- The gift of faith is a priceless spiritual endowment.
- 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.
He notes that we are all at different places in our lives.
- A real but manageable test for one can be a fiery trial for another.
He asks and answers this question:
- 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.
Elder Andersen notes that the safety through life's storms comes through strengthening ourselves with other Saints.
- 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.
He concludes his talk with these words:
- 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.
How comforting is it to hear the words of a Prophet that our trials will be very difficult in life but that they don't have to destroy us spiritually. I don't know why the trials I have in my life have been given to me, but I know that as I continue to press forward, learning about the God's plan for me, I am on the right path that will lead me back to my Father in Heaven. He has promised me that if I endure through the trials of this life, I will be able to have live with him again someday.
Study along with me. Tomorrow's blog will be about It's A Miracle by Neil L. Andersen.