FAITH
WHAT IS FATH?
Hebrews 11:1 -- faith is the substance [assurance] of things hoped for, the evidence of
things not
Object Lesson: Peanut in hand, something no man has touched before
2 Corinthians 13:1 – in the mouth of two or three witnesses…
Get witnesses – one leader, one young man
Alma 32:21 -- if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true
*Whenever we work toward a worthy goal, we exercise faith. We show our hope for
something that we cannot yet see.
*Moses parted the Red Sea, Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son, Enoch was
translated, Noah was saved from the floods, Joseph Smith restored the gospel – even the reason
we are all here talking today comes because of faith.
*What are some examples of faith in your life? What do you do that requires faith?
*Do miracles produce faith? D&C 63:9
WHAT CAN WE DO WITH FAITH? WHY DO WE WANT IT?
Faith (being faithful) shows the path for us and allows us to obtain eternal life:
D&C 75:5 – eternal life
2 Nephi 9:18 – Show the promise of eternal life, joy filled forever if we believe (have
faith)
*By faith we can do anything: Luke 17:6, Matt 17:20
*Faith allows us to endure trials and adversity – story of Job:
“I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: “And
though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God”
**Through faith we can:
All things are possible to him that believeth – Mark 9:23
The following story told by Matthew Cowley illustrates the confidence that can come when we
live by faith:
“I was asked to administer to a baby in New Zealand. I was asked to bless it. The father came up to me
with this child, fourteen months old, and he said, ‘Our child has not been blessed yet, so I want you to
give it a name.’ I said, ‘All right. What is the name?’ He gave me the name of the child, and then he said
in a matter-of-fact way, ‘While you are giving it its name, give it its sight.’ The child was born blind. He
said, ‘We have had it to the specialists in Wellington. They said it was born blind and they cannot do
anything for it. So while you are giving it a name, by the same authority you use to give it a name, give it
its vision.’ Just as simple as that!
“Well, I was scared. I never had that faith. The thing came to me just suddenly like lightning out of the
blue. But I went on and blessed the baby with a name. It was the longest blessing, I think, I have ever
given. I was using all the words I could think of and had ever thought of. I was trying to get enough
inspiration—enough nerve, if you want to call it that, to bless that child with its vision. I finally did.
“Eight months later I saw the child, and the child saw me. … Never let this simple faith get away from
your life, never let it get away from you. It is the most precious thing you have in life”
Cleave unto every good thing” (see Moroni 7:28).
Enjoy peace and happiness without fearing the future.
Receive answers to our prayers.
Have our burdens lightened by God (see Matthew 11:28–29).
Be forgiven of our sins as we repent of them.
Exercise the power of the priesthood.
Have the Holy Ghost with us (see Moroni 7:32).
Experience miracles in our lives (see 2 Nephi 26:13). Moroni 7:37 “by faith miracles are wrought
Return to live with our Heavenly Father after the Resurrection
**It is also by faith that we return to our Heavenly Father and obtain eternal life
HOW CAN WE GET FAITH?
??When have you acted with faith? Sports-can you see that you will be good when you
finish practicing? School, riding a bike, what are more examples?
How do we grow something every day – skills, plants, strength?
Tell story of running the DFW Mud Run – first day nearly died, in the end the race was easy
Alma 32:28 – compare faith to seed: read the story – draw the comparable
