Faith to Believe

6.6.11
Fleming Island, FL


Dear Family & Friends~


I've had a few experiences with prayer lately, which have been particularly meaningful to me. I read a scripture in Alma 37:40, which stated that the Liahona gave Nephi and his family directions if they had "faith the believe" that the spindles on the compass would point the way they should go. They still needed to be humble and obedient for it to work, but the key phrase for me was about having "faith to believe". The scriptures, in the same chapter, are later compared to the Liahona. If we have "faith to believe" they should point the way we should go, they will.

Before I continue with my experience with prayer, however, I have to share a few thoughts about having "faith to believe". I think for the greater portion of my life I have believed that having faith meant being perfect. Since I have never been perfect, many times I found it difficult to believe that God would ever work miracles in my life. Whether the miracles were wrought in sports, school, or any number of things, since I didn't feel I was perfect, I thought I was faithless, and so I was unsure that Heavenly Father would work things out for me. Yes, I have always believed that in the end everything would work out, but I never believed they could work out in the present. I thought that the now was a time for suffering, and not joy. I'm not sure where I learned that view, but somehow and for some reason I picked it up. I see now, thankfully, that it is possible to have joy in the present, and that we don't have to wait until after we're dead to be happy. We can be happy now! That is the purpose of the gospel, to help us to be truly happy! I realize that having "faith to believe" means trusting that if you will do your very best, trusting that God will answer your prayers and press forward with a "perfect brightness of hope" that God will work a miracle for you, you will see the blessings of fulfilled faith much sooner.

Back to prayer, I had a few questions I needed answered and so I exercised "faith to believe" that God would answer my prayers as I opened the scriptures and studied them. I prayed believing fully that He would answer me right then and there as I read the scriputres and I read with a sure hope that He would show me the answers in the scriptures. I asked two questions in the span of 30 minutes and found both my answers in the same chapter of the Old Testament, Deuteronomy 1. Perhpas if you read it you'll discover what my answers were. :) Then on Sunday I asked another question, and I was less sure about my prayer being answered, so as I opened the scriptures thoughts like, "He's not going to answer this question, it's too specific, and too big of a question to be answered" crept into mind. But I stopped...and I threw away my fears and repeated the statement about having "faith to believe" in my head again, then I flipped open the topical guide. I found some scriptures relating to my question and turned to them. I was led to Hebrews 10 in the New Testament. I read the beginning of the chapter and I somewhat questioned the relevancy of the chapter, but I continued on anyways. I read to almost the end when I came across the verse that let me know without a doubt that Heavenly Father had heard my prayer. The scripture said, "Cast not away your confidence...for ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise." I know it may be difficult to understand what that scripture meant to me, but it meant everything. God wants me to be confident in Him and to trust His plan and His will and not to throw away my faith because of my fears, but to believe Him. I can make it and I'm doing good, I just can't give up. All of us can make it if we will keep our confidence in the Lord and not throw it away because of our worries.

I love each of you and hope you have a wonderful week. This week we are going to spend much time tracting in the neighborhoods of members. I know we'll find people to teach and it is going to be a good week. I love you all!


Love~

Austin