Applying Faith to our Sabbath Day
Mission Experience - What is the 1st Principle of the Gospel?
Faith - First principle of the Gospel - All others follow
- Not free, but earned
- Is action - requires something from us
Christ said COME unto to me, SEEK and ye shall find, KNOCK and it shall be opened unto you
Action Verbs - Come, Knock, See
- Will we or won't we
- Faith is earned
- Faith is a choice
Alma 32 - Series of Choices, Words of Action
- Awake, Arouse, Experiment, Exercise, Desire, Work, Plant
- If we apply these words and HUMBLE ourselves we are promised . . .
- Alma 32:28 - begin to swell within your breasts, it beginneth to enlarge my soul, yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me
Examples of Faith all around us. Pres Hinckley had some examples we often talk about but might not consider acts of faith.
President Hinckley - Faith to Move Mountains
From the beginning this Church has moved forward with faith. Faith was the strength of the Prophet Joseph.
I am grateful for the faith that took him into the grove to pray. I am grateful for his faith to translate and publish the Book of Mormon. I am grateful that he went to the Lord in prayer that was answered with the bestowal of the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthoods. I am grateful that in faith he organized the Church and set it on its course. I thank him for the gift of his life as a testimony to the truth of this work.
Faith was also the moving power behind Brigham Young. I often reflect on the tremendous faith he exercised in bringing a very large number of people to settle this Salt Lake Valley. He knew very little of the area. He had never seen it, except in vision. I suppose he had studied what meager information there was, but he knew almost nothing of the soil or the water or the climate. And yet when he looked upon it, he said without hesitation, “This is the right place, drive on
Faith Sometimes leads to spiritual gifts
If ye have faith the GRAIN of a mustard seed you can move mountains.
Why a GRAIN? That is all it takes. No matter how hard, cold, distance, or apathetic a heart might be if we leave a space for the Lord, he can work with that.
Elder Richard C Edgley - Faith The Choice is Yours
When the disciples asked Jesus why they could not cast a devil out as they had just witnessed the Savior do, Jesus answered, “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove” (Matthew 17:20). I have never witnessed the removal of an actual mountain. But because of faith I have seen a mountain of doubt and despair removed and replaced with hope and optimism. Because of faith I have personally witnessed a mountain of sin replaced with repentance and forgiveness. And because of faith I have personally witnessed a mountain of pain replaced with peace, hope, and gratitude. Yes, I have seen mountains removed.
Savior Perceived strength and weaknesses in the Faith of those around him
Christ has said
- Great is thy Faith
- Oh ye of little faith
- Where is your faith
- In all of Israel I have not found so great faith
Faith has levels or degrees
How do we stay high?
What do we do if we experience low faith?
Elder Neil L Anderson - Faith Is Not by Chance, but by Choice
Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is not something ethereal, floating loosely in the air. Faith does not fall upon us by chance or stay with us by birthright. It is, as the scriptures say, “substance …, the evidence of things not seen.”5 Faith emits a spiritual light, and that light is discernible.6 Faith in Jesus Christ is a gift from heaven that comes as we choose to believe7 and as we seek it and hold on to it. Your faith is either growing stronger or becoming weaker. Faith is a principle of power, important not only in this life but also in our progression beyond the veil.8 By the grace of Christ, we will one day be saved through faith on His name.9 The future of your faith is not by chance, but by choice.
FAITH
- 1st Principal of the Gospel
- Something we earn
- Requires Action
- Comes in degrees
How does the Lord see my faith?
How does the Lord see your faith?
How do we apply faith to our sabbath day?
- Prep for Sunday
- Apply faith to your worship
- Apply faith in take aways
Prep - How do we exercise faith during the week?
- Scripture Study
- Prayers
- FHE
- HT/VT
- Lesson Prep - As teacher and Student
Are we doing these? If not, do them. You have been asked many times
If we are doing these, are we getting the desired result.
Bishop Chandler - If we are doing these and we are not yielding a spiritual experience we are not getting the desired result.
Sabbath
Being here = Faith
Sacrament - What Prep have you done? What are you doing during the Sacrament?
Elder McKay - Stake Conference
Sacrament Meeting = Memorial Service
“If on mobile device checking a tweet during the sacrament we are profaning the Sacrament” “Will you not wait with me one hour?”
What are we doing to increase our faith during the Sacrament? What are we doing to assist our accountable children?
Tiffany - 3 things to ponder during the Sacrament
- What do I need to repent of?
- Who do I need to serve?
- What did I do good last week?
Faith from Sacrament Meeting talks
Kimball “ What do you do when you find yourself in a boring Sacrament Meeting” “I don’t know, I have never been in one”
If you get nothing from this talk, it is not my fault
He that preacheth and he that receiveth are edified and rejoice together
3 hours to apply Faith - Some Feast - others asked to put feasting aside
President Saunders/Sis Lym - Stake Primary Training
Primary is PARAMOUNT
- IF they wonder they will know the way back
- Teaching them how to exercise faith and repent
- Teach them how to eat, in turn you become fed as you become more like Christ
- Lesson plan is not important - helping other feel the spirit is
Take Aways
What did you learn?
How were you prompted?
Need at least one take away to apply next week.
Alma 32
Awake, Arouse, Experiment, Exercise, Desire, Work, Come, Seek, Knock
Find one way to increase Faith
Work on Faith to prepare for a Trail of your Faith
Small Trail might be big to others
Crushing trails - Can they endure, become stronger for it
Some leave the church while others are strengthened.
How strong is your faith?
How to increase Faith?
Moroni’s promise - Ask with sincere heart, will real intent, having faith in Christ
Ask how to increase your faith and you will be answered.
