Live Like You Believe

Prioritize pursuits, Sister Beck says

"We have to know what our responsibilities are and how to fulfill those," Sister Beck said. "We know that as women of God, this is a time that we need an increase of faith and personal righteousness."

Temple attendance, prayer, daily scripture study, making and keeping covenants, missionary work, visiting teaching and service are some of the essentials Sister Beck shared.

Although the nice-to-do things add variety and light to life, they are not the things that save, Sister Beck said. "Remember, influence and power come when we prioritize correctly."

(To read the entire article, click here)

The Rock of Our Redeemer

The prophet Mormon, himself no stranger to difficult circumstances, understood and clearly taught this doctrine:

“And again, my beloved brethren, I would speak unto you concerning hope. . . .

“ . . . Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ . . . , and this because of your faith in him according to the promise.

“Wherefore, if a man have faith he must needs have hope; for without faith there cannot be any hope.”²

Hope comes from faith in Jesus Christ. He has already overcome the world and has promised that He will wipe away our tears if we will only turn to Him and believe and follow.³

Some who at this very moment feel desperate or discouraged may wonder how they can possibly regain hope. If you are one of those, remember that hope comes as a result of faith. If we would build our hope, we must build our faith.

Faith in the Savior requires more than mere belief. The Apostle James taught that even the devils believe and tremble.⁴ But true faith requires work. The difference between the devils and the faithful members of this Church is not belief but work. Faith grows by keeping the commandments. We must work at keeping the commandments. From the Bible Dictionary we read that “miracles do not produce faith but strong faith is developed by obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ; in other words, faith comes by righteousness.”⁵

When we strive to keep the commandments of God, repenting of our sins and promising our best efforts to follow the Savior, we begin to grow in confidence that through the Atonement everything will be all right. Those feelings are confirmed by the Holy Ghost, who drives from us what our pioneer mothers and fathers called “our useless cares.” In spite of our trials, we are filled with a sense of well-being and feel to sing with them that indeed “all is well.”⁶

--Wilford W Andersen

(To read the entire talk, click here)

Quote - Faith

"Mortality is a period of testing, a time to prove ourselves worthy to return to the presence of our Heavenly Father. In order to be tested, we must sometimes face challenges and difficulties. At times there appears to be no light at the tunnel’s end—no dawn to break the night’s darkness. We feel surrounded by the pain of broken hearts, the disappointment of shattered dreams, and the despair of vanished hopes. We join in uttering the biblical plea “Is there no balm in Gilead?” We are inclined to view our own personal misfortunes through the distorted prism of pessimism. We feel abandoned, heartbroken, alone. If you find yourself in such a situation, I plead with you to turn to our Heavenly Father in faith. He will lift you and guide you. He will not always take your afflictions from you, but He will comfort and lead you with love through whatever storm you face."

--Thomas S. Monson, "Looking Back and Moving Forward", Ensign, May 2008, 87-90

The Best Is Yet To Be

The start of a new year is the traditional time to take stock of our lives and see where we are going, measured against the backdrop of where we have been. I don’t want to talk about New Year’s resolutions, but I do want to talk about the past and the future, with an eye toward any time of transition and change in our lives—and those moments come virtually every day.

...As a new year begins and we try to benefit from a proper view of what has gone before, I plead with you not to dwell on days now gone nor to yearn vainly for yesterdays, however good those yesterdays may have been. The past is to be learned from but not lived in. We look back to claim the embers from glowing experiences but not the ashes. And when we have learned what we need to learn and have brought with us the best that we have experienced, then we look ahead and remember that faith is always pointed toward the future. Faith always has to do with blessings and truths and events that will yet be efficacious in our lives.

...There is something in many of us that particularly fails to forgive and forget earlier mistakes in life—either our mistakes or the mistakes of others. It is not good. It is not Christian. It stands in terrible opposition to the grandeur and majesty of the Atonement of Christ. To be tied to earlier mistakes is the worst kind of wallowing in the past from which we are called to cease and desist.

...That also happens in marriages and other relationships. I can’t tell you the number of couples I have counseled who, when they are deeply hurt or even just deeply stressed, reach farther and farther into the past to find yet a bigger brick to throw through the window “pain” of their marriage. When something is over and done with, when it has been repented of as fully as it can be repented of, when life has moved on as it should and a lot of other wonderfully good things have happened since then, it is not right to go back and open some ancient wound that the Son of God Himself died to heal.

Let people repent. Let people grow. Believe that people can change and improve. Is that faith? Yes! Is that hope? Yes! Is that charity? Yes! Above all, it is charity, the pure love of Christ. If something is buried in the past, leave it buried. Don’t keep going back with your little sand pail and beach shovel to dig it up, wave it around, and then throw it at someone, saying, “Hey! Do you remember this?” Splat!

Well, guess what? That is probably going to result in some ugly morsel being dug up out of your landfill with the reply, “Yeah, I remember it. Do you remember this?” Splat.

And soon enough everyone comes out of that exchange dirty and muddy and unhappy and hurt, when what our Father in Heaven pleads for is cleanliness and kindness and happiness and healing.

...Perhaps at this beginning of a new year there is no greater requirement for us than to do as the Lord Himself said He does: “He who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more” (D&C 58:42).

The proviso, of course, is that repentance has to be sincere, but when it is and when honest effort is being made to progress, we are guilty of the greater sin if we keep remembering and recalling and rebashing someone with his or her earlier mistakes—and that someone might be ourselves. We can be so hard on ourselves—often much more so than on others!

Now, like the Anti-Nephi-Lehies of the Book of Mormon, bury your weapons of war and leave them buried (see Alma 24). Forgive and do that which is sometimes harder than to forgive: forget. And when it comes to mind again, forget it again.

...This is an important matter to consider at the start of a new year—and every day ought to be the start of a new year and a new life. Such is the wonder of faith, repentance, and the miracle of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

...Some of you may wonder: Is there any future for me? What does a new year or a new semester, a new major or a new romance, a new job or a new home hold for me? Will I be safe? Will life be sound? Can I trust in the Lord and in the future? Or would it be better to look back, to go back, to stay in the past?

...Keep your eyes on your dreams, however distant and far away. Live to see the miracles of repentance and forgiveness, of trust and divine love that will transform your life today, tomorrow, and forever. That is a New Year’s resolution I ask you to keep.

--Jeffrey R Holland

(To read the full article, click here)

Quote - Recognizing the Authorized Servants of God

"It has always been hard to recognize in fallible human beings the authorized servants of God. Paul must have seemed an ordinary man to many. Joseph Smith's cheerful disposition was seen by some as not fitting their expectations for a prophet of God.

"Satan will always work on the Saints of God to undermine their faith in priesthood keys. One way he does it is to point out the humanity of those who hold them. He can in that way weaken our testimony and so cut us loose from the line of keys by which the Lord ties us to Him."

--Henry B Eyring, "Faith and Keys," Ensign, November 2004, 28

Charity in Action - Sister Catherine Larsen

In 2006, I took a trip with two friends to Thailand, Malaysia, and Cambodia. I was teaching classes on world religions at BYU at that time, so I decided to devote my summer vacation to studying Buddhism and Islam first-hand. Unfortunately, I faced some terrible back problems during the first few days of the trip. A disc in my lower back had herniated so profoundly that it was hitting my sciatic nerve and causing me excrutiating pain with any movement. I hurt so badly that I couldn't even tolerate getting home, so I stayed and spent all day every day flat on my back at $5/night hostels in Asia. I was miserable.

When I was in Chiang Mai, Thailand, I received a blessing from a priesthood holder who said, "After faith comes the miracle." I certainly didn't believe him because I had endured so much pain and could not see a possible solution. I kept thinking to myself, "If I could just find an anti-inflammatory I've used in the past, I could make it home to where I could get help."

When we arrived at church in KL, it was Mother's Day. The primary sang the same songs I sang as a little girl. I cried like a baby, mostly out of love for the church and those songs and my mom but also out of pain in my back and leg. During Sunday School, I decided to lie flat on my back in a vacant classroom and take the pressure off of my nerves and joints. My friends were so upset, wondering what they could possibly do to help me. About half-way through the hour, in walked Elder Merritt. He introduced himself and shook our hands, even bending down to reach me on the floor. He looked at me and exclaimed, "You look just like my wife!" At that moment, Sister Merritt came in with the same hunched over back and the same swollen hip. It was just like looking in the mirror. The second she saw me, she asked, "Do you want some anti-inflammatory medicine?" Like my own manna in the wilderness, it was the exact same medicine I had hoped for in Thailand.

Sister Merritt and I crippled over to the Merritts' home like two old, old men. They gave me their bed and their clothes and their food. They invited a nurse over to help me--the same nice girl who periodically helped Sister Merritt. It was a true demonstration of mothering and fathering. I needed it, and they provided it. Their medicine saved my broken body, and their love saved my broken soul.

Julia and Emily: Sisters in Zion

Ever wondered who wrote the hymn "As Sisters in Zion"? Read the story below to find out.

My second great-grandmother Julia Hill and her sister Emily were baptized as teens in England, and then their parents, Thomas and Elizabeth Hill, disowned them. Nevertheless, Julia and Emily earned their own passage to America and sailed from Liverpool on the ship Thornton. Also on board this ship was Captain James G. Willie, who led the fourth handcart company west.

Once 23-year-old Julia and 20-year-old Emily arrived in Iowa, they joined the Willie handcart company. Early winter snowstorms caused everyone to suffer from hunger and exposure. On Rocky Ridge in Wyoming, many starved or froze to death. Those who survived were comforted in their suffering by their testimonies of Jesus Christ. But I believe what saved Julia and Emily, in addition to their testimonies, was their love for each other as sisters.

--Debbie J Christensen

(For the full article, click here)

Faith in Action - Sister Tobi Sanders

I'm sure all of us know Sister Sanders by now but I was prompted to ask her to tell us her story so that those of us who hadn't had the opportunity to visit with her could get to know her. I am grateful that she and her husband were so obedient to the Lord to leave home, family and friends so that we could learn from their great example.

Thank you, Brother and Sister Sanders. We hope you will continue to enjoy your stay here.

OK, now for their story, in Sister Sanders' own words:

Dear Sister Seet,

Thank you for asking. I feel very strong that my husband and I are here for a purpose. What that purpose is I don't know but I do feel that the Lord's will is in this and that he is guiding me.

My husband retired from his job in 2007. Not long after he talked to me about putting in for an overseas assignment. Just the thought of that brought me to tears because I couldn't imagine leaving my home, family, Ward, and friends. I thought that was the end of it.

During the next year many things happened to me personally, professionally and emotionally that when my husband broached the subject once again I felt such a strong desire to get up and immediately go to the computer and see what job postings there might be available. There were two, one to Jakarta and one for Kuala Lumpur. Without a moment's hesitation I started to post for both positions. I knew next to nothing about either location except the general location. Since I had never done this before, I wasn't sure I was very competitive for the job. It was after I had posted for both of these positions that my husband and I decided to make this a matter of prayer. We knelt down and prayed about the decision we had just made and asked the Lord to help us know if this was right. We both felt an overwhelming feeling that we were being guided by the Lord to do this.

After I posted, I got online to see what I could learn about each location. The more I read about KL the more I hoped and prayed that I would be selected for that post. About two months later, I received an e-mail that was given to my Human Resource Director in my office. It stated that I had been selected for the Jakarta position. I was so excited but at the same time felt so strongly about KL. I called and left messages informing my headquarters that I gladly accepted Jakarta, but that if there was any chance that I could possibly have KL that would be my first choice. I got a call back a week later and they told me they never do this but that the Administrative Assistant position in KL needed someone sooner than Jakarta's did and if I would be willing to leave sooner I could have the KL position. I accepted gladly.

After I accepted this new position, Scott and I had eight long months before we could leave to come here. There were many trainings to attend in preparation for this assignment. I started to feel the stress of leaving home, family and friends. The amount of preparation it took seemed at times overwhelming. I was getting a lot of pressure from my boss not to leave and yet never once did I feel like changing my mind. In fact, I told my boss, who is also a member of the LDS faith that I knew the Lord was guiding me and Scott and we had prayed about this and I wasn't going to go back and ask him again because I already knew what he wanted and it wasn't going to change.

So here we are for what purpose I don't know but what I do know is that we love it here. We love the city, we love the people, we love the food. We feel like we are living a dream come true. Each week brings another adventure, like taking the trains to go visiting teaching. One of the wonderful surprises has been how wonderful the branch is. How impressive the teachers are, so knowledgeable and well prepared. How insightful the members are. Maybe we are here just to learn from you.

I love the Gospel and I love the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I feel the Lord with me constantly and know that each of us has a purpose here. I am grateful to have this opportunity to live a different life for a short while.

Sister Tobi Sanders

Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ

Elder Bruce R. McConkie taught: “Faith is a gift of God bestowed as a reward for personal righteousness. It is always given when righteousness is present, and the greater the measure of obedience to God’s laws the greater will be the endowment of faith” (Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed. [1966], 264). If we desire more faith, we must be more obedient. When we teach our children by example or precept to be casual or situational in obeying God’s commandments, we prevent them from receiving this vital spiritual gift. Faith requires an attitude of exact obedience, even in the small, simple things.

Desire is a particle of faith that develops within us as we experience divine truth. It is like spiritual photosynthesis. The influence of the Holy Ghost, acting on the Light of Christ within every human being, produces the spiritual equivalent of a chemical reaction—a stirring, a change of heart, or a desire to know. Hope develops as particles of faith become molecules and as simple efforts to live true principles occur.

As patterns of obedience develop, the specific blessings associated with obedience are realized and belief emerges. Desire, hope, and belief are forms of faith, but faith as a principle of power comes from a consistent pattern of obedient behavior and attitudes. Personal righteousness is a choice. Faith is a gift from God, and one possessed of it can receive enormous spiritual power.

--Kevin W Pearson

(For the full talk, click here)

Responding to Persecution with Faith and Courage

In February 1839, a kind neighbor helped Emma Smith place her four children and her few belongings into a wagon lined with straw. When their party came to the frozen Mississippi River, Emma walked across the ice with her children, carrying the manuscripts of the Prophet’s Bible translation in two cloth bags tied around her waist under her skirt. She and many other destitute Saints took refuge in the community of Quincy, Illinois, where they continued to suffer from hunger, cold, and sickness, though these sufferings were alleviated by many acts of kindness from a caring community.

To persecute means to subject (someone) to hostility and ill-treatment especially because of their race or political or religious beliefs.

The prophet Joseph Smith was very forthright when he said:

“All Saints! profit by this important Key—that in all your trials, troubles, temptations, afflictions, bonds, imprisonments and death, see to it, that you do not betray heaven; that you do not betray Jesus Christ; that you do not betray the brethren; that you do not betray the revelations of God, whether in the Bible, Book of Mormon, or Doctrine and Covenants, or any other that ever was or ever will be given and revealed unto man in this world or that which is to come. Yea, in all your kicking and flounderings, see to it that you do not this thing, lest innocent blood be found upon your skirts, and you go down to hell.”

Some pointers from this lesson:

1. The enemy of truth opposes the servants of the Lord , especially as they grow closer to the Lord
2. Those who love God will bear persecution with courage and faith
3. God's mighty power will sustain those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake

(For the full lesson, click here)

Quote - Believe

"The Lord has promised us that as we 'search diligently, pray always, and be believing, . . . all things [will] work together for [our] good' (D&C 90:24). That doesn't mean that everything will be perfect or that we will not have any trials, but it does mean that everything will be okay if we just 'hang in there.' Ours is the opportunity to 'be . . . an example of the believers' (1 Timothy 4:12), and the Savior has promised that 'all things are possible to him that believeth' (Mark 9:23). So believe in yourselves. Believe that you are never alone. Believe that you will always be guided."

--Elaine S Dalton, "Believe!", Ensign, May 2004, 110

Quote - Challenges

"When the challenges of mortality come, and they come for all of us, it may seem hard to have faith and hard to believe. At these times only faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His Atonement can bring us peace, hope, and understanding. Only faith that He suffered for our sakes will give us the strength to endure to the end. When we gain this faith, we experience a mighty change of heart, and like Enos, we become stronger and begin to feel a desire for the welfare of our brothers and sisters. We pray for them, that they too will be lifted and strengthened through faith on the Atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ."

--Rober D Hales, "Finding Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ," Ensign, November 2004, 73