Faith

“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.”[1] Faith is the root of our religion. It is because of faith that Joseph Smith went into that beautiful grove of trees one morning in the spring of 1820 and prayed to Heavenly Father asking to know which church was the true church. Who knows where each of us would be had Joseph not had faith that his prayer would be answered? Faith is not something that can be learned from someone else, neither is it something that we gain overnight. But faith is an important principal that each of us must gain an understanding of for ourselves.

Faith must be exercised constantly in order to grow. In a way, it is much like brushing your teeth. Brushing your teeth extra well for ten minutes on one night of the week will not enable you to neglect to do it for the next six days, no matter how much toothpaste you use. Similarly, a sincere faith needs to be gradually built up, day by day. We need to constantly humble ourselves and exercise our faith, through attending church on Sunday, reading our scriptures, and through prayer. One of my favorite Primary songs illustrates this idea simply, “Faith is knowing the sun will rise, lighting each new day. Faith is knowing the Lord will hear my prayers each time I pray. Faith is like a little seed: If planted it will grow. Faith is a swelling within my heart. When I do right, I know.”[2] If we just plant the seed of faith in our hearts, with time and a willingness to work, it will grow and develop and become a useful tool in difficult times.

We must have faith in our Heavenly Father, and that he will direct our paths. Elder Neal A. Maxwell once said, “The issue for us is trusting God enough to trust also His timing. If we can truly believe He has our welfare at heart, may we not let His plans unfold as He thinks best? The same is true with the second coming and with all those matters wherein our faith needs to include faith in the Lord’s timing for us personally, not just in His overall plans and purposes.” [3] About four years ago, I was going through a difficult time. I was in ninth grade and preparing to attend high school the next year. Nearly every friend I had made in junior high was going to Bountiful High, but I was in the boundaries for Woods Cross High. Bountiful High seemed like the obvious school for me—most of my friends were going there, they had a better tennis team that I was desperate to play for, and better programs in the school subjects I was interested in compared to Woods Cross. So, I applied to get permission to change schools. Much to my frustration and sadness, my request was denied, and no matter how many letters of appeal written by me and my parents would change that fact. At the time I could not understand why Heavenly Father would do this too me. Now, it all seems so trivial, but at the time it was very important to me. Looking back, I see the hand of the Lord in my life—I now feel I was supposed to go to Woods Cross. I had the opportunity to participate in so many things that I would not have had I gone to Bountiful High.

This experience has taught me the principle of having faith that the Lord has plans for each of us. Sometimes we seem to get caught up in what we want and forget that the Lord knows what’s best for us and that he will direct our paths. In Isaiah we read, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”[4] I only wish I had had more faith concerning this concept when I was in ninth grade (it would have made my last few months of junior high much less stressful).

Trials build our faith. Sometimes bad things happen even to good people, but in the end trials can also become blessings. A couple of years ago, one of my best friends lost her brother in a tragic accident. It was a very difficult thing for her to go through, but after hearing her testimony a few months later, I realized how much this hardship had made her grow. She now has a very strong faith in the principle that families can be together forever. She had always been very strong in the church before this accident, but it is incredible to see how much she has grown spiritually because of this test of faith. “No matter what occurs, no matter how topsy-turvy the world becomes, you can always have the sustaining power of faith. That will never change. The perfect love of your Father in Heaven will never change. His gospel plan gives life meaning and can assure your happiness. His plan is not only to prove yourself here on earth but also that you may receive the growth that comes from correct decisions prompted by faith, enabled by your obedience.”[5] This quote by Elder Richard G. Scott that this close friend shared with me has helped me through some difficult times. And although I have not experienced a very serious trial yet, I know that when storms do come my way, the meaning of this statement will become even more relevant to me.

I am so grateful for the faith that Joseph Smith had throughout his life, and the impact it has had on my own faith. I have a testimony that we are all children of our Heavenly Father and that he loves us and is watching over us. I know that through trials, our faith can be strengthened and that in the end, they will be for our benefit. I have faith in this gospel and in our Savior, Jesus Christ, and I know that through his Atoning Sacrifice, we can all be perfected and return to him someday.

-Alexa Kirk

[1] James 2:17-18
[2] “Faith,” Children’s Songbook, 96–97.
[3] Neal A. Maxwell, “Even As I Am” (1982), 93
[4] Isaiah 55:8-9
[5] Richard G. Scott, “The Sustaining Power of Faith in Times of Uncertainty and Testing,” Ensign, May 2003, 75