Our lesson today was on the Conference talk Returning to Faith by Sis. Rosemary M. Wixom. There is a story in the talk about a young moher and her conversion. Her constant quest was to know why. Elder Russell M. Nelson has said, "The Lord can only teach an inquiring mind." She continued to ask questions. The questions grew harder and so did the answers. Sometimes there were no answers, or no answers that brought peace. She began to question the foundations of her faith. Some told her to lean on their faith, but she knew she couldn't. Her parents knew her heart and gave her space. Her loving bishop often spoke of his confidence in her. Ward members did not hesitate to give love and she felt included. "Her ward was not a place to put on a perfect face; it was a place of nurture."
This young mother read a book about Mother Teresa, who had shared some similar feelings of inadequacy. In a 1953 letter she wrote; "Please pray specially for me that I may not spoil His work and that Our Lord may show Himself - for there is such terrible darkness within me, as if everything was dead...Ask Our Lord to give me courage." Mother Teresa's archbishop replied to her letter this way: "God guides you, dear Mother; you are not so much in the dark as you think. The path to be followed may not always be clear at once. Pray for light; do not decide too quickly, listen to what others have to say, consider their reasons. You will always find something to help you . . . .Guided by faith, by prayer, and by reason with a right intention, you have enough." This young mother thought that if Mother Teresa could live her religion without all the answers maybe she could too. "She could take one simple step forward in faith - and then another. She could focus on the truths she did believe and let those truths fill her mind and heart."
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland once said, "Humility, faith, and the influence of the Holy Spirit [will] always be elements of every quest for truth." As this young mother reflected back, she said, "My testimony had become like a pile of ashes. It had all burned down. All that remained was Jesus Christ. But He does not leave you when you have questions. When anyone tries to keep the commandments, the door is wide open. Prayer and scripture study became incredibly important." The first step she took to rebuild her faith was to start with basic gospel truth. Elder Holland has counseled, "Hold fast to what you already know and stand strong until additional knowledge comes."
Sis. Bashford invited a few sisters to share an experience when their faith had been tested and they had to rely and search for renewed faith. Sis. Erekson and Sis. Haymond shared equally moving experiences where faith brought them closer to the Savior. Elder Russell M. Nelson talked about faith in one of his recent talks. He said: "Problems abound in this world because it is populated by imperfect people. Their objectives and desires are heavily influenced by their faith or lack of it. Many put other priorities ahead of God. Some challenge the relevance of religion in modern life. Today there are those who mock or decry the free exercise of religion. Some even blame religion for any number of the world's ills. Admittedly, there have been times when atrocities have been committed in the name of religion. But living the Lord's pure religion, which means striving to become a true disciple of Jesus Christ, is a way of life and a daily commitment that will provide divine guidance. As you practice your religion, you are exercising your faith. You are letting your faith show."
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