I love this short video and felt that it would be appropriate for a quick post this week. I know that families can be together forever through Heavenly Father’s plan and I am SO grateful for my family–both the family I am creating with my wife and my son, as well as the families of my parents. Remember, “whether the family will be together depends on the choices each family member makes” (President Henry B. Eyring, “Our Perfect Example,” October 2009 General Conference).
Have you ever had an experience that caused you to question what you believe? Have you ever found something that raised some doubts in your mind and concerned you regarding your religion? Perhaps you have a friend who has a doubt or a question that you can’t answer? Sometimes even the most seasoned members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints encounter things that test their faith or give them concerns. So what do you do when you find yourself in such a predicament? There are three things that I would recommend: exercise faith in our Savior and in His church, remember what the scriptures teach us, and strengthen your testimony of living prophets.
First of all is faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ. It is no mistake that faith is the first principle of the gospel (see Articles of Faith 1:4). Ask yourself this question and take a moment to answer it before reading on: why is faith so foundational? I asked my wife this question and she said that without faith you would have no reason to believe in what you can’t see–which I think is a good answer. Faith in Jesus Christ not only allows us to turn to Him when we’ve sinned or when we are in need of comfort and healing, it also enables us to continue on with our lives and our testimonies even when we don’t know all of the answers. The apostle Paul said, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13) and that includes walking in faith when something in the gospel doesn’t exactly jive with our personal beliefs. Faith in Jesus Christ is foundational because it is the starting point for all of our activity in the Church and all that we learn.
Second, remember what is taught in the scriptures. One of my favorite verses to help me when I encounter something that I am just not sure about is 2 Nephi 2:24 which says, “But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things.” I know that God is in control and that He is wise. I know that He wants us to grow and to become more like Him and so He allows our faith to be tried so that it will become stronger. I know that He inspires our prophets and helps them to guide the Church–so I remind myself of that truth whenever I am searching for answers. I also love Nephi’s attitude (Nephi is one of my Book of Mormon heroes), “I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.” (1 Nephi 3:7) and also “And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do. Nevertheless I went forth…”(1 Nephi 4:6-7). Like Nephi, we can trust in God, even when we don’t have all of the answers because we know that He will provide for us. We can move forward, trusting that in the future we will have a greater understanding and a stronger testimony of the things which concern us now. My experience has been that when I do so, trusting in God and in His holy prophet, that things always turn out well. Finally, we can follow Adam’s example when he was cast out of the Garden of Eden and asked to present animal sacrifices, “And after many days an angel of the Lord appeared unto Adam, saying: Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord? And Adam said unto him: I know not, save the Lord commanded me.” (Moses 5:6). Many times we will just have to accept the will of the Lord in our lives, even if we don’t fully understand it.
My third recommendation is to strengthen your testimony of living prophets. When I was a missionary, I was afraid that I would teach an investigator who would ask me a question which I couldn’t answer–and I feel as if that is a concern of many in the Church today. Fortunately, missionaries are taught in Preach My Gospel how to deal with doubts about the gospel. On page 108-109 of Preach My Gospel, it quotes President Ezra Taft Benson,
We are to use the Book of Mormon in handling objections to the Church…All objections…basically hinge on whether Joseph Smith and his successors were and are prophets of God receiving divine revelation…Therefore, the only problem the objector has to resolve for himself is whether the Book of Mormon is true. For if the Book of Mormon is true, then Jesus is the Christ, Joseph Smith was his prophet, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true, and it is being led today by a prophet receiving revelation.
All things we practice and believe in this church have been given by revelation through God’s anointed prophet. If we truly believe that this church is true (and it is, Jesus Christ even said so), and that it is led by a living prophet who receives direct revelation from God, then we can accept whatever else comes our way through these inspired channels.
Therefore, if we are struggling with something then the best thing to do is to pray for patience and understanding and then move forward, trusting that our eyes will be opened in the Lord’s timing. If we exercise our faith in Jesus Christ, follow the counsel in the scriptures, and build on our testimony of living prophets then we can overcome whatever doubts come our way and feel confident that we are doing what is right!
Finding the Best in Life 