How Important Is Religion to National Sovereignty?

The topic of discussion for this Constitution Monday concerns faith, religion, and freedom. There are two underlying principles for this discussion. Please keep them in mind as you read the following information.

The first principle comes from the Book of Mormon – Another Testament of Jesus Christ. It is: The prayers of righteous people protect righteous and unrighteous people alike. (See Alma 10:22-23.) The second principle is that citizens of all nations should have religious liberty and be allowed to worship God as they choose. (Article of Faith 1:11.)

An article written by Mariya Manzhos and published in the Deseret News shared some interesting profiles about how religion and culture intersect. 

When researchers study people’s relationship with religion and faith, they cast a wide net of questions that get at both inner beliefs and outward practices.

Some questions focus on attitudes and identity: Do people see religion or spirituality as important? Do they identify as Christian? Do they believe animals have spirits – or do they believe in God? Other questions explore lived practices: How often do they pray, attend church, meditate, light candles or read scripture?

Together, these answers sketch the contours of how individuals, and entire nations, experience religion and spirituality.

Pew Research Center asked some of these questions in a recent study about the religiously unaffiliated, or “nones,” held across 22 countries. The findings show that many people who don’t identify as religious still hold different beliefs or engage in spiritual practices, but the strength of those ties varies widely.

In Brazil, for example, 92% of the unaffiliated say they believe in God, compared to just 10% in Sweden. Similar divides are seen between Latin America and South Africa on one end of the spectrum and much of Europe and Australia on the other.

According to Manzhos, researchers found that countries are individual in their stages of secularization. There are three stages of religion decline: Participation-Importance-Belonging.

First, religious practices like service attendance decline, often among younger generations….

In the second stage, people are questioning religion’s personal importance and weakening their sense of belonging….

The final stage marks the shedding of religious identity altogether for the younger generations….

These religious transitions show that secularization isn’t a single story of religious decline. It also reveals the many ways faith lingers through belief, identity and practice.

Tracing these patterns may help us understand how faith still influences broader values, culture and politics – even as religious affiliation fades.

For leaders of congregations, understanding how secularization works may point to a central challenge in halting it – how to create religious communities where more young people feel that they belong.

In her article, Manzhos indicated that the United States is in the second stage where people are questioning the importance of religion to them personally. “The United States fits this pattern today: younger adults attend services less often and are 45% less likely than older generations to claim a religious affiliation, although a recent report from Barna Group challenged this pattern with its finding that Gen Z and millennials now go to church more often than older adults.” Other nations placed in this stage are Mexico, Brazil, Thailand, Greece, Italy and Canada.

Does Living and Practicing Faith Strengthen Marriage?

Marriages are stronger when spouses live their religion and attend church meetings regularly, and strong marriages create a firm foundation for strong families, which in turn strengthen communities, states, and nations. In his article published at The Daily Signal, Timothy Goeglein reported on a survey recently completed by Focus on the Family with more than 3,800 participants. The survey questioned “how faith impacts personal decisions about marriage and recorded married respondents’ self-assessments of their unions.” 

The good news is that 74% of all married couples described their marriages as “healthy.” But even more encouraging is that convictional Christians – those who actively live out and practice their faith – scored higher on all 32 aspects of marriage that speak to matrimonial health – whether it be taking responsibility for mistakes, having compassion toward each other, trust, or financial management.

The difference between convictional Christian marriages and non-Christian marriages comes into focus, so to speak, when one digs deeper into the research findings. The study found that 25% of non-Christians surveyed said their marriages were in crisis, while only 13% of convictional Christians said so. And among those who profess faith, but not as strongly as convictional Christians, 22% of nominal Christians and 17% of born-again Christians said their marriages were in crisis.

Thus, when it comes to marriage, faith really does matter.

But don’t just take Focus on the Family’s word on it. Other researchers have found the same thing. A Harvard School of Public Health study found that couples who regularly attend church services are about 30%-50% less likely to divorce.

This statistic also holds true across racial groups. Research done by Kenneth Pargament and Annette Mahoney of Bowling Green University’s Spirituality and Psychology Research Team found that marriages are stronger and happier when husbands and wives understand there is a deeper spiritual significance to marriage beyond feelings or economic security.

Unfortunately, over the past several decades, the understanding of marriage as a sacred bond between a man and a woman has been lost as faith has diminished and our society becomes more about personal happiness and “self-fulfillment.” [Is it] any wonder why divorce has become so prevalent in our culture, as faith – the glue that keeps couples together – loses influence in our society?

Or as the late esteemed social scientist James Q. Wilson put it, “Marriage was once a sacrament, then it became a contract, and now it is an arrangement. Once religion provided the sacrament, then the law enforced the contract, and now personal preferences define the arrangement.

And sadly, because of these factors, many young people, as the Focus on the Family study finds, are less interested in getting married, with only 56% of single, non-married respondents saying they want to be married someday.

Thus, the renewal of faith in our culture is essential to solving the breakdown of marriage and the family – the two bedrock institutions that affect both present and future generations either positively or negatively. It is this same renewal of faith that will make marriage an institution to be desired, rather than one that has come with the negative emotional baggage of separation and divorce for so many young people.

And those of us in healthy marriages need to come alongside those who are struggling to offer support and encouragement. We also need to model what a biblical marriage looks like, through our words and actions, so people will be drawn to what we have, rather than be repelled by what they see when marriages take a wrong turn and head down the wrong road to dissolution….

To restore the commitment of marriage and the family and begin to reverse the tragic trends of the past 60-plus years, our efforts must start with the renewal of faith and the restoration of the family. By doing so, we will reap benefits beyond just stable families…

As Goeglein stated, stable families bring about stability in other areas by successfully addressing other issues, such as “unwed pregnancy, drug addiction, income inequality, and government dependence – that plague our society.” A healthy society benefits everyone, both married and single. Thus, strong marriages and families strengthen communities, states, and nations.

Faith in Jesus Christ

                 Faith is a trust or confidence in someone or something, even though that person or thing is not seen.  Faith is more than just a belief that something is real and true; it is a feeling that motivates us to do something based on our belief.

The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that faith is "the moving cause of all action" and a "principle of power" (Lectures on Faith, 1:10, 15).

                    Faith is a necessary "moving cause" of ordinary actions in ordinary lives.  Farmers plant seeds because they believe that the seeds will grow into plants if they receive the proper care.  Students study for tests because they believe that studying will help them do better on the tests.  People buy bus tickets and Alaskans make airline reservations because they believe that the bus or airplane will take them where they want to go and will do it safely. 

                    Faith must be based on truth.  Farmers know that they must actually plant the seeds in order for plants to grow rather than simply hoping that the right plants will grow in their fields.  Travelers have to actually buy tickets on the correct bus or flight in order to get where they want to go.  Students must study the material applicable to the test in order for their studying to do any good.

                    Alma, an ancient American prophet, headed a mission with the goal to reclaim the apostate Zoramites.  The missionaries went forth and taught the word of God to the people in their synagogues, in their homes, and even in their streets.  After much labor, they began to have some success with the poor class of people who had been cast out of the synagogues because they didn't have the proper clothing to attend church. 

                    Alma taught these poor people that "… faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true."  (See Book of Mormon - Another Testament of Jesus Christ, Alma 32:21.)

                    In his letter to the Hebrews, the Apostle Paul wrote:  "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1).

                    Faith in Jesus Christ is the first principle of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  It is a principle of power that motivates us to act on true principles even when we cannot see immediate results for our actions.  Faith in Jesus Christ is essential because He is at the core of the gospel. 

                    Faith in the Jesus Christ is essential to exaltation.  Article of Faith 1:4 states, "We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are:  first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost."

                    This scripture teaches us that "faith in the Lord Jesus Christ" - not faith in general - is the first principle of the gospel and it must be centered in Jesus Christ.  We can have faith in other things - such as studying for tests, seeds growing, and airplanes arriving - but faith in Jesus Christ is the only faith that will lead us to exaltation.

                    Jacob, another ancient American prophet, taught, "And he commandeth all men that they must repent, and be baptized in his name, having perfect faith in the Holy One of Israel, or they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God" (Book of Mormon - Another Testament of Jesus Christ, 2 Nephi 9:23).

                    King Benjamin, still another prophet in ancient America, taught, "And moreover, I say unto you, that there shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent" (Book of Mormon - Another Testament of Jesus Christ, Mosiah 3:17).

                    Modern-day Prophets and Apostles have also taught the importance of faith in Jesus Christ.  Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles stated:  "The need to exercise faith in Jesus Christ is absolutely essential.  It is the foundation of the plan of salvation" (Ensign, Nov. 1993, 87; italics in original).

                    Elder Bruce R. McConkie of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught, "We must be doers of the word and not hearers only.  It is more than lip service; it is not simply confessing with the mouth the divine Sonship of the Savior.  It is obedience and conformity and personal righteousness" (Ensign, Nov. 1974, 35).

                    Faith in Jesus Christ is the first principle of the gospel for several reasons.  We know from our study of the plan of salvation that Jesus Christ was chosen to be our Savior and Redeemer while we were all in the premortal world.  We know that he came to earth and lived a sinless life, setting a perfect example for us.  We know that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, He atoned for our sins.

                    It is only through faith in Jesus Christ and his Atonement that we can return to dwell with him and with our Heavenly Father.  Since Jesus Christ makes exaltation possible, we must have faith that through his Atonement we will be resurrected and can be forgiven of the sins we have committed.  Faith in Jesus Christ is the first principle of the gospel because it is the basis for understanding and accepting other principles and ordinances of the gospel.  If we did not have faith in Jesus Christ, we would not understand the importance of the other principles and ordinances of the gospel - such as obedience to the commandments or baptism in the name of Christ.

                    Faith in the Savior brings great blessings because it is a principle of power.  Many people have received numerous blessings because of the power of faith.  Paul the Apostle wrote of many of these blessings when he wrote the book of Hebrews, chapter 11.  Here are just a few of the examples he gave.

                    "By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death…." after he served God and received "this testimony, that he pleased God" (verse 5).

                    "By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet,…, prepared an ark to the saving of his house" (verse 7).  Noah received this great blessing because he believed the words of God and was obedient in trying to cry repentance to all the people.  By his faith he became "heir of the righteousness".

                    "Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age" (verse 11).  She received this blessing because "she judged him faithful who had promised."

                    "By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents" (verse 23) because they cared more about the commandments of God than they did about the commandment of the king.

                    "By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter" (verse 24).  He chose instead "to suffer affliction with the people of God" (verse 25) because he desired to please God more than he desired the riches of Egypt (verse 26).

                    "By faith he forsook Egypt" (verse 27) and "kept the Passover" and saved the Israelites who also believed (verse 28).

                    "By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land" and watched as the sea closed in to drown the Egyptians who were chasing them (verse 29).

                    "By faith the walls of Jericho fell down" after the Israelites walked around them for seven days (verse 30).

                    All of these people were blessed because they exercised faith in the Lord's instructions and were obedient.  Elder Thomas S. Monson, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, told the following story about how faith in Jesus Christ brought blessings to a missionary.

                    "Randall Ellsworth was a missionary in Guatemala when that country suffered a terrible earthquake.  Eighteen thousand people were killed.  Elder Ellsworth survived, but he was severely injured and his legs were paralyzed.  He received some medical treatment in Guatemala and then was sent back to his home in the United States.  Those who knew how severe his injuries were thought he would never walk again, but Randall Ellsworth had faith that the Lord would not only help him walk again but would also help him finish his mission.

                    "Randall and his family and friends continued praying, and Randall worked hard at regaining strength in his legs.  He went to physical therapy twice as often as the doctors asked him to.  Eventually he was able to walk again, with the help of two canes, and the Missionary Department approved his return to Guatemala to finish his mission.  When Randall heard that he would be able to finish his mission in Guatemala, the first thing he did was say a prayer thanking Heavenly Father for this great blessing.

                    "Randall Ellsworth returned to Guatemala, and one day he was talking with his mission president.  `You have been the recipient of a miracle,' the president said, `Your faith has been rewarded.  If you have the necessary confidence, if you have abiding faith, if you have supreme courage, place those two canes on my desk and walk.'  Slowly Elder Ellsworth placed his canes on the desk and took a few steps.  It was not easy for him to walk at first, but he never used the canes again.  He finished his mission and later graduated from medical school."  (See Ensign, Nov. 1986, 41-42.  See also "Which Road Will You Travel?" Ensign, Mar. 1991, 4-5.)

                     Exercising faith in Jesus Christ does not always result in miracles.  Part of having faith is being

willing to accept God's will, even when it is not what we want.  Remember the story of Diane Ellingson, the young woman who was injured while practicing for a gymnastic meet.  She initially thought that she would be healed because she had faith.  When she realized it was not God's will for her to be healed, her faith in Jesus Christ gave her comfort and the strength to succeed in life despite her difficulties. 

                    My family has been blessed by exercising faith in Jesus Christ, probably more times than we know about.  One experience was when my young daughter-in-law was diagnosed with stage three brain cancer in August 2010.  We notified all members of our families, all friends and numerous church congregations and asked them to join us in fasting and prayer in her behalf.  Surgery was performed, and a tumor the size of a baseball was taken out of her brain.  As many as possible of the "tendrils" of the tumor were vacuumed out.  A second lab test was done on the tumor that downgraded it to phase two tumor.  This was the first miracle.  A second miracle is that she has survived her cancer for more than eighteen months and is healthy and functioning well in her various roles.

                    We can increase our faith in Jesus Christ by being obedient to the Lord's commandments and showing faith in his chosen servants, the prophets.  There are numerous examples given in the scriptures about the blessings that come from exercising faith.

                    Naaman was the captain of the host of the king of Syria.  As such, he was a very powerful man of valor, but he also contracted leprosy.  Naaman's wife had a little Israelite maid who told her mistress:  "Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria!  For he would recover him of his leprosy."

                    This information was relayed to Naaman.  The king gave Naaman permission to travel to Samaria and even sent a letter to the king of Israel.  Naaman took the letter, his servants, "ten talents of silver," "six thousand pieces of gold," and "ten changes of raiment."  The king of Israel had no idea how to cure the leprosy but was advised to send Naaman to Elisha.

                    When Naaman and his group stood at Elisha's door, "Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean."

                    Naaman was angry that Elisha did not come out to meet him as well as about the message.  How dare Elisha tell him to go down to the river and wash.  "Are not … the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel?"

                    The servants of Naaman calmed him down.  "My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it?  How much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?"

                    Naaman decided to do the simple thing of washing in the Jordan "and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God:  and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean" (2 Kings 5:1-14).

                    Naaman initially showed a lack of faith by refusing to do what the prophet Elisha had instructed him to do.  But he did eventually act on faith by bathing in the Jordan River, and he was healed as Elisha had promised. 

                    Abraham was faced with a great test of his faith when God told him, "Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee…."

                    Abraham took his son Isaac and the wood for the burnt offering and traveled for three days until they arrived at the chosen spot.  When Isaac questioned his father about the lamb for the sacrifice, Abraham told him, "My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering…."

Abraham built an altar "and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood."  As Abraham took the knife and moved to kill his son, an angel spoke to him, saying:  "Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him:  for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me."

Abraham looked around and discovered "a ram caught in a thicket by his horns."  He took the ram and offered the ram for a burnt offering in place of his son.  (See Genesis 22:1-13.)

Abraham, immediately and without question, set out to be obedient to the word of God - even though his assigned task was very difficult.  The Lord was pleased with Abraham's obedience and provided a ram for the sacrifice; God also made a great covenant with Abraham for the blessing of all his posterity.

According to Romans 10:17, faith is preceded by hearing the word of God:  "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."  We can "hear" the word of God by studying the scriptures, the words of latter-day prophets and apostles, and magazines published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  We can also hear the word of God as we listen to the speakers in our Church meetings.  Studying the word of God increases our faith because we read of others who have been blessed for their faith.  Studying His word also increases our faith as we learn more about what He wants us to do.

                    There are other ways to increase our faith in Jesus Christ, such as sincere prayer, obedience, service to others, family home evening, and missionary work.  Increasing our faith in Jesus Christ is similar to developing any other characteristic or skill.  If we want to improve our ability to play soccer, do math, shoot baskets, compose music, or cook, we must study and practice and consciously try to better our ability.  The same holds true for increasing our faith in the Savior.  Our faith in Jesus Christ increases as we put it into practice by following his example (see John 14:12).

Faith in Jesus Christ is the first principle of the gospel because it is the basis of every other principle or ordinance of the gospel.  It is a principle of power, motivating us to act on true principles even when we cannot see immediate results for our actions.  The role of the Savior is at the core of the gospel, so faith in him is essential to our salvation.  I encourage you to increase your faith in Jesus Christ through study, prayer, and obedience to his commandments.

For a previous article on faith in Jesus Christ click here.   

Attitude of Gratitude

I am one of many people who set goals at the beginning of each new year. I like to keep my list to three or fewer goals because I actually intend to accomplish my goals. One of my goals for the coming year is to develop a better appreciation for my many blessings. I am convinced that I can recognize more blessings if I have an attitude of gratitude.

Numerous apostles and prophets have counseled us to be grateful. The Apostle Paul wrote, "In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God" (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

The Prophet Joseph Smith taught, "In nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things" (Doctrine and Covenants 59:21).

President Gordon B. Hinckley wrote, "The habit of saying thank you is the mark of an educated man or woman. Express appreciation to everyone who does you a favor or assists you in any way. Thank the Lord for His goodness to you. Thank the Almighty for His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, who has done for you what none other in all this world could do. Thank Him for His great example, for His tremendous teachings, for His outreaching hand to lift and help. Thank Him for His marvelous atonement. Confess His hand in all things" (Stand A Little Taller, p 338).

President Thomas S. Monson stated, "Our realization of what is most important in life goes hand in hand with gratitude for our blessings" (Ensign, Nov. 2009, - 87).

I know that I have many blessings in spite of the fact that I experience my own tests and trials. I am grateful for all my blessings and especially for my family, my faith, my freedom, and my friends.

I am grateful for my family. As part of my effort to increase my gratitude for my many blessings, I would like to share with you some of the "tender mercies" that the Lord bestowed upon me as I celebrated the Christmas holidays with my children and grandchildren. I had a wonderful time with them and received many blessings from spending time with them.

Grandchildren are marvelous blessings in and of themselves! There is nothing better than receiving a big hug and a beaming smile from a two-year-old grandson or having a younger toddler lift his little arms in a desire to be held. I thoroughly enjoyed receiving spontaneous hugs from my four-year-old granddaughters and hearing the words, "I love you, Grammy!" I was pleased when my ten-year-old grandson brought his new travel Battleship game so that we could continue our annual tradition of playing Battleship. Each grandchild brought his or her own special and unique blessings into my life, whether it was a hug, a smile, or another way of showing love. I am grateful that they love each other and enjoy spending time together.

The simple experience of watching children grow in knowledge and develop different skills is a great blessing that I have enjoyed from the time that my children were infants. Even though my sons and daughters are now adults with children of their own, I still like to watch as they grow in knowledge and experience. It is especially enjoyable to watch as my sons and daughters deal with their own children. I am impressed with my daughters' willingness to love and serve their husbands and to teach their children with tenderness. I appreciate the way that my sons lead their families in righteousness and share the responsibilities of caring for the children.

I am grateful for children who love each other and enjoy spending time together. I especially appreciate the way that they care for each other's children with the same love and concern as their own. I was thrilled when one of my daughters voluntarily helped her sister by carrying a four-year-old niece piggyback down a steep hill - and then came back to carry her own daughter down the same hill.

I am grateful for my faith in God and for my knowledge and testimony that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I am grateful to know that His gospel has been restored to the earth. I am grateful to belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am grateful for the fact that I can travel and still feel at home in any congregation of the Church. I find the same spirit in all the meetings I attend - even when a different language is spoken. I find the same type of leadership by Melchizedek Priesthood brethren and the same service given by members of the Aaronic Priesthood as they prepare, bless, and pass the sacrament. I find the same hymnals and the same lessons as I would hear in my own home ward.

I am grateful for the freedoms I enjoy in this great nation. I am especially grateful at this time for freedom of religion, especially because Christians in other nations are being persecuted and even killed by members of other religions that claim to be "peaceful."

I am grateful for dear friends in my life and in the lives of my children and grandchildren. Friends are there in many different circumstances, whether it be happy or sad. Friends are the beautiful flowers in our lives.

I am grateful for family, faith in God and Jesus Christ, freedom and friends. I look forward to improving my attitude for gratitude during 2011.

Faith in Jesus Christ

Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the first principle of His gospel. One of the requirements of salvation is to have faith in Jesus Christ. Faith requires action and gives power to motivate us in our daily lives. Faith has been described as a "hope for things which are not seen, which are true" (Alma 32:21; see also Hebrews 11:1). We would not study and learn if we did not believe we could gain knowledge and wisdom. We would not work if we did not hope to accomplish something. We would not plant if we did not hope to harvest something. We exercise faith every day when we act upon things we hope for without being able to see the results. There are numerous examples in the scriptures of great things being accomplished by exercising faith. Acting in faith Noah built an ark and saved his family during the great Flood. (See Hebrews 11:7.) By faith Moses parted the waters of the Red Sea. (See Hebrews 11:29.) With faith Elijah called down fire from heaven. (See 1 Kings 18:17-40.) By faith Nephi called for a famine and then asked God to end the famine. (See Helaman 11:3-5, 9-17.) By the power of faith many miracles have taken place and many prayers have been answered. Faith is a strong belief of truth that leads us to do good. For faith to be most powerful, it must be centered in the Lord Jesus Christ. When we have faith in Jesus Christ, we trust Him enough to obey Him. With faith in Jesus Christ, we become His obedient disciples, receive forgiveness for our sins, and prepare to return to God's presence. Numerous prophets have taught that there is no one else, no other name in the world that can save us. (See Acts 4:12; 2 Nephi 9:23; Mosiah 3:17.) When we have faith in Jesus Christ, we will also have faith in Heavenly Father. We will also have faith that They will send the Holy Ghost to teach us all truth, to protect us, and to comfort us. Many blessings come to those people who exercise faith in Jesus Christ. We can increase our faith in Jesus Christ the same way that we develop any skill. When we study, work and practice at any skill, we improve. The same is true with faith in Jesus Christ. If we want to increase our faith in Jesus Christ, we must work at it. The first step in building faith in Jesus Christ is the desire to have it. We can increase our faith by praying to Heavenly Father about our hopes, desires, and needs. We cannot expect faith to come simply because we ask for it. We must work to obtain faith even though it eventually comes as a gift from God. We can also increase our faith by hearing the word of God as it is taught at our church meetings and by studying the scriptures. There is a direct relationship between faith and action. Faith motivates us to act, and then our faith is strengthened by our actions. Many blessings come through the gift of faith: miracles are wrought, angels appear, prayers are answered, and men become the sons of God. "When faith comes it brings … apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers, gifts, wisdom, knowledge, miracles, healings, tongues, interpretation of tongues, etc. All these appear when faith appears on the earth, and disappear when it disappears from the earth; for these are the effects of faith …. And he who possesses it will through it, obtain all necessary knowledge and wisdom, until he shall know God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, whom he has sent - whom to know is eternal life" (Lectures on Faith [1985], 83).

Be Firm in Faith

As I searched for ways that we can strengthen our families, I realized - again - that true principles will always be the best way. We live in perilous times, times that were foretold in ancient days. The Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 3:1, "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come." Paul continued describing the conditions of the last days. I know that he described the conditions of our day: "lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy," etc. The conditions of our day must be very similar to those in ancient America just before Jesus Christ visited the inhabitants there. "The church was broken up in all the land save it were among a few of the Lamanites who were converted unto the true faith; and they would not depart from it, for they were firm, and steadfast, and immovable, willing with all diligence to keep the commandments of the Lord" (3 Nephi 6:14). We must stand strong and immovable in the principles we believe and the standards that we hold dear. We must do the things that are most important in our homes and that will be best for our families in the long run. Some of those essential things are sincere personal and family prayer, daily study of the scriptures, weekly family home evening, self-reliance, and provident living. No one else can do these things for us. We must do them for ourselves if we want to be "firm, and steadfast, and immovable." Our strength and commitment to be strong grows as we live these principles. As we stay committed to these actions, each day can be a little better than the previous one. Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said, "You cannot today remotely imagine what that decision to be unwaveringly obedient to the Lord will allow you to accomplish in life. Your quiet, uncompromising determination to live a righteous life will couple you with inspiration and power beyond your capacity now to understand" ("Making the Right Decisions," Ensign, May 1991, 34).