Tune into the Spirit

By Elder Duane D. Bell

Area Seventy

“There is one ‘true God, and Jesus Christ,’ whose doctrine, when followed with full purpose of heart, will give us peace in this life and eternal life in the life to come.”

In my profession, I am involved with selling—and at times installing—satellite dishes for homes to view various television channels from the broadcaster of their choice. This takes a little bit of knowledge of the industry and skill to install the equipment. Let me explain how this happens with a less technical explanation.

As we cannot physically see the satellite in orbit from earth with our naked eyes, aligning the dish perfectly with the satellite may seem impossible. One must have a basic knowledge that there is a satellite parked in orbit at a specific location, have the correct satellite dish, and have the correct installation tools in order to properly install the equipment. All these are necessary to receive the correct signal from the correct satellite.

As there are literally hundreds of satellites in orbit, aiming the dish at the correct satellite takes knowledge and skill. The satellite dish has to be perfectly aligned with the satellite in orbit so as to receive maximum signal strength and quality. Otherwise, the viewer will not be able to receive the desired television channels which the broadcaster uplinks to the satellite. This takes some precise movement of the dish from left to right and from up to down. To make this process more effective and accurate, we use a device called a satellite field strength meter.

This instrument when used correctly, and while adjusting the satellite dish toward the desired satellite, will indicate whether our signal strength is increasing or decreasing. The more we align the dish correctly to the satellite, the more our signal strength and quality increases until we get what is called “the sweet spot.” This means we have achieved the maximum signal quality and strength that the satellite transponder has to offer.

When signal strength is strong, it prevents signal loss during bad weather. But when a satellite dish is not aligned correctly—and heavy rains and storms come—signal strength decreases and we lose our signal from the satellite in orbit.

Sometimes the satellite dish may be flawlessly installed—with perfect signal strength and quality—but the installer may fail to secure it tightly. Then, when strong winds blow, the dish may shift a few degrees from the “sweet spot” and again, the signal is lost.

This process can be likened to our faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Because we cannot see them with our natural eyes unless “quickened by the Spirit” (Doctrine and Covenants 67:11), there are many who, like Korihor in the Book of Mormon, claim that man cannot know of things they cannot see. Hence, faith is the key principle of our gaining a knowledge of their existence. Alma teaches that “if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true” (Alma 32:21).

Though there are hundreds of satellites in orbit, only one will give us the signal we require to watch the correct television channels we seek. Similarly, there is one “true God, and Jesus Christ” (John 17:3), whose doctrine, when followed with full purpose of heart, will give us peace in this life and eternal life in the life to come.

In a spiritual sense, gaining an increase in signal strength on a field strength meter is like us increasing our faith in Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Gaining a firmer knowledge of Their existence requires a study of the scriptures, with focus on the Book of Mormon. When done sincerely and earnestly, we can then receive a witness as spoken of by Moroni when he exhorted all “to seek this Jesus of whom the prophets and apostles have written, that the grace of God the Father, and also the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, which beareth record of them, may be and abide in you forever” (Ether 12:41; emphasis added).

Once we receive this witness from the Holy Ghost, we constantly need to nourish that testimony in order to increase our faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Just as signal strength and quality are vital when installing a satellite dish, when we align ourselves to the will of the Father and Jesus Christ and apply true doctrine in our lives, our spiritual strength and faith increase.

Like adjusting the satellite dish from left to right and up and down to find the “sweet spot,” we need to “adjust” our lives to experience this increase of faith. This means learning to put off the natural man by laying “aside every sin, which easily doth beset you” (Alma 7:15) and allowing the Atonement of Christ to take effect in our lives. The more we apply this, the more our faith will increase.

When our focus is not applied in this, we can become like a satellite dish that—when not secured properly—can easily shift its alignment in bad weather and lose signal. Or in the spiritual sense, lose our faith. Or, we can secure ourselves by constantly increasing our faith and through applying the counsel Helaman gave to his sons Nephi and Lehi, “that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall” (Helaman 5:12).

What a wonderful opportunity we have had with one of the 2018 area plan goals to “Increase Faith in Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ and His Atonement” by doing the following:

Improve Sabbath day observance in the home and at church.
All members worthily have a temple recommend and participate in temple work.
Read the Book of Mormon daily.

I testify that as we align ourselves to these goals with full purpose of heart, we will experience this increased faith. Our lives will be filled with the joy the gospel has to offer. We will be able to bear with patience our afflictions and endure our trials knowing that the Lord is on our side. As I have applied those goals more earnestly in my life in 2018, I have felt an increase of the Spirit and a greater determination to remember and to keep the covenants I have made. I have felt that I have drawn closer to Heavenly Father and the Savior and have been blessed temporally and spiritually because of this.

May we constantly strive to increase our faith and to become true disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ by applying true doctrine. By doing so, we will establish the gospel of Jesus Christ in our hearts and in our homes.

Elder Duane D. Bell was named an Area Seventy at the April 2018 general conference. He is married to Jocelyn Lee Scott; they are the parents of four children. Elder and Sister Bell reside in East London, South Africa.