Do you ever face trial of your faith?

Good Morning, Good Afternoon, or Good Evening, 

this post should take approximately three to five minutes to read from start to finish.

I would like to ask the following two questions and you can either ask yourself the following questions either now or in your own time. "Have you ever face trial of your faith?" "If yes, how have you face trial of your faith throughout your life so far?" This post is based on October 2012 General Conference talk and it's called, "Trial of Your Faith" by Elder Neil L. Andersen.

I would like to share with you some highlights while I was reading the talk and I hope you will be able to learn something new.

Elder Andersen mentioned, "Like the intense fire that transforms iron into steel, as we remain faithful during the fiery trial of our faith, we are spiritually refined and strengthened. ..  The gift of faith is a priceless spiritual endowment. .. We treasure our faith, work to strengthen our faith, pray for increased faith, and do all within our power to protect and defend our faith. The Apostle Peter identified something he called a “trial of your faith.” ..

These fiery trials are designed to make you stronger, but they have the potential to diminish or even destroy your trust in the Son of God and to weaken your resolve to keep your promises to Him. These trials are often camouflaged, making them difficult to identify. .. A real but manageable test for one can be a fiery trial for another.

How do you remain “steadfast and immovable” during a trial of faith? You immerse yourself in the very things that helped build your core of faith: you exercise faith in Christ, you pray, you ponder the scriptures, you repent, you keep the commandments, and you serve others.

"Dispute not because ye see not for ye receive
no witness until after the trial of your faith."
- Ether 12:6

When faced with a trial of faith whatever you do, you don’t step away from the Church! Distancing yourself from the kingdom of God during a trial of faith is like leaving the safety of a secure storm cellar just as the tornado comes into view. .. There is always a place for you here. No trial is so large we can’t overcome it together.

.. The leaders of the Church are honest but imperfect men. Remember the words of Moroni: “Condemn me not because of mine imperfection, neither my father … ; but rather give thanks unto God that he hath made manifest unto you our imperfections, that ye may learn to be more wise than we have been.”

.. President Ezra Taft Benson said, “Every [person] eventually is backed up to the wall of faith, and there … must make his stand.” Don’t be surprised when it happens to you! By definition, trials will be trying. There may be anguish, confusion, sleepless nights, and pillows wet with tears. But our trials need not be spiritually fatal. They need not take us from our covenants or from the household of God.

“Remember, … 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.”

.. With faith come trials of faith, bringing increased faith. .." If you would like to read the whole talk in your own time, here's the link www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2012/10/trial-of-your-faith

Stay tuned until next time.

May we feel the comfort during our trials and difficulties?

Good Morning, Good Afternoon, or Good Evening, 

this post should take approximately three to five minutes to read from start to finish.

Sometimes, I tend to forget how comfort feeling feels like. I'm sure that there would be other people agree with me. I always do my very best to remember the purposes of why I have given the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost can always provide comfort during difficult trials and difficulties when we allow it to happen. Each of us as individuals do go through trials and difficulties throughout our lives. I know all of us go through trials and challenges everyday

"Tests and trials are given to all of us. These mortal challenges allow us and
our Heavenly Father to see whether we will exercise our agency to follow his
son." - Robert D. Hales.

I know it isn't supposed to be easy for us to go through trials and difficulties. The Video is called: "Comfort in Trials: Power of the Holy Spirit"

If you can't see the video, here is the link below for the video.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbd6N_cBFtw 

Has the Holy Ghost has been a comforter to you through your trials?

How about, has the Holy Ghost has been a comforter to you through your difficulties?  

"I testify that I really liked the video of other people to say about how has the Spirit been a comfort to them. It is one of the many grateful things that I have in life to able to have the Holy Ghost. I know whenever I feel down or upset, I always do my best to acknowledge the comfort from the Holy Ghost. 

Individuals who has been inactive and less active from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints can feel comfort and the power of the Holy Ghost when they're willing to feel the comfort of the Holy Ghost. Converts and Investigators can also feel comfort and the power of the Holy Ghost during Church, during Missionary Discussions, etc.

In The Name of Jesus Christ. Amen."

Stay Tuned until next time.

What should we look forward to after tribulations?

Good Morning, Good Afternoon, or Good Evening, 

this post should take approximately four to seven minutes to read from start to finish.

As individuals, we may or may not often forget why we face many difficulties and trials throughout our lives. Are we too caught up what the world expects of us to do? A.k.a are we following Satan's plan to feel misery and pain?

Do we acknowledge the blessings that comes sometime after we face a difficulty or a trial in our lives? Do we ever thank our father in Heaven for always being wherever we need him through gratitude prayer?

A few blessings comes straight away, some blessings comes sometime way after than we expected, and some blessings just doesn't come in this life.

At multiple times throughout some places where I've worked at, it would be raining very heavy. I often get scared and worried that I may get into a car accident. I also did worried about the drivers around me if they would crash into me because of them not driving safely in the conditions. I did remembered to pray for the rain to stop and eventually the rain stop. I felt disbelief at first and then I felt so much gratitude that the rain has stopped.

"For after much tribulation, come the blessings." - D&C 58:4.

This post is based on October 1979 General Conference talk and it is called, "After Much Tribulation, Come the Blessings" by Adney Y. Komatsu. I would like to share with you some highlights while I was reading the talk, I hope you learn something new as you read this post. I know that he has shared wonderful quotes throughout his talk.

"President Kimball stated: “The Lord has not promised us freedom from adversity or affliction. Instead, he has given us the avenue of communication known as prayer, whereby we might humble ourselves and seek his help and divine guidance, so that we could establish a house of prayer.”

President Kimball also said: “They who reach down into the depths of life where, in the stillness, the voice of God has been heard, have the stabilizing power which carries them poised and serene through the hurricane of difficulties” - Ensign, May 1979.

.. A few years ago in Japan, a stake was being organized from a mission district. In the course of an interview, the district president stated that he would shortly be moving to another city where he had accepted a promotion with his company to become the manager of their largest branch. But the Lord wanted this man to serve as the new stake president. He was called before the General Authority who inquired whether his superiors would reconsider the promotion and allow him to remain in the city where he might be able to serve his church in this very important position.

Immediately the district president stated that he had given his word to his superiors who had already made changes in all of the branches in the company, except in the branch that he was to supervise. He had asked for a delay of his assignment until after the organization of the stake. Notwithstanding this explanation, the General Authority asked the district president if he would be kind enough to contact his superiors with this request and then notify him of the results. Late that night I received a call from the district president.

His employer had been understandably dismayed by his request to remain in the city and reconsider the promotion. The company president asked him to seriously think again about his request and then to call him back in five minutes. In that short interval of time, he would be forced to make a decision that would affect the rest of his life. At that moment he called to ask my advice. My reply to him was that the Lord had sent one of his Apostles to organize a stake of Zion in Japan.

If he had to give his answer to the Lord himself, would it be any different? He thanked me, then called his employer. Early the next morning, he came to the mission home and was officially called as the new stake president. When the General Authority inquired about his status with the company, the district president responded that his promotion was canceled and that he would have to accept whatever they decided to give him.

Before he left, the General Authority blessed this man and stated that although he would go through a period of trials and tribulations at work, the time would come when he would be called upon by his employer to help make great and important decisions for his company, because he had made a decision to serve the Lord rather than to accept personal gain. A few years later, this man still a stake president became the assistant to the president of his company, fulfilling the promise made by an Apostle of the Lord. How great is our reward as we faithfully endure our afflictions and sufferings of this life!

We are promised, as the Prophet Joseph was promised, “Thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment. .. 

Orson F. Whitney said: “No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude and humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called the children of God … and it is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we come here to acquire and which will make us more like our Father and Mother in heaven” - cited in Spencer W. Kimball, Faith Precedes the Miracle, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1972.

May we endure our trials and sufferings well. May we look to the Lord with faith in his righteous judgment ..
If you would like to read this talk in your own time, here's the link below.
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1979/10/after-much-tribulation-come-the-blessings

Stay Tuned until next time.

How to live by faith, and not fear?

Good Morning, Good Afternoon, or Good Evening,
this post should take approximately five to eight minutes to read from start to finish.

I would like to encourage you to ask yourself the following question either now or in your own time.
"What's your true definition of faith?"

This post is based on a Ensign article from July 2013 and it is called, "A Time for Faith, Not Fear." by Elder Larry W. Gibbons. I would like to share with you some highlights while I was reading the article and I hope you will learn something new.

Elder Gibbons mentioned, “Be not afraid, only believe” is wonderful, reassuring counsel for all of us. But how can we have faith when the storms of life beat all about us? How can we strengthen our faith when anxiety and fear begin to dominate our thinking and erode our faith in God and our confidence in the future? I offer some reminders and suggestions I hope we will remember in difficult times.

Trials and difficulties are a necessary part of life and not a sign that the Lord has forgotten us or is displeased with us. Life is a test. Trials may come even if we are seeking to put the Lord first in our lives. One of the reasons we are here on earth is to strengthen our faith. Difficult, dark days are a necessary part of life and give us an opportunity to build our faith and learn to rely on a power far greater than our own.

“Lift up thine eyes”
When your difficulties seem overwhelming, look up, not down. When sadness and despair start to get a foothold, remember this: the Atonement of Jesus Christ did more than overcome physical and spiritual death. Yes, we will all be resurrected, and all of us have the opportunity to be forgiven of our sins as we repent and exercise faith in Jesus Christ.

But as wonderful as the gifts of resurrection and repentance are, the Atonement is much more. Through the Atonement we can receive strength to meet the most difficult trials of life. When we look up to the Savior, we can be strengthened beyond our own abilities and beyond what we can envision with our mortal understanding.

We must live by faith, and not by fear." - Elder Quentin L. Cook.

God has armed you for your trials.
You have the gift of the Holy Ghost, and you have the right to receive revelation every day. At times revelation may not come as quickly as you might like because the Lord gives us opportunities to grow and develop our abilities according to His knowledge of us and what we need, but He will guide us through the Holy Ghost. And if we are worthy, He will not let us go very far in the wrong direction without warning us.

Turn the matter over to the Lord and wait patiently.
Sometimes after we have fasted, prayed, and done all we can do to dispel clouds that have not parted; after we have gone into the dark and expected further light that has not appeared; after we have lived the commandments through difficulties that remain unrelenting we simply need to turn things over to our Heavenly Father.

I would like to encourage you to the read the whole talk in your own time. Here is the link below.
www.lds.org/ensign/2013/07/a-time-for-faith-not-fear

Stay Tuned until next time.