6-8-15 President's Weekly Letter

Dear Elders and Sisters,

The foundation of our mission vision is that we will have “converted/Preach My Gospel missionaries.” To accomplish this we must each be actively engaged in activities that would strengthen our faith and deepen our personal conversion. I have selected faith as the Christlike attribute on which we, as a mission, will focus this month.  I invite you to conduct the faith portion of the activity found in PMG p. 126:

Read each item below carefully and decide how true that statement is about you:

1.  I believe in Christ and accept Him as my Savior.
2. I feel confident that God loves me.
3. I trust the Savior enough to accept His will and do whatever He asks.
4. I firmly believe that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ I can be forgiven of all my sins.
5. I have enough faith in Christ to obtain answers to my prayers.
6. I think about the Savior during the day and remember what He as done for me.
7. I have the faith necessary to help make good things happen in my life or the lives of others.
8. I know by the power of the Holy Ghost that the Book of Mormon is true.
9. I have enough faith in Christ to accomplish anything He wants me to do—even miracles if necessary.

Preach My Gospel helps us to understand that “Faith leads to action, including repentance, obedience and dedicated service.” As we conduct a self-evaluation of the aspects of faith above, we will surely find our strengths in certain areas, and weaknesses in others. Let us then ask ourselves, what can we do to turn our weaknesses into strengths (Ether 12:27)? Or in other words, how can we act to increase our faith? What can we do to repent, exercise greater obedience, or demonstrate greater dedication? As we choose to diligently act to increase our faith, the Lord will grant us power. “Faith is a principle of power. God works by power, but His power is usually exercised in response to faith" (PMG, 116). As we act with faith, consider what you might experience as the Lord, in response, exercises His power:

1. A witness of the Savior’s atoning sacrifice,
2.  Coming to feel the love of the Lord.
3. Feeling at peace with the trials we face.
4. Feeling the weight of past sins being lifted.
5. Receiving an answer to a sincere prayer.
6. Personally drawing closer to the Savior.
7. Following the promptings of the spirit.
8. A witness of the Book of Mormon.
9. Witnessing miracles in hastening the work of salvation.

As we experience the Lord’s power in our life, our faith increases. We will then be led to further action that will in turn increase our faith again. It can become a cycle that fuels itself. President Hugh B. Brown said, “We exercise faith by doing. Joseph Smith said that ‘faith [is] the principle of action and of power’”(Lectures on Faith[1985],72).

I know our Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ are anxious for us to draw near unto them. They wait ever so patiently for us to do so. I am certain it is their greatest desire to manifest themselves to us. They are limited only by the desires of our heart, for if our desires are unrighteous, their manifestations will condemn us rather than bless us. So let us in righteousness focus on those aspects of faith that we need to develop or strengthen. Identify things we can do to repent, exercise greater obedience, or demonstrate greater dedication. I promise you that as you do so, God will exercise His power and as you witness His power, your faith will increase.

President Blickenstaff

Mentor of Champions