Faith to Act
By: Amy Mann


Life is filled with endless uncertainties and ever-changing ideas. It’s so easy to feel like I’m lost. Among the confusion, there is one thing I can be sure of. My faith to act has helped me gain my testimony.

When I was about 15 years old, I had a burning desire to know if the Book of Mormon, another testament of Jesus Christ, was true. I had read parts of it and prayed about it and I still didn’t feel like I had my answer. I felt as if I was standing still. I shared my feelings with a good friend of mine and the first thing she asked was, “What have you been doing to gain this testimony?” I told her my situation about how I’d read sometimes, but I was really busy so I didn’t do that too much and that I had prayed about it from time to time as well. Her answer took me by surprise. She told me that if I wanted an answer I would have to act. I would need to not only have faith that I would get an answer, but work for it as well. “Dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.” Moroni also explains that it’s not supposed to be handed to you. It’s supposed to be worked for. As I did so, my testimony grew dramatically. My faith and action showed God that I was willing to sacrifice and work to gain that knowledge and in turn I was blessed with a stronger testimony.

Another way to look at it is this. We’ve all heard how with knowledge comes responsibility. Well, I feel that if we aren’t willing to take that responsibility and act, then why would God give us the knowledge in the first place? For example, Nephi said, “I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded…” Because Nephi was willing to act and had faith that the Lord would provide, when Nephi prayed for the vision of his father he received it. God knew that Nephi was willing to act and because of his faith and willingness, his testimony increased.

Faith is action. A perfect example of this comes from an ancient prophet named Alma. He said, “But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my word.” Look at how many action words he uses! This is my favorite scripture about faith because it so clearly states that to gain a testimony, you need to “awake” and get to work. It’s an invitation to anyone with even the slightest desire to gain a testimony. The best thing about it is that you don’t have to take his word for it because you can try it and see your testimony grow for yourself.

“Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” Here is an example of how faith cannot be without works. You cannot spiritually progress without acting on your faith. For instance, I have a teacher who was taught by the missionaries not too long ago and he gained a testimony of the Book of Mormon because he read it. However, he was unable to go any farther because he stopped acting. He wouldn’t go to church unless it was convenient or commit to baptism because he was content with standing still. After reading a talk given at General Conference by an Apostle of the Lord, he was moved to act. He began coming to church every Sunday and having the missionaries over more often. My teacher’s testimony flourished immediately and soon after he was baptized because of his faith and action.

Finally, the Prophet Joseph Smith led by his example of faith and action. When he prayed to the Father, he did not only pray about which church was right, but which he should join. “My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all sects was right, that I might know which to join.” God knew that Joseph Smith was willing to act on his faith and in turn Joseph was blessed with knowledge and an increased testimony of God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost.

This I testify that our Father in Heaven cares about us and wants to bless us. As we show Him that we are willing to have faith and act, He is willing to bless us with our righteous desires. May our faith ever grow strong with our action and willingness to do the Lord’s will. I say these things in the name of the Savior, even Jesus the Christ, Amen.