Becoming Open to Truth [Part 1]

by Nicky Smith

I have always loved studying the scriptures in an endeavor to understand the Gospel more. But, the more I progressed, the more more I realized that I was blind and not awake nor open to the glorious truths that are in the Gospel. I then studied how to become more open to all truth, even if it made me feel uncomfortable or was did not match my current paradigm.

In Matthew 13:10-17, Jesus explains the reason why he taught in parables:

10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
15 For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

I have come to realize that there have been times in my life where I was much like these Jews. Jesus wants to teach us deep truths, but not everyone is able to bear it. The people Jesus was teaching weren't ready for these truths and so they just heard stories instead.

There are several reasons why we block ourselves from accepting new truth. I think Laman and Lemuel can show us why. I know it might seem preposterous that I am comparing us to Laman and Lemuel, but I think sometimes we are more like them than we'd like to admit.

Network of truth
Each of us have a network of truth. When a new truth is presented to us that builds on it, it is easy to accept and assimilate into our network. But when it lies outside of that network or even destroys a part of the network, it is much harder to accept, never mind assimilate. Usually in these cases we either just dismiss it (neutral response) or get angry (negative response). It becomes very challenging to open our minds and hearts to the spirit telling us this is true.

We don't believe the Lord will reveal more to us

Lehi and Nephi had seen the vision of tree of life and Laman and Lemuel were trying to understand it. They began arguing with each other about the meaning (See 1 Nephi 15:1-11). Why weren't they understanding it? What had Laman and Lemuel done wrong?

Well, when Nephi asked them if they had asked the Lord, they said, "We have not; for the Lord maketh no such thing known unto us." They either had not asked the Lord or if they had asked the Lord, they seemed to think that the Lord should give the answer. Sometimes the Lord takes a while before he answers us. We have to continue asking until he gives us the answer or tells us to stop asking.

Nephi had just learned some really hard truths in his vision and his response to these truths is contrasted with Laman and Lemuel. Nephi felt grieved because of the things he had seen and felt overcome (See 1 Nephi 15:4-5). Despite how the truth made him feel, he accepted it as truth.

Several years ago I had some questions on my mind about the eternities and spent many nights pleading with the Lord to show me the answers I was seeking. One night I heard the Spirit in my mind tell me to stop asking. I have since come to know that I wasn't ready for the answer, but one day I hope to be. In all other instance, I get an answer, mostly after a lot of seeking, pondering, and praying. Sometimes it takes days and in some cases it has taken years.

Truth makes us angry
There are truths that could be revealed to you that would seem so crazy that you would not believe them. Most people get angry when they hear new things and this is why Christ and prophets have been killed.

Joseph Smith said, "Many men will say; 'I will never forsake you, but will stand by you at all times.' But the moment you teach them some of the mysteries of the kingdom of God that are retained in the heavens and are to be revealed to the children of men when they are prepared for them they will be the first to stone you and put you to death. It was this same principle that crucified the Lord Jesus Christ, and will cause the people to kill the prophets in this generation" (TPJS, 309).

Joseph Smith also said, "Have not the least idea but if Christ should come and preach such rough things as he preached to the Jews, but this Generation would reject reject him for being so rough" (Words of Joseph Smith, 11 Jun 1843).

After Nephi explained the vision of the tree of life, Laman and Lemuel got angry (see 1 Nephi 16:1-3). Most people think that hard truths wouldn't make them angry, but I believe Joseph when he said that we each have our limits on what truths we are able to bear.

Block truth outside of the status quo
We have a tendency to block things that come outside of what has been established as true or goes against the tradition. We also have a tendency to block truth from sources outside of the established hierarchy.

The law of Moses had had laws added to it over the years. The people didn't know where the laws came from or how they came to be, but they regarded those laws as from God. Because they didn't know the scriptures and the history of their people as well as they should, they were unable to discern between the commandments of God and the commandments of men. For example, one added law was that one's hands needed to be washed before eating. This was seen as a law from God, despite it being a commandment of men. The scribes and pharisees were asking why Jesus' disciples didn't wash their hands before they ate and so Jesus went to them to clear the matter up. He said to them: You're asking why we don't obey this commandment, but I am wondering why you don't obey the commandment to honor one's parents. Take a look at what Jesus said in Matthew 15:7-9

7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,
8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

When we follow commandments of men, Jesus says we are honoring him with our lips but our hearts are not anywhere near him. His disciples then said that the Pharisees were offended at what he said. He said those leaders who were not called of God (and had established and upheld commandments of men) would be uprooted. There were blind and were leading the blind and in the end, both would fall.

12 Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

In the verses following, Jesus says that not washing one's hands before eating won't defile a man. Why? Because it is a commandment of men and not of God and so God doesn't honor it.

Jesus was able to discern between truth and error. We can too as we know what the scriptures contain and have the Spirit to guide us. As in Jesus' time, we also have commandments of men. They are accepted as truths within the status quo and so they are mostly very difficult to discern. It is important to determine what they are in order to progress. Knowing what is truth and what isn't will enable God to teach us further light and truth.

The pharisees and the Sadducees were the teachers and the leaders in Jesus' day. Those outside of that hierarchy, such as John the Baptist and Jesus, were not readily accepted as sources of truth. Joseph Smith was a great example of allowing anyone to teach him. He then decided after he heard them whether they were teaching truth or not. Truth can come from any source and if we are to progress, we need to be willing to accept it from anyone or anywhere.

False wisdom
Often we think we know what we need to know or what the Lord knows. We possess false wisdom.

Second Nephi 9:28 says, "O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish."

For example, we may think we understand the temple or what the Lord expects of us for exaltation and so on. But, the Lord always has more to reveal to us, because we usually are limited or wrong in our understanding of things, especially as we progress.

I love Isaiah 55:8-9

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. In each of these cases, we tend to be closed to further light and truth.

Do Not Fear

by Kimber

A talk given in my ward on July 12, 2016 (though I deviated from these exact words in a few places)

My topic is "Do Not Fear." The scripture I was given as a prompt is D&C 68:6:

Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of me, even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the living God, that I was, that I am, and that I am to come.

To give you some context, this scripture was part of a revelation given to Joseph Smith on behalf of Orson Hyde. Orson Hyde had been called to be a missionary.

We’re told in this scripture and many others, “do not fear.” What shouldn’t we fear? Let’s look at some scriptures.

After Martin Harris pressured Joseph Smith into loaning him the 116 translated pages of the Book of Mormon, and subsequently lost them, the Lord had this to say to Joseph:

For, behold, you should not have feared man more than God. Although men set at naught the counsels of God, and despise his words—

 8 Yet you should have been faithful; and he would have extended his arm and supported you against all the fiery darts of the adversary; and he would have been with you in every time of trouble. (D&C 3:7-8)

Martin Harris was financing the publication of the Book of Mormon. He was older than Joseph, a successful member of the community. Joseph was probably worried about upsetting Harris and potentially losing his financial support. So he pestered the Lord instead of having faith that God’s will was the best way.

Joseph had every reason to try and remain in Harris’ good graces … except that Harris wanted something contrary to the will of God. Joseph’s fear and deference to Martin Harris had consequences: Joseph temporarily lost the ability to translate, and 116 pages of scripture were lost.

In Matthew 10, The Lord says: 

Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. 32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. 33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. 34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. 35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36 And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. 37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. (31-39)

In these scriptures, the Lord follows the admonition “fear not” with promises to those who “confess {Him} before men,” and then describes how those who love anyone more than the Lord are not worthy of Him.

Today, we are often faced with the choice of appeasing God or man. In some circumstances, you have to offend God or man. You should always choose to offend man. Even if “man” is your family, your spouse, your church leaders, your best friend. There are usually negative consequences, but for you at least, they will be confined to this world.

Whether or not you are willing to accept those consequences shows God if you are like Christ, who sacrificed all for the sake of His father, or if you are like Satan, who put His will above the will of the father, and whose desire it is to rule us with terror. Christ sacrificed all and qualified for greater glory. Satan wasn’t willing to sacrifice anything, and lost all his glory.

We’ve already taken the first step. We knew coming to this earth would require great sacrifice, but also provide a great opportunity. Inside each of you is the will to abandon comfort and fear for the sake of ascension to godliness.

Enduring the sacrifices God requires in this life qualifies you to partake of the glory of God.

And all they who suffer persecution for my name, and endure in faith, though they are called to lay down their lives for my sake yet shall they partake of all this glory. 36 Wherefore, fear not even unto death; for in this world your joy is not full, but in me your joy is full. 37 Therefore, care not for the body, neither the life of the body; but care for the soul, and for the life of the soul. 38 And seek the face of the Lord always, that in patience ye may possess your souls, and ye shall have eternal life. (D&C 101:35)  

The rewards God wants to bestow on us are not of this world. The best treasures are of heaven, and so that’s where our hearts should be. Any earthly pain or persecution you endure for the Lord cannot destroy those treasures, and you shouldn’t fear these mortal threats.

And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28) 

Have you been persecuted for Christ’s sake? If you have, good for you. You’re doing something right. If you haven’t, you need to start interacting with people who aren’t Mormon.

Also, amongst ourselves, we aren’t doing each other any favors by holding back truth that might offend. If we don’t hear anything at church that pricks our hearts and humbles us to repentance, then why do we stay past the sacrament?

Hopefully I can say something that will prick the heart of at least one of you enough to go home and think about what I said for longer than the next fifteen minutes. If anything I say offends any of you, please know that giving offense isn’t my intent, but that I accept it as a risk of giving the talk God wants me to give. I am trying to fear him more than you.

I won’t waste your time by telling you you’re all doing a great job. It’s not my place to judge you, and my opinion shouldn’t matter to you anyway. But telling you the finish line is 30 yards before it actually is will damn you. The bishopric has given me a portion of time to tell you something of worth, and God has given me a portion of time to acquire and distribute light, and it would be a waste of that time if I didn’t say anything that might lead someone to repentance, including myself.

The Lord said to David Whitmer:

Behold, I say unto you, David, that you have feared man and have not relied on me for strength as you ought. 2 But your mind has been on the things of the earth more than on the things of me, your Maker, and the ministry whereunto you have been called; and you have not given heed unto my Spirit, and to those who were set over you, but have been persuaded by those whom I have not commanded. (D&C 30:1) 

So the Lord is connecting fearing man with not relying on Him for strength, and also a preoccupation with the things of the earth.

When we get our strength, joy, fulfillment, happiness, etc. from man or things, we don’t turn to God. We are also too wary of losing that strength, joy, fulfillment, and happiness to surrender our wills to the Lord. We hold onto our reputations, our wealth, and our pride with such tight, fearful fists that we can’t open our hands to receive the greater prize from God.

When God tells you to skip church to visit someone, do you ignore him because you’re worried about what people will think?

When God prompts you to quit your job and take a pay cut and move to somewhere without an HEB a block away do you ignore him because you’re afraid of being poor or inconvenienced?

When God commands you in the scriptures to forgive, do you ignore him because you’re afraid that someone who has offended you won’t be sufficiently punished?

When God commands you to search the scriptures, do you ignore him because you’re afraid it will be boring or cut into your Netflix time?

When God whispers to you to correct the false doctrine you just heard in Sunday school, do you ignore him because you don’t want to be the weirdo in the ward?

If you are dedicated to doing the Lord’s will, you very well might end up being perceived as offensive and weird, even apostate. You’d be in good company with Abraham, Lehi, Abinadi, Jesus, John the Baptist, and Joseph Smith.

Placing the words and priorities of any man above the words and priorities of God is idolatry. What are the words of the Lord? You’ll find them in the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon and the D&C. You can also receive the words of the Lord at first through the spirit, and eventually from His mouth if you’re willing.

True prophets also preach the words of the Lord: they expound scripture and preach repentance. You are obligated to ask God if the prophets you are listening to are His, and if all the words they speak are from Him.

Your motive is also important. If you are following someone just because of a prestigious office they hold or a title they’ve been given by an institution, if you neglect to check their words against scripture and the spirit, even if they are a true messenger, you are following a telestial pattern and will be damned for your idolatry and failure to look past the servant and enter into the master’s presence.

D&C 76: 98-100 describes this: 

And the glory of the telestial is one, even as the glory of the stars is one; for as one star differs from another star in glory, even so differs one from another in glory in the telestial world; 99 For these are they who are of Paul, and of Apollos, and of Cephas. 100 These are they who say they are some of one and some of another—some of Christ and some of John, and some of Moses, and some of Elias, and some of Esaias, and some of Isaiah, and some of Enoch;
101 But received not the gospel, neither the testimony of Jesus, neither the prophets, neither the everlasting covenant. (98-101)

Idolatry is trusting men who tell you all is well in Zion because you're too scared to go to God and ask him to show you your weakness.

It's better to know your weaknesses so you can turn to God and be taught.

A false sense of righteousness is one of the best tools Satan has. And if I had to pick a people that delighted in their own righteousness the most, I'd pick the Mormons.

God doesn’t care how long our skirts are, what percentage home teaching we’ve completed this month, or how many temples we’ve built if none of us have broken hearts and contrite spirits. Outward signs follow righteousness, but they are no substitute for internal conversion.

So now we know what not to fear: men or any earthly trials that will come as we do the Lord’s will.

Now let’s talk about why we should not fear.

Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you; (D&C 68:6)

This section was addressed to a few men during the restoration. The declaration that “the Lord is with you” doesn’t automatically apply to us.

How do we know if the Lord is with us?

We just heard about this during the sacrament prayer:

3…. that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him, and keep his commandments which he hath given them, that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. (Moroni 4:3)

Always remember him! Remember him when your kids are driving you nuts and you want to scream. Remember him when a teenager in a sports car cuts you off. Remember him when your spouse says something rude and you have a great comeback. ALWAYS remember him.

If you keep not my commandments, the love of the Father shall not continue with you, therefore you shall walk in darkness. (D&C 95:12)

And if you are faithful, behold, I am with you until I come— (D&C 34:11) 

The Lord is with you if you remember him, keep his commandments, and are faithful

Therefore, whosoever belongeth to my church need not fear, for such shall inherit the kingdom of heaven. 56 But it is they who do not fear me, neither keep my commandments but build up churches unto themselves to get gain, yea, and all those that do wickedly and build up the kingdom of the devil—yea, verily, verily, I say unto you, that it is they that I will disturb, and cause to tremble and shake to the center. (D&C 10:55-56)

If you don’t fear God today through obedience and love for His work, you will have a chance to fear him and his wrath in the future. Either way, you’ll fear God. I prefer the fear that involves giving Him and only Him my devotion. I don’t want the fear that involves my dreading the just punishments of God. But there’s hope! Whosoever belongeth to His church need not fear.

But who belongs to his church? Anyone baptized into the LDS church? That’s not what the Lord says just a few verses later:

Behold, this is my doctrine—whosoever repenteth and cometh unto me, the same is my church. 68 Whosoever declareth more or less than this, the same is not of me, but is against me; therefore he is not of my church. (D&C 10:67-68)

Have you repented and come unto the Lord? If you don’t know the answer to that, ask Him. If you think you know the answer, ask for a confirmation.

I asked Him if I was a member of His church by this definition, and he said no. It was hard to hear, but I’m glad to know now while I can do something about it, and not after I die and find myself in spirit prison and it’s too late. It’s not too late for any of us in this room. Repent and come unto the Lord.

The Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance. The Lord doesn't lie, and he wasn't lying when he said that. We won't be magically twinkled into perfect beings when we're resurrected. If we do nothing to rid ourselves of our idolatry, our greed, our pride, and our spiritual sloth, we will remain in this telestial state forever.

The Lord forgives us of our sins if we forsake them, but it would violate our agency and the laws of heaven for him to grant us a degree of glory that requires obedience to laws we are unwilling to obey, as demonstrated by our behavior in this life. That was Satan's plan. The Lord doesn't force godliness on anyone.

As Alma said to his son Corianton:

O my son, I desire that ye should deny the justice of God no more. Do not endeavor to excuse yourself in the least point because of your sins, by denying the justice of God; but do you let the justice of God, and his mercy, and his long-suffering have full sway in your heart; and let it bring you down to the dust in humility. (Alma 42:30)

The opposite of fear is faith. Fear is standing still or even running backwards. Faith is courageously moving ahead in accordance with truth. Faith is more than belief. Faith is action predicated upon belief in something true.

In Mark 4, Christ told his disciples on a boat in a storm, "Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith?" (Mark 4:40)

Paul said, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." (2 Timothy 1:7)

If you do feel fear, discouragement, hopelessness, know that God is the author of courage, joy, hope, and faith. Turn to Him. Repentance isn’t pain or fear—sin is pain and fear. Repentance is accepting God’s light and love, casting out the fear of the wicked.

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. (1 John 4:18)

Satan uses fear to keep us from progressing. God doesn’t send us fear or distress, He sends us knowledge. Sometimes the knowledge of our sinfulness or our unbelief is distressing—but that’s the reaction of the natural man and not a fruit of God.

Satan used this tactic on Joseph Smith just prior to the first vision. If you are faced with fear on your journey to Christ, know that it is from Satan. The Savior’s way is not easy or carefree, but the complete trust in God that the Lord requires will reveal how trivial the cares and fears of this world are, and how surrendering to the Lord’s will can remove earthly fears.

If you’re exposed to hard truths that challenge your current understandings, don’t fear, no matter the consequences of accepting that new truth. Turn to God in faith and obedience and qualify for greater light and knowledge. It works.

Sometimes we dismiss hard messages from the Lord by questioning their origin. “God would never tell me to do THAT,” we say. “He couldn’t possibly be talking about ME.” However, failure to open our minds and paradigms to new information precludes progression. We are to become as little children before the Lord, willing to learn and acknowledging our own lack of knowledge. Be willing to discard your false beliefs and God will fill you with truth. When you come across a scripture, a talk, a lesson that preaches repentance, ask, “Lord, is it I?” He will answer honest inquiries.

Learn to recognize the voice of the Lord. Mormon tells us how we can know:

But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God. 14 Wherefore, take heed, my beloved brethren, that ye do not judge that which is evil to be of God, or that which is good and of God to be of the devil. 15 For behold, my brethren, it is given unto you to judge, that ye may know good from evil; and the way to judge is as plain, that ye may know with a perfect knowledge, as the daylight is from the dark night. 16 For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God. 17 But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for after this manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do good, no, not one; neither do his angels; neither do they who subject themselves unto him. (Moroni 7:13-17)

Fear not. We have a Savior. We have a way out of this telestial world we have fallen into. The battle has already been won. Don’t debase yourself by giving your loyalty to the losing side, to your carnal appetites, to the whims and philosophies of men with no power to save.

Verily, thus saith the Lord: It shall come to pass that every soul who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on my name, and obeyeth my voice, and keepeth my commandments, shall see my face and know that I am; … and ye shall bear record of me, even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the living God, that I was, that I am, and that I am to come. (D&C 93:1 and D&C 68:6)

Faith [Part 2] - Three Principles of Faith

by Nicky Smith

In the Lectures on Faith, Joseph explains three principles of faith. First, faith is a principle of action.

[1] Faith leads to Action
We begin with a belief in a true thing. We then open our hearts to receive revelation on the topic. This assurance then leads to action. For example, we plant seeds because we believe they will grow. We knock on a door because we believe it will be answered. In spiritual things, we believe Jesus set the example for how to live and having been told by the Spirit that this is true, we now have faith in this principle and we then try to live like Jesus. We believe the scriptures are true. We pray about them and receive revelation that this is so. We then read them because we know they contain the word of God and inform us how to live. I can go on. But this is a key to understanding faith. Having a just a particular belief, such as believing in Santa, rarely makes us live differently. But, faith, on the other hand, because we have received revelation and know something is now true, leads us to act differently. In this way, faith is a principle of action.

Throughout First and Second Nephi we can find evidences for Nephi acting on account of his faith: He returned to Jerusalem to obtain the brass plates (1 Nephi 3-4), he returned to Jerusalem to get a wife (1 Nephi 7), he built a ship (1 Nephi 17), and so on. Each time, Nephi acted because he has received God’s word (either from his father or from the Lord himself, although in each case he knew through the spirit of revelation it was from the Lord). He had an assurance that what he had received from the Lord was true and this then led to action.

While still living in South Africa I was offered my dream job. This is what I had been working towards for a few years and I wanted to take the position so badly. But when my boss told me about how they wanted to give it to me, the Spirit told me not to take it. I knew God's will for me was not to take the job but I now didn't know what He wanted me to do. Over time people began suggesting I move to Utah and go to BYU. I didn't want to do it because I loved where I lived and what I was doing. My family and friends were there. Then, the Spirit said to me that if I stayed in Cape Town I would not get married. If I moved to the States I would have that opportunity. I now knew God's will for me. I felt quite anxious because I wanted to do what Heavenly Father wanted me to do, but I wasn't sure about what specifically I was supposed to do. So I prayed and asked if I should go to BYU and I felt prompted to open up the Doctrine and Covenants. I randomly opened to section 98. Through reading the first three verses, I knew God had heard my prayer and that He was saying that I needed to go to BYU. I felt the most indescribable joy in that moment. I felt like I was about to burst. It truly felt like a fulness of joy. Because God told me his will I now had faith (and not just belief) that moving was what I needed to do and no matter how hard it was for me to relocate to a different part of the world, my faith (and the revelation) enabled me to do it. God telling me that I needed to move meant though that I needed to act. I needed to do something. When God tells us His will, it requires action on our part. Faith always leads to action.

A while back I felt like I need to be more patient with my husband and children. I was praying about what to do and after opening up the Doctrine and Covenants I read this: “And above all things, clothe yourselves with the bond of charity, as with a mantle, which is the bond of perfectness and peace” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:125). The Lord told me that I need to control my emotions and have more charity for them. Since then I decided on some actions that I would take because I know God's will and want to do it. My faith has led me to action.

[2] Faith gives us access to God's Power
Faith leads a person to act and when they act, this leads to power. This is the second principle of faith that Joseph Smith discusses. By faith, things come into existence, things are changed, or things remain the way they are. For instance, it was by faith that the world and everything on it was created (Lecture 7:2). It is by faith that our characters are changed to become more Godlike. It is by faith that the worlds stay in their orbit (Lecture 7:5). Mormon and Moroni taught that Christ said if you have faith, you can do whatever is expedient in Christ (see Moroni 7:33; Moroni 10:23). This is more than just action, since you can perform an action without divine help. The power that comes from faith enables you to do so much more than you could on your own.

In Hebrews 11 there are multiple examples of faith operating as a principle of power. In Verse 7, for instance, it states, “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.”

Through the word of God, Noah was told to build an ark. He was obedient, having faith that he was doing God's will. Because he acted, based on his faith, through the power of God, the animals then came on the boat. Could he have gathered the animals by himself? No! It could only have been done through God's power. This only came about because he acted. If he had not acted, he would not have experienced this great miracle. Power follows action.

Verse 30 refers to Joshua and the Israelites taking the city of Jericho. The Lord told them they needed to walk around Jericho each day and gave them specific instructions on how to do it. They were obedient and acted. They then were able to take over the city as the walls fell to the ground. This was a demonstration of God's power. Would they have been able to take over the city if they had not done as the Lord said? No! It is interesting to go through all the examples that Paul cites in Hebrews 11 and see how the demonstration of the power of God was followed by the individual acting based on revelation that was received.

In First Nephi there are clear examples of faith as a principle of power. For instance, when Nephi and his brothers were returning from Jerusalem through the wilderness, his brothers wanted to return to Jerusalem. His brothers were angry and bound him with strong cords and were going to leave him in the wilderness to die. But then Nephi prayed, “O Lord, according to my faith which is in thee, wilt thou deliver me from the hands of my brethren; yea, even give me strength that I may burst these bands with which I am bound.” When he said that the bands were made loose. This occurred because of his faith and not because of any strength Nephi had (1 Nephi 7:17-18).

Another profound example is in the Joseph Smith Translation of Genesis 14:26, “Now Melchizedek was a man of faith, who wrought righteousness; and when a child he feared God, and stopped the mouths of lions, and quenched the violence of fire.” Melchizedek as a child had faith and through that faith he used the power of God and did things he would not have been able to do alone.

One time when I was in England visiting some friends I woke up with an abscess in my mouth. My face began to swell more and more each day. For various reasons I was not able to go to a dentist and I still had another 10 days of being in England. I didn't know what to do. I did had faith that God could heal me though. I had had various experiences in the past so that I knew that. One night I knelt down and prayed. I told Heavenly Father I knew he could heal me and I was now asking Him to do that. My faith led me to act and ask God to heal me. I couldn't heal myself. I needed God's power to do it and through having faith and then acting through prayer, I was able to be healed. The next morning I woke up and the abscess was gone. Faith leads us to action which then leads us to be able to access God's power.

Mormon's sermon in Moroni 7 which I quoted from earlier discusses this power that comes as a result of faith:

...for it is by faith that miracles are wrought; and it is by faith that angels appear and minister unto men; wherefore, if these things have ceased wo be unto the children of men, for it is because of unbelief, and all is vain.For no man can be saved, according to the words of Christ, save they shall have faith in his name; wherefore, if these things have ceased, then has faith ceased also; (Moroni 7:37-38).

If we want to experience the power of God and many miracles in our lives, we need to have faith. We need to learn God's will through revelation and act accordingly. This brings great power.

[3] Faith and Sacrifice 
In the end, our aim is to develop “faith unto life and salvation.” This is the type of faith that is necessary for exaltation. Joseph Smith discusses the three things necessary for the exercise of this faith:
(1) The idea that God actually exists.
(2) A correct idea of his character, perfections and attributes.
(3) An actual knowledge that the course of life which he is pursuing, is according to his will.

For a person to sacrifice all things, it requires more than just belief that they are doing the will of God. They need to know it. Otherwise, when they are required to sacrifice everything, it will be too hard. Without this sacrifice, it is impossible for us to develop the necessary faith unto life and salvation. This type of faith is required for exaltation.

The process for developing this faith is cyclical. We sacrifice, which leads to God telling us we are doing His will. This then leads to an increased ability to sacrifice. We then are told we are doing His will and our faith increases. We sacrifice more, and again our faith increases in the same way. This continues until we have the ability to sacrifice all things. Once we have reached this point, we then are able to obtain faith unto life and salvation.

Joseph Smith states,

Let us here observe, that a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things, never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation; for from the first existence of man, the faith necessary unto the enjoyment of life and salvation never could be obtained without the sacrifice of all earthly things: it was through this sacrifice, and this only, that God has ordained that men should enjoy eternal life; and it is through the medium of the sacrifice of all earthly things, that men do actually know that they are doing the things that are well pleasing in the sight of God. (Lecture 6:7)

Without faith unto life and salvation, there is no exaltation. Joseph Smith stated in Lecture 7:8, “When men begin to live by faith they begin to draw near to God; and when faith is perfected they are like him; and because he is saved they are saved also; for they will be in the same situation he is in, because they have come to him; and when he appears they shall be like him, for they will see him as he is.” He then continues, “And what constitutes the real difference between a saved person and one not saved, is the difference in the degree of their faith: one's faith has become perfect enough to lay hold upon eternal life, and the other's has not.” (Lecture 7:9)

So with each increase in faith, we become more like the Savior, until our faith is perfected and we are like Him. This takes continued sacrifice, until we are able to sacrifice all things. When we have sacrificed all things, we are then in a position to obtain the faith that is necessary for exaltation.

It is a process to develop this kind of faith. It begins with a desire to believe. We then open our hearts to receive God's word. We then act on it and access the power of God. We are asked to sacrifice. As we do so because we have faith, knowing we are doing God's will, our faith increases. We then sacrifice more and our faith increases again. Each time we sacrifice, we become more like the Savior. Eventually, we are able to sacrifice like Abraham and then like the Savior. We are then like the Savior, having perfect faith.

Faith [Part 1] - Developing Faith

by Nicky Smith

I always thought I understood faith really well. I mean, it is the first principle of the Gospel, how hard can it be? But, then I read Lectures on Faith by Joseph Smith and realized that I understood very little what faith is really about. I have read those lectures over and over and I have come to love them.

Faith and Revelation 
In Joseph Smith's Lectures on Faith, he quotes Paul's definition of faith: “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). Joseph Smith explained that substance is assurance. The substance and the evidence Paul is referring to is revelation.

Joseph Smith stated, “Faith comes by hearing the word of God, through the testimony of the servants of God; that testimony is always attended by the Spirit of prophecy and revelation.” (History of the Church, 3:379). Also, Romans 10:17 states, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” The word of God (that is, revelation) is necessary for faith to exist. If there has been no revelation, it is not an assurance and there is no substance; it is just a belief or a hope we have.

A while back as I was reading the Book of Mormon, I was reading one of my favorite chapters, Moroni 7, and these few verses on faith stood out to me. Mormon discusses how to develop faith and how it enables you to access every blessing. Notice the role of revelation in developing faith.

21 And now I come to that faith, of which I said I would speak; and I will tell you the way whereby ye may lay hold on every good thing.
 22 For behold, God knowing all things, being from everlasting to everlasting, behold, he sent angels to minister unto the children of men, to make manifest concerning the coming of Christ; and in Christ there should come every good thing.
 23 And God also declared unto prophets, by his own mouth, that Christ should come.
 24 And behold, there were divers ways that he did manifest things unto the children of men, which were good; and all things which are good cometh of Christ; otherwise men were fallen, and there could no good thing come unto them.
 25 Wherefore, by the ministering of angels, and by every word which proceeded forth out of the mouth of God, men began to exercise faith in Christ; and thus by faith, they did lay hold upon every good thing; and thus it was until the coming of Christ.
 26 And after that he came men also were saved by faith in his name; and by faith, they become the sons of God. And as surely as Christ liveth he spake these words unto our fathers, saying: Whatsoever thing ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is good, in faith believing that ye shall receive, behold, it shall be done unto you.

Mormon states that God manifests things to us in a variety of ways. It is through this revelation that faith is built. It is important to examine ourselves and to assess whether we merely believe or if we have received revelation and now have faith. If we have not received revelation that something is true, it is time to seek that from the Lord.

Faith is in something true
Belief and faith are different. We can believe in anything, true or not, and with or without evidence. This is not faith. If you wanted, you could believe in the Easter Bunny or that God doesn't love you. Neither of these things are true and I'm sure you wouldn't have evidence for them either. So, although you can choose to believe in these things, you cannot have faith in these things. Alma states in his discourse on faith, that faith needs to be in something which is true (Alma 32:21) and we have to have an assurance (having received revelation) that it exists and is true. So you could choose to have faith that Jesus Christ lives again, that God loves you, that the scriptures are true, or that you are to live a particular way. These things are true. And, when you receive revelation that they are true, you can begin to exercise faith.

Begins with a Desire to Believe
Alma said: “But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words.” (Alma 32:27) We begin with a desire to believe in something. This is not faith yet. Just a belief. But, this desire to believe enables us to open our hearts to “give place for a portion of [His] words” or revelation. This is how faith is developed. Alma continues his sermon on faith by saying you plant the word, or revelation, in your heart and let it grow and you will see that your understanding is enlightened. This is the beginning of faith.

When I returned home from my mission I really wanted to move here to the States, because I wanted to continue my association with my mission companions. I came over here and went to various university campuses and looked into making it possible. Then one night I knelt down to pray and ask God what he wanted me to do. I had a desire to do the Lord's will and my desire opened up my heart to receive revelation on the matter. After I prayed I heard the words “Trust in me!” I didn't yet have a complete understanding of what God wanted me to do at that time, but it was the beginning. This is how it starts. You desire to believe and open your heart and mind to hear the voice of God.

Increasing Faith Through Many Witnesses
Jacob taught in Jacob 4,

6 Wherefore, we search the prophets, and we have many revelations and the spirit of prophecy; and having all these witnesses we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken, insomuch that we truly can command in the name of Jesus and the very trees obey us, or the mountains, or the waves of the sea.
 7 Nevertheless, the Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may know that it is by his grace, and his great condescensions unto the children of men, that we have power to do these things.

Jacob declares that after many revelations and witnesses our faith becomes unshaken. Over time we need to develop the kind of faith where the trees or the mountains or the waves of the sea obey us.

When my twins were just 10 months old I received the first impression that we were to have another baby then. This was insane to me because I was only just beginning to cope with not only being a mother for the first time, but a mother of twins. When I received that first impression I wasn't completely sure whether it was from the Lord or whether it was just me thinking crazy thoughts. But, every day for two weeks the Spirit said to me in my mind that we were to have another baby. (I even knew it would be a boy.) With the Spirit revealing that to me over and over again, my faith in what God had asked of me became unshaken. Then, while I was pregnant and experiencing the sickness and the pain that comes with that, I could continue in faith because I didn't just believe that I was doing God's will, but I  knew I was because He had revealed it to me. This is what faith is: It is receiving God’s word and acting in full belief or knowledge that it is true and you are doing His will.

I have had so many experiences in my life where God has asked me to do hard things but I have been able to do them because I have known that I am doing His will. This is why revelation is so essential to faith. Without revelation, we do not know His will. There is no faith without revelation.

Overcoming Weakness, One Push at a Time

by Stephanie Aud 

And if [women] come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto [women] weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all [women] that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them. (Ether 12:27) 

Recently, a beautiful friend shared a thought with me about how birth is a great metaphor for coming to Christ. I have been thinking very intently on this. As, I am taking the elevator to the Lord (see here), desiring to enter into His presence, He has made known unto me many weaknesses. These must change in order to see Him. I can not enter His presence with heart that focuses on and desires things of this world. 

Some days, I get it so right! I turn to the Lord at every hard moment. I can see how He answers as I work, and changes my uncomfortable feelings to love and peace. I feel my heart softening. However, other days are so very difficult. These days I seem to backslide as my one weakness or another is magnified and I find myself almost succumbing to one of very things I was able to tackle with ease the prior day. This process, like labor and delivery, is so very hard yet so very invigorating. 

When we give birth, we push on the contraction. We take a deep breath. We bear down with all our might and can feel baby descending though the birth canal. We can only push like this for so long. When the contraction ends and we take a breath to prepare for the next big push, the baby slides back a bit. Thus, we continue this process to progress. We push and baby moves forward. We breath and baby moves back a bit. Until, at least the head emerges and we only have one final push to completely deliver baby. 

This is also so with working though our weaknesses. As we expunge our flaws, and expose weaknesses in the crevasses of our heart, we exert great effort, pushing through the hard stuff. We can only push for so long. We then take a breath, and seem to backslide a bit. The Lord uses the moments to reveal another facet of our weakness, and energize us by reminding us of our goals. So we continue the process: Push and move forward, breathe and backslide. Until at last, our weaknesses are strengths and we are able to enter the presence of Jesus Christ.

The Stairs or the Elevator

by Nicky Smith

I have sure faith in Christ.  I don't know yet because real knowledge requires experience. I have always desired to know the Lord. But as of recently I told the Lord I will do whatever he wants so I can see him. At the time I just didn't know what.

We know that every blessing is predicated on a set of laws. So, I ask him to reveal those laws to me so that I could obtain the blessings I desire: seeing the Lord in this life. He told me he wants essentially two things: 1. Become sanctified; and 2. Possess a willingness to sacrifice all earthly things. I told him that I have such a strong desire for this experience that I want him to help get me there the fastest shortest route possible.

Over time, I came to understand that there are two ways to progress. We can take the stairs or the elevator. We can either walk up slowly or we can go the direct fast route. The latter is the only way to ensure we will see the Lord in this life. I told the Lord I want to take the elevator.

So from that very moment I told him that, the Lord has revealed to me one weakness at a time that needs to be fixed. At first they were outward observable sins. Once I stopped doing those he told me about things of my heart. These things are very very difficult to change. But I would then ask for light and truth so I can see situations as they really are. My heart doesn't automatically just change but through acting right in those situations over time my heart does change. This is how one becomes sanctified. The experience is difficult and painful. There are a great many ascents and descents. I have trials daily. But I have been receiving revelation too daily.

One cannot overcome a weakness only with the truth. Experience is essential too. One has to practice to actually overcome an action or condition of the heart. So I pleaded for more trials in order to get over my weaknesses and I am grateful for them.

I have so much faith that the Lord will unveil his face when I am ready. I also know that each of us can be on this path. It is a decision each of us has to make: the stairs or the elevator.

The Rooster

by Nicky Smith

We had a rooster until recently. He was a mean old soul and would attack anyone and anything that entered the chicken coop. In reality, he was just doing his job, but despite the fact that I went in there every single day to collect eggs and give them food and water, he wanted to kill me. There were many occasions where he hurt me, pecking me when I momentarily turned away. Eventually I learned that the only way to enter the coop was with a 6-foot stick which I could use to protect myself.

One day it came to me that we are much like this rooster. The food and water brought to us, often daily, are like two things: truth and trials. We absolutely need these things to grow.

Christ is someone who possesses all truth in his sphere. He is the most intelligent of all (see Abraham 3:19). If we are to be like him, we need to become intelligent like him, possessing as much truth as he has (see D&C 93:36). But, when he hear new things, how often do we become angry or reject it because it goes against the things we already think we know? We think we are open to truth, but instead we are quite the opposite.

Christ is someone who has overcome all things. If we are to become like Christ, we need to overcome all things, which means enduring trials and using them to be become more like Him. Paul stated that Christ learned obedience through his suffering: "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;" (Hebrews 5:8). We are no different and we need to trials too. How else are we going to learn patience, long-suffering, and so on. Yet, when the trials feel like they are too much, we at times become bitter and hardened. Sometimes we even turn away from God.

If we understood how much truth and how many trials we need to become like God, we would not reject the Lord giving them to us. Ideally, just as this rooster should have been grateful I was bringing him food and water each day, we ought to be grateful for all our trials and all the truths we will yet learn. Eventually we can get to the point were we plead to God to give us more truth and to give us more trials, because we know there is no other way to become exalted.