President J. Reuben Clark Jr. declared:
"As I think about faith, this principle of power, I am obliged to believe that it is an intelligent force. Of what kind, I do not know. But it is superior to and overrules all other forces of which we know...
"We have had this great power given unto us, this power of faith. What are we doing about it? Can you, can we, do the mighty things that the Savior did? Yes. They have been done by the members of the Church who had the faith and the righteousness so to do. Think of what is within your power if you but live the Gospel, if you but live so that you may invoke the power which is within you." (In Conference Report, Apr. 1960, p. 21)
2 comments:
I love short sections like this that you can really spend your time thinking about and studying.
That quote from President Clark is very powerful. At first it makes me think about how much faith I lack, I mean, I'm not moving any mountains.
But then I consider Oliver Cowdry, whom Christ is speaking to in Section 8, and realize he's not moving any mountains, either. He's acting as scribe for Joseph (and trying to translate, yes). His work may have seemed pretty average -- I wonder if he wanted to translate because he thought that just being scribe was pretty insignificant and just about anybody could do it. I feel that way with my job sometimes. I feel like I'm pretty average and don't do a whole lot more for my kids than a babysitter could. But reading about faith, especially in Section 8, made me realize how important these jobs we do are ordained of God. He needs me to be aware of that and act in faith.
Verse 12 was the kicker for me:
"Behold, it is I that have spoken it; and I am the same that spake unto you from the beginning. "
HE is the one who has ordained motherhood and given me that calling. The same HE who called Joseph Smith to be a prophet. The same HE who commanded Moses to free Israel. The same HE who asked Oliver to be scribe. If I believe HE needed them to do their work, I ought to believe HE needs me to do mine.
You are so right Julie. It also helps me to think about who is sending all of the negative messages. Men are that they might have joy! and not only in the next life but now. Satan only wants us to be miserable.
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