May the Faith be With You

A few weeks ago a challenge was posed to me.  My mission was to move a brush with my faith.  "Go ahead," Sister McBride encouraged me.  "You can do it, move the brush by using your faith."

I stared at the brush for a while.  Move it with my faith?  What is she talking about?  I was halfway tempted to raise my hand and go all Star Wars on her and "use the force"...but I thought better of it.

Use the faith...Use the faith...As I stared at the plastic object before me it suddenly clicked.  With a smile I reached out and picked up the brush.  (Okay, it was actually a pen, but I didn't have a picture of a pen so I used my artistic license and changed it to a brush.)  My mission was accomplished.  I had moved the brush using my faith.

"Now, hang on a second," someone might say "you didn't use your faith, you did it yourself.  Faith is when it happens all by itself."  To which I would reply, "not quite, my friend.  Not quite.  You see, faith isn't just a passive belief, it is an active action.  Here, let me show you," and I would pull out my scriptures.  Flipping over to James 2 I would show what the scriptures say about faith and works.

In between verses 17 and 26 it says 6 times how faith is directly connected to works.  My favorite verse is the 18th one where it says "Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works."  We may say "I have faith" until the cows come home (which will take a long time because I don't own any cows), but it won't mean anything unless we are willing to act on what we believe.

Like with the brush.  If I had sat there thinking move....moooooooovvvee....move!!!  It probably wouldn't have budged an inch.  But when I put my faith into action on the belief that I could move the brush, it was a simple matter of muscle movement.

Another story?  Okay...there once was a woman who was very very sick, she lived around 30 A.D. and nothing the doctors did could cure her.  Nothing.  For twelve years.  She had spent all of the money and wealth she had in the hope of becoming well and still she was plagued with her illness.  She had faith in the doctors - she paid to have them come to her after all, she did act on that faith - but still she was left in her weakness.

One day she heard of a man named Jesus.  She heard that he had power to heal.  She said to herself "If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole."  So she left her home and went to the streets to where he walked.  It was crowded, there was a lot of people around him but she pushed forward in faith.  Faith in who?  Faith in Christ.

Reaching through the crowd she touched Christ's garment "and straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague."

What brought this healing?  After twelve years of doctors, what made it so instant?  Christ himself provides the answer: Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole;

She didn't simply wait for him to come to her, she reached out and did her part.  She believed in his power enough to act on that belief.  In doing so, she was blessed.

Our faith can be like hers in our day.  We show our faith in Christ in more than just word, but also by action.  How?  By doing as the Savior has done.  By showing love to all around us, by being obedient to the commandments even in the face of opposition.  Faith is an action word, and we live it every day.  When we reach out in faith, miracles will happen.  It's about more than just moving a brush, it's about moving the world.  By faith.

Sisters to the Rescue!

Growing up, I was never too involved with missionaries.  Occasionally I saw them walking on the street and we'd honk the horn and wave at the Elders in suits.  I didn't think too much about what they did or how they could help me.  They were there and I was here and the two worlds never really touched.

That changed one snowy day in Utah.

I was driving up to work in Ogden and the snow was just dumping down in the Utah way.  Traffic was slow and everyone was slipping on the roads, but I was able to drive safely until I got to the neighborhood of my destination.  Here the roads weren't clear of the ever-deepening snow, and the house I was trying to reach was higher up on the mountain.  I knew that there were steep roads ahead of me, but what other option did I have but to go forward?  I had to get to work.

My little Hyundai Elantra managed fine until I was about two blocks away from my destination.  I was on a steep road and it slid down to a stop on the opposite side of the road.  What was I going to do?  I couldn't reverse and try again, I didn't think I'd be able to hold the traction, but my wheels were spinning out without any success.  I would've parked it right there and just walked, but my car was completely blocking the road.  What could I do?

As I picked up my phone to ask my Dad for help, I saw to figures come running towards me out of the corner of my eye.  I rolled down my window as they came up and to my surprise I saw that they were Sister missionaries!

"Would you like some help?"  One asked.

"I'm stuck, I'm not sure how to get out," I replied, phone still in hand.

"We can help push," she replied and the sisters went to the back of the car. 

In disbelief I wiggled the steering wheel, pushed on the gas and the sisters behind me pushed.  In just a few moments my car was freed and I was able to crest the top of the hill.  "Thank you!" I shouted to the Sisters and continued to drive to my job.  The Sisters waved back and returned to their home.

I've never forgotten that act of service.  It came at the right time of my distress and was the exact help I needed.  Not to mention, it was unexpected.  I never would have guessed that Sister missionaries lived on that street.

Now, it's my turn to wear the black badge with Christ's name on it.  As I do, I think back to those first Sister missionaries I met.  They were doing more than just helping a stranger in need, they were following the example of Christ by giving service.  They were fulfilling those covenants they made at baptism. 

When we are baptized, we make a promise that we will "bear one another's burdens" and "comfort those that stand in need of comfort".  Giving selfless service is a part of this.  Not just service when it's convenient or when you feel like it, but giving it when it is needed.  The Sisters could easily have said, "It's cold, it's wet, and it looks like she's calling someone for help.  We have other things we need to plan and do, we don't need to go outside to help her.  She would never know." and forgotten about it.  Instead, they didn't just walk out of the house to help, they ran to help.

I have learned from their example that this is how I need to respond to opportunities to give service.  To be on-demand for service opportunities, regardless of how "busy" I am or how I feel.  As a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I have made a promise with my Heavenly Father that I will reach out and serve his children - my brothers and sisters. 

That means you.  :)

Know that right here, right now, Sister McBride and I are here for you.  Whether you have a gospel question or you'd just like someone to clean your bathroom, we are here to help.  Our number one priority is to do as the Savior would do if he were here.  We love you and we want to help in anyway we can.  Give us a call, send us a message, or catch us when you see us.  Let us know what we can do to help. 

You are a precious child of God and He is there for you.  So are we.  :)

Two Stories of Faith in Christ

Today I'd like to share two stories with you about having faith in Jesus Christ.  They're not my stories, but they very much apply to us. 

The first one comes from a talk by Elder David A. Bednar, an apostle of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  This is his experience with a young man and his wife.

"John is a worthy priesthood holder and served faithfully as a full-time missionary. After returning home from his mission, he dated and married a righteous and wonderful young woman, Heather. John was 23 and Heather was 20 on the day they were sealed together for time and for all eternity in the house of the Lord...

"Approximately three weeks after their temple marriage, John was diagnosed with bone cancer. As cancer nodules also were discovered in his lungs, the prognosis was not good...

"Heather noted: “This was devastating news, and I remember how greatly it changed our perspectives....This was the worst day of my life, but I remember going to bed that night with gratitude for our temple sealing. Though the doctors had given [John] only a 30 percent chance of survival, I knew that if we remained faithful I had a 100 percent chance to be with him forever.”

"Approximately one month later John began chemotherapy...three months later John underwent a surgical procedure to remove a large tumor in his leg...

"Two days following the operation, I visited John and Heather in the hospital. We talked about the first time I met John in the mission field, about their marriage, about the cancer, and about the eternally important lessons we learn through the trials of mortality. As we concluded our time together, John asked if I would give him a priesthood blessing. I responded that I gladly would give such a blessing, but I first needed to ask some questions.

"I then posed questions I had not planned to ask and had never previously considered: “[John,] do you have the faith not to be healed? If it is the will of our Heavenly Father that you are transferred by death in your youth to the spirit world to continue your ministry, do you have the faith to submit to His will and not be healed?”

Pause there.  What are your thoughts as you read those questions?  When I first heard this, it was not what I was expecting.  The usual question is, "Do you have the faith to be healed?"  Why would we think about the alternative?  God has the power to heal all illnesses, and if we trust in him, that means we will be healed...right?  What would our faith be if we believed that we might not be healed?

Before I answer those questions, or finish of Elder Bednar's story, I'll turn to the second story.  This one happened way before any of us were born, it is found in the Old Testament in the Bible.  It is the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego.

"Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold...Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,

"That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

"Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

 

"Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews. They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar...There are certain Jews...Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

"Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. Then they brought these men before the king.

"Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? ...

"Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.

"If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.

"But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up."

Think about their response for a minute. If Elder Bednar had asked them the same question he asked the young couple, what would their response be?  From what I can tell, it would be a solid, resounding "YES."  They were willing to submit to the Lord's will instead of insisting on their own.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego had faith that God had the power to preserve them.  They knew his power and they trusted that he could save them.  But their second sentence holds weight as well, and shows even greater faith.  They were still going to choose the right, even if God didn't save them. 

Heavenly Father isn't one to give us instant gratification.  Sometimes the best blessings, the best lessons, come after trials of patience and faith.  There will be times when the Lord will let us fall so that we may pick ourselves up again and learn from the experience.  We must remember that His plan is the only plan that will bring the greatest growth, happiness, and knowledge.

Faith isn't simply believing that we can be lifted from our trials, true faith is more than that.  Faith in Christ means trusting in His will completely.  Meaning we take all of our ideas, thoughts, and plans and we place them on His altar holding nothing back.  That is what these two stories have in common, the people in them found the faith to believe in Christ and trust in his judgement, even if it meant they passed from this world because of it.  They met the challenge and conquered it.

So what happened to them once they found the faith to submit their will to Christ?  John's cancer was defeated for a time, but then it came back.  From Elder Bednar's talk, he is still going through this trial.  As for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, they were preserved from the fiery furnace to become great leaders in Babylon.

These two stories have ended well, from what we can tell.  But there are plenty of other stories like Abinidi (See Mosiah 17), Nephite women and children (See Alma 14:8), and Joseph Smith (See Doctrine and Covenants 135) who put their trust in the Lord and perished because of their belief.  Their faith was equal to each other, even though the result was different.

We face opposition and trials in our lives, the point isn't for us to plead for instant relief of the pain that tears apart our hearts, the point is for us to humbly submit to all things which the Lord sees fit to inflict upon us.  (Mosiah 3:19)  We can do it, because we will not be alone in our trials.  We will receive strength to endure as we are obedient to the commandments and as we have faith that we will receive His aid.

I know that Christ has the power to heal all sickness, remove all trials, and lift all burdens.  But I also know that in many cases he will not so then we can learn, grow, and become more like Him.  I know that we are not alone in our struggles, we have the greatest advocate on our side, and He will help us every step of the way as we look to Him for guidance.

A Good Health Plan

A few months ago, I made the decision to start eating healthy.  People have told me that if I do, I'll feel better and have more energy in my life, so I decided to try it.  I stopped buying ice cream and sugar, substituting it with salads and fruit cups.  But I didn't see a big difference in how I felt.  From what I could tell, I was the same Sister Butts as I was before I started eating healthily.

 

This past week, though, I had an experienced that changed my views on food.  It was dinner time, so Sister McBride and I decided to go to a fast food restaurant.  I chose some of the less than healthy foods, including a 12 pack of cream-filled pastries that were fried and rolled in cinnamon sugar.  :)  They were delicious and I'm sure I ate more than half of them!

Shortly after I ate them, however, I noticed something.  My stomach was hurting a little bit, I was feeling nauseous, tired, and a little more irritable.  Something just wasn't right.  I wasn't sick, but I sure felt like it.  It didn't take long for me to realize that it was because of the food.  

Now, I had eaten unhealthy food before, but it hadn't bothered me then.  That's because I was used to it.  But as my body acclimated to the nutrient filled food of salads, fruits, and other vegetables, my body wasn't prepared for the damage of fats and sugars - hence the negative reaction.  I may not have noticed the benefits of eating good food at first, but I could clearly see and feel the absence of it when I made a different choice.

As I was thinking about this experience, I found myself drawing parallels to things of a more spiritual nature.  Our spirits, like our bodies, need sustenance.  There are a great variety of things that we can feed our spirits, movies, books, games, schooling, entertainment.  Many of those things are very enjoyable, like movies!  Others are a little bit more drab, like a lecture on Physics.  (I personally love the subject, but I understand most people consider me crazy for thinking so.)

We know that we should study the scriptures, and that we will find strength from them.  But sometimes, we can't feel that strength directly affecting us.  We don't feel a difference when we turn off the T.V. and decide to read the scriptures for a few minutes.  My promise to you is that there is a difference.  Just like fruits and vegetables give our bodies energy, the scriptures give our spirits energy to keep going.

May I give you a challenge?  Something for you to experiment with in your own life?  For one week, trade out a movie, an online game, or a half hour of looking on pintrest and instead pick up a pair of scriptures and study.  Try for 15 minutes a day, and see how things change.  Notice how your days go, how you feel, and how you react to challenges that are presented to you.  If you're looking, you'll notice a difference.

Or, if you're like me.... :) ....at the end of a consistent week of reading the scriptures daily, go back to your daily routine and see if you notice the absence.  

I know that the scriptures fill and feed our spirits for the challenges of our day.  We will find strength from their words, and we will draw nearer to Christ because of them.  I know that if you are struggling with something, you will find help and understanding in the Book of Mormon.  You will see the difference.  More importantly, you will feel the difference.