Expressions of Faith

Those familiar with me know how I work. Even when things at the office are proceeding smoothly I put in more than an average work day & when things get rocky it’s worse. Opening a new branch is always difficult, that is to be expected, but this time around it is particularly slow in attaining an equilibrium. For reasons yet unclear to me it has proven nearly impossible to find & retain honest , reasonably motivated employees. The most recent casualty is a dear friend for whom I have a special place in my heart. (contrary to appearances this is not a work focused thought, just bear with me) Heidi first came to work for me in Price, she was a recent convert to whom I assisted in giving the new member lessons. As her home teacher I helped to teach & baptize her teenage daughter. Fast forward ten years & hear we are. Heidi has worked for Southwest in 4 out of the 6 branches, quit for a year plus & been rehired. All this to show, in part, our relationship & why what happened affected me.

It wasn’t anything grand or particularly out of the ordinary, just a box. A gift for my children, something that she had done before. One day during her last week she left something on my truck seat for the kids. It was, she said, some coloring books & videos purchased for her grandchildren but their parents vetoed the idea. I thanked her & went on about the day. It wasn’t until I had seen the generous gift and was driving home that I recognized the gravity & importance of what she was trying to do. You see, her daughter, the one that I helped baptize, did not stay active in the church, far from it. She didn’t finish high school, is unmarried & has 2 kids from different fathers. Her life has been colorful but appears to be improving. Now it is not a total shock that Heidi’s daughter is a little wild, she too has had spent her share of time on the wild side. She is still a tat wearin’ Harley ridin’ biker girl at least once a year for the rally. But one of the things I like about Heidi is just what I saw in the gift. Although she dose not have extensive gospel knowledge, I don’t think she even attends church once a month, she still feels something. She knows that there is a better way & not only is she trying, however slowly, to come unto Christ she made & will, I’m sure, continue to make an effort to help her family to do the same. She sees a need for Christ in the lives of her Daughter & grandchildren. Giving them the living scripture videos & coloring books was her attempt to reintroduce the gospel into their lives. I feel sorry for her, sorry that her daughter could not see the motivation behind the action & sorry for the rejection. It was Heidi’s simple manifestation of Faith, of love, her testimony.

There is another example of simple powerful faith that I learned of today. We have some wonderful neighbors just up the street. An older but not yet old couple, both of whom have been married before. Like Heidi they may not have a profound & doctrinally specific testimony of the gospel or of their Savior but they manifest their belief by their actions. They are a sincere Christ like couple. She is a talker & does not mind telling others about the goings on in their lives. Therefore everyone who cares to, knows that her health has been less than satisfactory in recent months. A few weeks ago she was diagnosed as having a terminal case of Lupus & was given only a few years to live. Along with much prayer & fasting a Priesthood blessing was given & she knew immediately that she had been healed. A visit a few days later to the Doctor for additional test confirmed that the disease was gone. They did not doubt that the Lord would answer their sincere supplication.

While reflecting on these experiences two scriptures have come to mind;

1st D&C 50:24; “That which is of God is light; and he that recieveth light, and continueth in God, recieveth more light ; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.” When we take the little light (faith or understanding) that we are given, we cherish it, preserve it & act on it then the Lord blesses us with more. “Line upon line, Precept upon precept” even until we receive a fullness.

2nd D&C 82:3;”For of him unto whom much is given much is required; and he that sins against the greater light shall receive the greater condemnation.” I am blessed to have been born of goodly parents & to have been taught somewhat in the learning of my fathers or in the ways of the Lord. Although clearly still a novice I have been given limited talents and abilities. What am I doing with them? Is it enough? (If this verse is not plain enough look at 2 Nephi 9:27)

The point tonight of my ramblings is this. We do not have to have a “perfect knowledge of things” to heal, be healed or to have a positive influence on those around us. We merely have to act. Do something. Show a desire, an interest & the Lord will in his perfect wisdom make something grand of our efforts. If not to day then tomorrow and if not tomorrow then someday. He knows all. I trust Him.

For what it’s worth