Julie started out by telling us this lesson wasn't about "just" faith--it was on the strengthening power of faith. There are so many stories about faith in the scriptures and during modern times that many, many lessons could be taught on the subject. In fact, she said she could do four lessons on what's included in the manual. Today she decided to make the focus of the lesson what we can do and the difference we can make in the lives of others by exercising faith.
How can your improve your faith? Pray for it. Follow Alma 32: 21, 27-29 and experiment with faith, exercise just a particle of faith if that's all you have, or even just desire to have faith. Melanie commented that you have to be willing to do something with your faith, like Nephi did when he was commanded to build a ship to travel to the promised land.
What gets in the way of having faith?
- Fear (the opposite of faith) - Nancy
- Discouragement or disappointment - Annette
- Having your faith contingent on how you see things - Anissa
- Our own weaknesses, lack of believing in ourselves; doubt - Amara
- Trusting someone more than God - Pat told a story about her husband who had had surgery, and the surgeon told Pat he might not make it; Pat's daughter told her to drop the burden at Christ's feet and have faith to endure.
In his April 2012 General Conference address, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said, "The formula of faith is to hold on, work on, see it through, and let the distress of earlier hours—real or imagined—fall away in the abundance of the final reward."
President George Albert Smith was questioned whether current members of the Church would be willing to make the sacrifices of early pioneers. He answered that those with deep faith would make any sacrifice necessary. [See p. 186 of the manual.]
How do we arm our children and grandchildren with faith?
Julie concluded her lesson with her testimony and by urging each of us to "Let go of things that are holding you back, and go forward with faith, hope & confidence!"
President George Albert Smith was questioned whether current members of the Church would be willing to make the sacrifices of early pioneers. He answered that those with deep faith would make any sacrifice necessary. [See p. 186 of the manual.]
How do we arm our children and grandchildren with faith?
- Encourage and support them on missions. - Joanie
- Set a good example. -someone I couldn't see
- Help children and teenagers build faith. - Melinda
- Talk about faith. -Marilyn
- Encourage children to develop their own relationships with Heavenly Father. Let them find their own solutions to problems instead of jumping in to do everything for them. - Jessica
- Have family prayer and scripture study. Bring children into family concerns and show them how you deal with those concerns with faith. - Teresa (Julie provided an example of her 5-year-old granddaughter announcing that they were all praying for her dad to "do well on his histology test because it's harder than other classes.")
- Point out examples of faith you see in your own family, so they become part of children's consciousness. - Leslie
- Fast together for specific causes. - Betsy
- Encourage temple worthiness and attendance - Pat Nel shared an example of her 19-year-old granddaughter who is eager to go to the temple whenever she has challenges that she's dealing with because she knows she will find answers and guidance there. Sarah referred to a quote by Elder Vaughn J. Featherstone who promised unseen angels to watch over their loved ones when they do temple work.
- Teach children in nurture and admonition of the Lord (Enos 1:1). Because Jacob taught Enos that God was nurturing, loving, and patient and taught him the commandments and what Heavenly Father expected of him, Enos had the faith to pray for forgiveness and guidance. - Julie
The lesson shared a story about missionaries who "gave the Lord a chance" and were able to have London opened to the preaching of the gospel after World War I. [See pages 186-187 of the manual.]
Sue commented that we can give the Lord a chance by being quiet and submissive to the Lord's will. Kathy said we need to remember to wait for the Lord's timetable. Nancy said there's a cycle of growth that comes from enduring trials with faith, then having the faith to face additional difficulties that come our way.
Tavah bore her testimony that she knows Heavenly Father will not leave us, no matter how hard life gets. There are trials you can't endure on your own, but you can do it with faith. This went right along with a comment in the manual, "When we become confused, and find ourselves confronted by obstacles we, seemingly, cannot overcome, having faith in the Redeemer of the world, we can go to Him and know that our prayers will be answered for our good. [p. 186]
Leslie commented that sometimes the answer to prayer is that you have to carry a burden a little longer. Build trust in the Lord.
The Lord has a way of accomplishing things that we are unable to do, and never asks us to do anything that he does not make the way possible. ... If you have something that the Lord asks or expects you to do and you don't know just how to proceed, do your best. Move in the direction that you ought to go; trust the Lord, give him a chance, and he will never fail you. [p. 187]
Faith is a gift to the righteous. It is linked with our obeying the commandments.
Exercising faith is an excellent way to bless people's lives. Mosiah 8:18 says, "Thus God has provided a means that man, through faith, might work mighty miracles; therefore he becometh a great benefit to his fellow beings."
