Farewell Talk: Grow Through Life With Faith!!
10/11/15
Good afternoon brothers and
sisters!!!!!!!! As some of you know, I will be leaving for the Washington DC
North mission in about a week and I am so incredibly excited to serve the Lord
along with serving in the Temple Visitors’ Center. It is going to be an amazing
experience! The topic I was assigned to talk to you about today is Faith in
Jesus Christ. This is a Christ like Attribute listed in Preach My Gospel. Preach
my Gospel states, “When you have faith in Christ, you believe in Him as the Son
of God, the Only Begotten of the father in the flesh. You accept him as your
Savior and Redeemer and follow his teachings.” It is important to center our
faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ. We learn that faith is a strong belief of
truth within our souls that motivates us to do good.
As I was pondering on what to
talk about today, these simple primary teachings from the children’s songbook
rang true to me:
1. Faith is knowing the sun
will rise, lighting each new day.
Faith is knowing the Lord will hear my
prayers each time I pray. Faith is like a little seed:
If planted, it will
grow.
Faith is a swelling within my heart.
When I do right, I know.
2. Faith is knowing I lived with God before
my mortal birth.
Faith is knowing I can return when my life ends on earth.
Faith
is trust in God above;
In Christ, who showed the way.
Faith is strengthened;
I feel it grow
Whenever I obey.
A couple of summer ago, I remember going
over to my Grandma’s house to help her plant new flowers in her garden. As you
all know flowers start out as little tiny little seeds. In order for these
dependent seeds to grow, they need three essential things. They need water,
sunlight, and good soil. Just like my Grandma’s garden needed to
be nurtured by water sunlight and soil, our faith in Jesus Christ likewise
needs to be nurtured in order for it to grow. In Gospel Principles it states, “Would we
study and learn if we did not believe we could obtain wisdom and knowledge?
Would we work each day if we did not hope that by doing so we could accomplish
something? Would a farmer plant if he did not expect to harvest? Each day we
act upon things we hope for when we cannot see the end result. This is faith”
There are three essential things that help
our faith in Jesus Christ grow. The first one is trusting in our Savior, Jesus
Christ. Just like my Grandma and I trusted the sun to come out each day to
nourish our garden, our trust in our Lord, Jesus Christ is essential for our
faith to grow. Jesus Christ is the bright Son of God. God has a special plan
for our gardens of faith to grow; we just have to trust him. This reminds me of
one of my favorite a stories D Todd Christofferson told about President Hugh B
Brown, formerly a member of the twelve and a counselor in the first presidency:
“He
told of purchasing a rundown farm in Canada many years ago. As he went about
cleaning up and repairing his property, he came across a currant bush that had
grown over six feet high and was yielding no berries, so he pruned it back
drastically, leaving only small stumps. Then he saw a drop like a tear on the
top of each of these little stumps, as if the currant bush were crying, and
thought he heard it say: “How could you
do this to me? I was making such wonderful growth. … And now you have cut me
down. Every plant in the garden will look down on me. … How could you do this
to me? I thought you were the gardener here.” President Brown replied, “Look, little currant
bush, I am the gardener here, and I know what I want you to be. I didn’t intend
you to be a fruit tree or a shade tree. I want you to be a currant bush, and
someday, little currant bush, when you are laden with fruit, you are going to
say, ‘Thank you, Mr. Gardener, for loving me enough to cut me down.’” Years later, President Brown was a field officer in
the Canadian Army serving in England. When a superior officer became a battle
casualty, President Brown was in line to be promoted to general, and he was
summoned to London. But even though he was fully qualified for the promotion, it
was denied him because he was a Mormon. The commanding general said in essence,
“You deserve the appointment, but I cannot give it to you.” What President
Brown had spent 10 years hoping, praying, and preparing for slipped through his
fingers in that moment because of blatant discrimination. Continuing his story,
President Brown remembered: “I got on the
train and started back … with a broken heart, with bitterness in my soul. …
When I got to my tent, … I threw my cap on the cot. I clenched my fists, and I
shook them at heaven. I said, ‘How could you do this to me, God? I have done
everything I could do to measure up. There is nothing that I could have
done—that I should have done—that I haven’t done. How could you do this to me?’
I was as bitter as gall. “And then I
heard a voice, and I recognized the tone of this voice. It was my own voice,
and the voice said, ‘I am the gardener here. I know what I want you to do.’ The
bitterness went out of my soul, and I fell on my knees by the cot to ask
forgiveness for my ungratefulness. …
“…
And now, almost 50 years later, I look up to [God] and say, ‘Thank you, Mr.
Gardener, for cutting me down, for loving me enough to hurt me.’”
I can also relate to this story of the current
bush: As my grandma and I were glorifying her garden, she had me trim back all
the dead buds on a beautiful rose bush. I remember being so confused! Why would
you cut it down if you wanted it to grow? But it all comes down to trusting that
something big will come out of it. Jesus’s
love warms our heart and lights our ways just as the sun does as we strive to
grow our faith. He will break you, and then lovingly take you and make you the
person he wants you to be. So how can we develop trust in Jesus Christ? My
suggestion to you would first be to get to know Christ because it is hard to
trust someone you do not know. You can develop a relationship Christ by praying
to him with all you heart and by reading the scriptures. You talk to God
through prayer, and he gives his answers through scripture. Through faith you
receive answers to your prayers and personal inspirations to guide you in the
lords work. Faith in Jesus Christ means that you not only trust him enough to follow
his commandments, but that you are confident that he loves you. It is important
to turn to the Lord especially during trials. Rosemary M Wixom said, “Don’t
quit. You keep going. Trust in God and the good things to come. The world needs
you. Overcome difficulties through faith.
He can make more than what we could ever make for ourselves. Your faith in
Jesus Christ grows as you become better acquainted with him and his teachings. As
we exercise our faith it will light out paths each day.
Jesus Christ sacrificed for our sins so
that we may progress. He died that we may be lifted. Applying this atonement
into our lives is the second way to help our faith in Jesus Christ grow. As
flowers are watered, their roots soak up and consume this essential nutrient
given to them. We too can soak up and consume the atonement given to us. However,
just as the flowers become weak and droopy if they do not use the water, we too
will become weak if we do not use the atonement. So how can we apply the
atonement into our lives? You have to believe that your sins will be forgiven
through His Atonement. Mosiah 4:6 says “I say unto you, if ye have come to a
knowledge of the goodness of God, and his matchless power, and his wisdom, and
his patience, and his long-suffering towards the children of men; and also, the
atonement which has been prepared from the foundation of the world, that
thereby salvation might come to him that should put his trust in the Lord, and
should be diligent in keeping his commandments, and continue in the faith even
unto the end of his life.” Jesus Christ atoned for the sins of the world! He
sacrificed and atoned for your sins regardless if you use it or not. We should
always be repentant and have a prayer in our hearts so we do not waste this
wonderful gift given to us. Through faith in the Savior and through repentance,
we make His Atonement fully effective in our lives. Through faith we can also
receive strength to overcome temptations. The atonement can clean, reclaim, and
sanctify our lives. The atonement makes it possible for those who have faith in
Christ to be saved from their sins. It is important to use this gift Jesus
Christ has sacrificed for us and let it water our souls.
The final thing to help our faith in
Jesus Christ grow is standing in holy places. Flowers grow to be so much
stronger if they are planted in good soil, we to benefit and become stronger if
we are in good environments. Stand in the soil Jesus Christ has nourished for
us. This reminded me of a story my cousin told me when I was up at BYU, “There
was an incredibly large group of people assembled. On one side of
the
group stood a man who was Jesus. On the other side of the group stood
another man who was Satan. Separating them, running through the group was a
fence.
The scene set,
and, one by one, each having made up his or
her mind, each went to either
Jesus’s or Satan’s side.
This kept going,
and eventually Jesus had gathered around him a group of
people from the
larger crowds, as did Satan. But one little boy joined neither
group. He
climbed the fence that was there and just sat down on it. Then,
Jesus and his
followers began calling to the boy and begging him to come to their side. The boy
then looked over at Satan and saw he was just standing there with an evil smirk
on his face.
As the boy sat on that fence he wondered why Jesus was begging
him to come to their side and Satan wasn’t. The boy asked Satan, why don’t you
want me on you side? Satan foolishly remarked, “The fence is on my side.” Brothers
and sisters it is important that we surround our lives with good influences so
that our faith may grow in nourished soil. Do not stand in the middle be
completely on God’s side so Satan will not have power to tempt you. However,
when we mess up, our loving Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ will beg us to
come back on their side with open welcoming arms. Jesus Christ has walked the
soil we grow in. He knows how we feel and what we are going through, and most
importantly he knows what is best for us. Strive to grow your faith by having
good influences come into your lives and by seeking good friends. Deepen your
roots and stand in holy places so you can grow. Having faith in Jesus Christ
means you help bring out the good in your life and the lives of others. Moroni
7:33 states, “And Christ hath said: If ye have faith in me ye shall have power
to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me.” We will have power to do
extraordinary things through our faith. Henry B Eyring explains, “As we make a
constant quest for the spirit to be with us [by standing in holy places], then
we will never be in darkness, we will have no doubt, and our faith will be
strong”
With these
three things in mind trusting, using the atonement, and having good influences remember
that Satan does not want us to progress with our faith in Jesus Christ. He will
make us feel insignificant and droopy, but always remember the love and warmth
Jesus Christ and our loving Heavenly Father sends our way. During that warm
summer day while my Grandma and I were planting the flowers, I was digging a
hole to put this beautiful plant into, but as I was digging, we came across rocks
and hard dirt that got in our way of progressing with the task. What can some of
the rocks and hard dirt be in our lives that keep us from progressing with our
faith in Jesus Christ? Some things may be pride, being ungrateful, or lowering
our standards. To gain faith is to become humble and know that it is Gods will
that shall be done, not ours. Elder Benson had a couple things to say about
Pride: “Pride limits or stops our progression. It affects ALL our
relationships, even with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ” when we are prideful
we hold grudges and do not forgive, which is not using the atonement. Choose to
be humble by loving God. Carol F Mcconkie said, “Have humility to fall on your
knees and say oh Lord not my will but thine be done. Be humble enough to pray and then faithful enough
to act. Along with being humble, it is also important to be grateful. All
things come from God. He gives us everything in life. Finally, do not lower
your standards regardless of what the circumstances may be. Let your faith be
heard and be not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. Doubt and fear are also some
things that are opposed to having faith in Jesus Christ. Remember the words of
Deiter F. Uchtdorf, doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith. Doubt and
faith do not exist together. Preach my
Gospel says, “Your faith will increase through diligent study, prayer,
dedicated service, and obedience to the promptings of the holy ghost and the
commandments. As you explore the scriptures and search them, you learn of his
ways, his love for all people, and his commandments. Helaman 5:12 states, “And
now, my sons, remember, remember 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." Build your foundation on Christ so that Satan's evil influences cannot drag us down into the gulf of misery. If we build our foundation on Christ and are faithful and strong, we cannot and will not fall.
I would just like to end with these
lyrics from this song by Jenny Phillips.
“It wasn’t long ago
I was in another place Preparing for this day
I could feel the Father’s love I could see the
Savior’s face But now I walk by faith
I know exactly what I want for my life I want to
become like Christ
And one day when I see Him again I want to hear
Him say well done Come, come, come enter in Through serving with all my heart
And through His mighty grace
I pray I can stand blameless At the last day
Through unimportant things Through the daily
grind of life It’s so easy to lose sight
Of just how little time
We have to prove our faith And embrace the Savior’s way
I know exactly what I want for my life I want to
live in the light”
I love this song and its beautiful message about
faith and knowing that there is a plan for us and that we did live with our Father in Heaven before we came down to earth. It is by our faith that we will
be able to return back to them.
Remember that plants don’t jump
from a seed to a flower all at once, we too are not expected to make that big
jump with our faith, it will come in small bits as we make the right decisions.
Dieter F Uchtdorf said as you exercise a little faith and begin your walk as a
peaceable follower of Christ your heart will change and your whole being will
be filled with light. Faith has to grow. Sometimes our faith dwindles, but we
can always be trimmed back by our loving Heavenly Father and grow to be even
stronger. I know that as we strive to develop the Christ like attributes listed
in preach my gospel that we will grow to become a happier and better person.
Christ is truly the best example to pattern our lives after. We all have
potential to become beautiful flowers: whether it be a rose, a daisy, or a
sunflower, we are all the same in the eyes of our God. I know that the end will
be beautiful for each of you just like the colorful flowers in my Grandma’s
garden as your faith grows and as you pant that seed into your heart.
-Testimony
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
