Faith

First off what is faith? In Hebrews 11:1 we read that "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things no seen." Furthermore in the Lectures on Faith by Joseph Smith he says, Faith is the assurance which men have of the existence of the things which they have not seen, and the principal of action in all intelligent beings. What does that mean? It means just as the old primary song says faith is knowing the sun will rise. At 1:00 AM tonight I will have no possible way of seeing if the sun will rise in the morning, yet I know it will. It is the same for Gospel related things.

In Preach My Gospel Chapter (PMG) 6 Christlike Attributes  we read. "When you have faith in Christ, you believe in Him as the Son of God, the Only Begotten of the Father in the Flesh. You accept Him as your Savior and Redeemer and follow His teachings. You believe that your sins can be forgiven through His Atonement. Faith in Him means that you trust Him and are confident that He loves you." When we really think about it, what proof or what can we see and touch that proves that Jesus is the Son of God? What proves that we can be forgiven of our sins through His Atonement? Nothing PROVES it. However our Faith fulfills it. I know because I have Faith that the Atonement is real. I know that I can be forgiven of my sins, and I know I have.

In my mission I had my share of disappointments, short comings, and failures. However I learned that Faith is one important key to overcoming such things. I would tell myself, "Everyday work your hardest and to the best of your ability and knowledge. When you come home don't think thoughts of failure, think "I tried my best, I hope tomorrow is better." then ask Heavenly Father and exercise Faith that He will fulfill your Hope. When the next day comes, go out, and work your hardest and to the best of your ability and knowledge." In general, I would keep in mind to Hope that Heavenly Father would fulfill my Faith and have Faith that he would fulfill my Hopes. This would help me to keep in mind that Faith is a real thing, and it is a thing of Power. It has lead me to understand what Joseph Smith means by saying that Faith is the principal of action in all intelligent beings.

It was because I had Hope for a better day that I would work towards it, and I had Hope for a better day because I would exercise Faith in the Lords ability to lift me up. When I forgot these things, when I didn't have Hope or Faith I had bad days, I wouldn't be focused, we wouldn't find people to teach, when an appointment fell through I would feel lost and not know what to do. It is still the same today, when my Faith is on and present I am able to get more done, I'm able to focus on my homework, my work, or whatever else I might need to do. When it is absent I feel lost, alone, and useless. Again from PMG we read "Your faith will be manifest through diligence and work." again we are see. Faith is the principal of action in all intelligent beings. In the Lectures on Faith by Joseph Smith we read "If men were duly to consider themselves, and turn their thought and reflections to the operations of their own minds, they would readily discover that it is faith, and faith only, which is the moving cause of all action in them." Think about it for a moment, and see for yourself. I can tell you, the reason I get up in the morning and go to class (I really don't like school) is because I believe (have faith) that it will better me for the rest of my life. The reason I do anything is because I have faith that something will come of it.

In Matthew 17:20 we read "And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, 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." If we truly have Faith in something, nothing is impossible unto us. I believe, and this is only me speaking, that Faith is an all or nothing kind of thing. If we only have but a small amount, yet we put everything we have behind that small seed, we will have power to move mountains. Great Faith I would say is not the "amount" of Faith that we have, but how full heartedly we stand behind it, or what we are willing to take on Faith. It is not a question of "How much Faith we have." but of "What we truly have Faith in." As I said before, I have Faith that I can be forgiven of my sins, I know that I have received forgiveness before. However, I do not have Faith to move a mountain. It is not because I have Faith smaller then a mustard seed, it is because when I think about that, My faith leaves me. I let doubt and fear, the opposites of Faith and Hope enter my mind and take hold. It is because I do not have faith even in the amount of a mustard seed. This is what I believe is truly meant by having our Faith grow. Its not about quantity, its about quality.

God works according to the faith of His children. When we truly have faith, in a true principal, and for the good of others, the up lifting of the human family. For the accomplishment of the Lords mission, then nothing can be denied us. It was by Faith that the Brother of Jared saw the finger of the Lord. It was by Faith that Moses split the red sea. Faith can bring nothing for personal gain, or gratification only. However, for the lifting up of the human family, for the purpose of bringing about the immortality and eternal life of man, it can do all things. I say this in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.