Taking Time to Do the Simple Things

By Sara Bernpaintner

I felt like I was losing my relationship with Heavenly Father because I wasn’t doing the simple things.

After graduating from high school and getting a job, I struggled to make time to do the simple things every day to keep my faith strong—things like reading the scriptures and going to institute. I felt like my faith was weakening and that I was losing my relationship with my Heavenly Father.

So one day I wrote down two goals on a piece of paper: “Read the scriptures every day” and “Go to institute every week.” I put that piece of paper up on my wall. I prayed to Heavenly Father and asked Him to help me, and that day I promised myself that I would really do these things.

And I did. I started reading two chapters in the Book of Mormon every day and going to institute every week. Some weeks I had to work so I couldn’t attend institute, and some days I was so busy that I would forget to read my scriptures. I was also working on other goals that required time and attention. But I kept trying.

I felt my Heavenly Father nearer to me than before and felt Him helping me more frequently because I chose to follow Him. Reading the Book of Mormon every day helped me understand the plan of salvation better, which made me very happy. It became easier for me to find answers to my faith-related questions. And going to institute every week helped me see God’s light everywhere I went. In general, I felt the Spirit more in my life.

There are so many simple things we can do to help keep our faith strong. We can ponder messages from our leaders, go to church, pray sincerely, participate in Church activities, serve others, and attend the temple. These are small but important things.

To the young adults who believe they’re too busy to do the simple things that keep their faith strong: I have seen firsthand that it is possible to make time for those things. We choose how we spend our time every day.

One of my favorite scriptures about faith and blessings is Doctrine and Covenants 63:9: “But, behold, faith cometh not by signs, but signs follow those that believe.”

I have a testimony that if we do our part and do the seemingly simple things every day, Heavenly Father will bless us. As we strive to draw nearer to Him, He really will draw nearer to us (see Doctrine and Covenants 88:63). I know that is true because I’ve felt Him nearer to me as I’ve made an effort to come closer to Him.