Have a little faith

One time I was sitting in a seminary class and my teacher was letting us ask different questions that we have about the gospel. I don't remember what question I had asked, but I will never forget what a girl turned and said to me in response to my question,

Maybe you just need to have a little more faith.


Now I can tell you that in that moment I was NOT pleased with her answer. First of all having questions DOES NOT MEAN YOU HAVE NO FAITH. And I believe that just telling someone to have blind faith is a ridiculous answer. I'm 100% positive that what I said back to this girl in my head was NOT very Christ like. But I did manage to only say it in my head! So that's a win.

Fast forward a few years to me sitting in the MTC gym watching general conference. Elder Holland (who just might possibly be my favorite apostle, ya know, if I happened to have a favorite.... ) was giving his talk. His talk hit me right in the feels. He said that what we DO know will always trump what we do not know. He told us to hold tight to the ground we do have when faced with fear or trials.

He told us, he told me,

You have more faith than you think you do.


After listening to that talk I reflected on the first experience. Because that moment in my seminary class stuck with me. I was upset that someone asking a question would simply be told that they need to have more faith. I was also offended (which of course was my own choice, I decided to be offended) because I felt like I was a very faithful person, and to be told, simply because I was asking a question, that I needed to have more faith, made me a little bit angry.

Here's the thing. There are some things that we just don't have the answers to in this life. Especially some of the logistical things in relation to the plan of salvation. And you know what, I'm okay with that. I understand that sometimes the answer is, wait and see! Or someday the Lord will work it out! Sometimes I ponder something for a while and then I find a simple impression from the spirit that brings a sense of peace, even if it's not a distinct answer. And sometimes those personal answers to these big questions aren't things I share with other people. Because they aren't doctrine, and I'm in no way shape or form entitled to give revelation to other people about gospel related things. But they bring peace to me. They give me comfort and strengthen my faith and trust in my Savior.


The world we live in is a scary place. And there are plenty of times that I have questioned things. In those moments I hold tight to my faith in my Savior. I refuse to have "blind" faith. My faith isn't blind, it's simply centered in my Savior, Jesus Christ. I strive to do as Elder Holland counseled and hold tight to the ground I do have. As I have exercised that faith I have always found peace in my doubts and questions. Because I have always turned back to the source, my Savior. When all is said and done He is the only way. The only way to lasting peace and the only way back home to our Father in Heaven.

Having doubts, asking questions, it's normal. It's ok! Don't follow blindly. How often do the scriptures tell us, "Ask and ye shall receive? Knock and it shall be opened unto you?"

Asking questions has always been a part of the plan of salvation. It's a key part to us having agency, or the ability to choose. But remember that the answers to our questions sometimes take a little bit of time, and ALWAYS require us to have faith, especially faith in the Savior.

One last peace of comfort I always hold tight to is that when this life is over, I'm not the one in charge. I don't have to make those hard decisions about other people and their circumstances. That's God's job. Whatever questions I might have, I trust that in the end it will all work itself out. I focus on myself and striving to follow the example of my Savior. That's all I can do. I hold tight to a line found in preach my gospel, lesson two, under the Atonement section. It says,

All that is unfair about life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

That's promise is where I place my faith.
It's what I hold tight to through the ups and downs life throws my way.

No one is perfect. Sometimes we have questions. Just always remember

You have more faith than you think you do.

Love,
Nae