Faith

The Ensign has been sitting on Ryan's nightstand and has been calling to me each morning as I make our bed. I always tell myself that I'm going to read it and then don't. Well today I told myself that today is the day and I am GOING TO READ IT OR ELSE!!! So I got my chores done, fed the kids lunch, and since I don't have any work today I got in my swimsuit and we all went outside to get some fresh air, a glass of ice water and the Ensign it tote, mind you. I was on a mission to read and nothing was going to stop me. The kids love for me to spray them while they jump on the tramp so I did that for a while and then plopped myself down at our patio table and started reading. Ryan had the Ensign (May 2009, Conference issue) already folded open to a talk and once I saw the title of it I knew I needed to read it. It was Elder Kevin W. Pearson's talk titled "Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ." Well I read it and felt like every word was written for me right this very minute. Everything just clicked and told me what I should be doing and what I should not be doing in my life to have greater faith and to teach my children how to have faith. It's a beautifully written talk and very simple to understand. Faith is everything. Faith is the first principle of the gospel. Everything revolves around it. I love a few things Elder Pearson said in his talk that I'd like to write down to remind me later, after all, I really feel like I need greater faith now in my life than I ever have before. Life is changing and I need to have faith to go with Heavenly Father's will for us, whatever or wherever that may be.

-"We can give our children education, lessons, athletics, the arts, and material possessions, but if we do not give them faith in Christ, we have given little."

-"Faith is kindled by hearing the testimony of those who have faith. Do your children know that you know? Do they see and feel your conviction? Strong faith is developed by obedience to the gospel of 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."

-"If we desire more faith, we must be more obedient."

-"Faith is a gift from God, and one possessed of it can receive enormous spiritual power."

-"The six destructive D's: Doubt, discouragement, distraction, lack of diligence, disobedience, disbelief--all erode and destroy faith. We can choose to overcome them."

-"Challenging times require greater spiritual power. Consider carefully the Savior's promise: "If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me." -Moroni 7:33