Christ hath said: If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me" (Moroni 7:33 on page 523). We told her about how faith in Jesus Christ will give us the power to overcome any challenges we face, whether it be loss, addiction, loneliness -- anything. We asked if we could come back sometime to tell her how and to talk with her. She agreed! As we departed, we asked if we could pray for her. She told us that she normally doesn't just let people pray for her, but that she would let us. After a simple yet concerned and loving prayer, we looked up to see that she was crying and had been touched by the Spirit of God. This woman, who has been holding on to the loss of her child for two years and feeling as though God had abandoned her, was able to feel His presence again through a simple act of love. She gave us the biggest hugs and told us she loved us. I know that love truly does have the power to break down any barriers. I saw it yesterday as a situation went from an awkward "Who are you??" to a powerful and hopeful "I love you". Charity is the pure love of Christ, and as we show that love to others in our day to day lives, their hearts and their lives will be changed.