“Faith: Turning to Christ,” New Era, Sept. 2011, YW9
Faith
Turning to Christ
Faith value project bullet four invites you to write a story that “illustrates your faith in Jesus Christ” (Young Women Personal Progress [booklet, 2009], 18). The following article shares one young woman’s story and thoughts on faith.
Faith is a principle of action and power. I have always thought of faith as something in your heart or mind, such as believing you will be with your family forever. But faith as an action is exercised if we are “anxiously engaged in a good cause” (D&C 58:27) and aiming toward a goal we have set. Whenever we work toward a worthy goal, we exercise faith.
Does this mean that doing my homework every night with the goal in mind of getting good grades is exercising faith? I think it is, because if I am doing my homework, then I will be able to do well on tests. I am exercising faith because I hope for something (good test grades) that I cannot yet see.
Having faith in Jesus Christ means relying completely on Him and trusting in His infinite power, intelligence, and love. It includes believing His teachings. It means believing that even though we do not understand all things, He does. Because He has experienced all our pains, afflictions, and infirmities, He knows how to help us rise above our daily difficulties (see Alma 7:11–13).
This truth gives me so much hope for the future. It also confirms the strength I have been feeling since my father passed away. One day, I saw a little boy and girl run up to their dad and give him a big hug. My heart dropped. I wanted my dad so badly. At that moment I wanted to give up and cry forever.
After I pondered this for quite some time, my heart was turned to someone for comfort: Jesus Christ. I had to learn to have faith in Jesus, rely on Him, know that He has suffered, and know that He helps me if I allow Him to. I exercised faith by remembering that He knows how to help me, and I need to do everything I can to be closer to Him so I can more fully feel of His love. The only way to true happiness is having faith in Him and knowing that He will never leave you (see John 16:33).
Because faith is a principle of action and power, in order to have faith in Christ we must go to church, read our scriptures, pray daily, and do things that bring the Spirit into our lives. One way to do that is by doing Personal Progress. If you set a goal to complete it and you work toward it, then you are exercising faith in Jesus Christ, and He will bless you for your efforts. Faith is a beautiful virtue that can help us in so many ways, as long as we take action and use that power to help.