the faith not to be healed.

Every once in awhile a talk or fireside will really hit home for me and stay with me. Sometimes I forget who shared it or exactly what they said, but the principle continues to play a role in my life. I still remember a talk that I think was given at Conference while I was on my mission, "Good, Better, Best."

Regardless . . . I had one of those experiences during a CES fireside given by Elder Bednar back in March (he also gave a dope talk on chastity Saturday afternoon session).

Most of the talk was the story of a young husband who had cancer, but what sticks out most to me is the question that was asked of him, "Do you have the faith not to be healed?"

We often think to ourselves, if I just have enough faith, miracles will happen, I'll get what I want and everything will be great. Then, when things don't work out we question our own faith or God's love for us or involvement in our lives.

The question of "Do you have the faith not to be healed?" has been a way for me to remember that God's will plays a role in every prayer and desire that we have. We can have the faith to be "healed," but we must also understand and be accepting of that fact that the Lord's will might be something different.

Maybe this isn't the best way to say it but, for me I think, "God, this is what I want . . . but if your will is something else . . . I'm okay with that." I guess from there is where we start listening to the whisperings of the Spirit and begin to align our wills with God's.

Anyway.

Maybe you're like me.

remember your name.

Helaman 5 has got to be one of my most favorite chapters of the Book of Mormon. Some beautifully concise council from Helman to his two sons Nephi and Lehi, focusing on the Savior and remembering, followed up the the account of thousands of Lamanites being converted to the Savior after they see Nephi and Lehi protected in prison by the hand of God.

Anyway, I know I've talked some before about the concept of remembering. Something struck me though today as I read Helaman 5.

Helaman says to his two sons, "Behold I have given unto you the names of our first parents (Nephi and Lehi) . . . and this I have done that when you remember your names ye may remember them; and when ye remember them ye may remember their works; and when ye remember their works ya may know that it is said . . . that they were good."

Their names served as a constant reminder of the kind of life they were expected to live. By remembering their names they remembered who they were named for and they remembered the legacy of those righteous men, inspiring them to live their lives in like manner.

At baptism we all take on us the name of Christ. We become Christians. I know for me I'm not always the best example of a true Christian . . . but I hope that we can all remember who we are named for and the way He lived his life and what He did for us. We are Christ's. We must strive to remember that we have taken on his name, we represent him, and as disciples of Christ we should live like such.

we trust in our God.

When you get towards the end of the book of Alma you get into some pretty detailed accounts of a pretty intense war between the Lamanites and the Nephites. For some people it's something they skim through or just take it at face value. There's lots of fantastic stories in there, like the 2,000 stripling warriors or the story of Lehonti's demise. But everything recorded in the Book of Mormon is there for a reason . . .

As I read Alma 58 I noticed some interesting things that I think apply to us in our own lives.

In this chapter Helaman and his army have just successfully retaken a city that had been captured by the Lamanites. Basically the Nephites want to get back the cities that were theirs in the first place, and they want to preserve their liberty, especially their right to worship freely.

Problem is the next city they need to take has an enormous Lamanite army protecting it and they remember the tricks the Nephites have pulled on them before to recapture other cities.

Helaman asks for reinforcements and fresh supplies, but because of dissension in the capitol (which he is unaware of) only a small army comes with some supplies, all the while the Lamanites are getting reinforcements and food.

So here's Helaman with his small army, they're low on supplies, they're low on strength of numbers and they're about ready to starve to death. They're suffering and they're terrified that they won't be able to defend or protect their families and their liberty. So what do they do?

The pour out their souls in prayer to God that he would strengthen and deliver them. It is then that God comforts them with "assurances that he would deliver us . . . he did speak peace to our souls, and did grant unto us great faith, and did cause us that we should hope for our deliverance in him."

After receiving that answer to their prayers they take courage and have the determination to be victorious. I am imagining that that experience is an incredibly spiritual and tender experience for this small army.

Imagine yourself in their situation and having the Holy Ghost testify to the entire army that God will deliver you.

After that they are able to take the city without any blood being shed (the Lamanite army chases after what they think is the full army while two smaller groups come in and take the city while they're gone).


I know I've received similar answers to prayers when I've felt that I'm about to starve to death in the wilderness with the odds stacked against me. God gave me peace and hope. I just wish that I had more faith to trust in answers given a long time ago instead of needing to be reassured every few steps.

"But behold, we trust in our God who has given us victory."

it really happened.

The other night at my mission reunion, my mission president shared a story with us. It was about a new missionary who was trying to memorize Joseph Smith's experience in the Sacred Grove.

It came to his turn to share the experience of when Joseph Smith prayed to know which church was true and God and Jesus Christ appeared to him in that grove. He shared the story of the first vision and felt good that he had remembered it all. After the lesson the missionaries left the house. This guy was a 6' 6" Tongan and as they walked down the street his tiny companion grabbed him by the tie, pulled his face down and said, "Don't you ever share it like that again . . . It really happened."

It struck me as I contemplated my own feelings about God and Christ's appearance to Joseph Smith.

I've had the opportunity to walk through that same grove where they answered Joseph Smith's prayer.

But you don't need to go there to know.

As I walked back to my car after yesterday's afternoon session of General Conference a protestor was "singing" a parody of Praise to the Man. He derided Joseph Smith and called him all sorts of misinformed things.

I just need to say this:

God and Jesus Christ appeared to a 14 year old boy in a grove of trees in upstate New York and told him that no church was true; they told him that a restoration of God's authority and church needed to take place. That boy was Joseph Smith.

It happened. I know it because God told me so. I prayed about it and He answered. Joseph Smith was called to be a prophet, he translated the Book of Mormon by the gift of God.

God's Church is restored, we have full access to the Atonement of Jesus Christ and God's authority is on the earth.