Faith - Joy Zywocienski

I am on a journey; I am traveling on a narrow path with the intent of returning to my Father in Heaven. As of now, my path is straight. I can clearly see my destination and I have a strong resolution that, no matter what is to come, I will attain my goal. My path, however, has not always been—nor will it always be—this easy. There have been times when, because of the ridicule of those who are not traveling on a path similar to mine, my mind has become clouded with doubt and I cannot clearly remember why I am making my pilgrimage. I am sure that in my future there will be steep trials that face me which cause me to lose sight of my objective; but it is during these times when I must remember that, "faith is the daring of the soul to go farther than it can see," [1] and that I am not alone in my journey, as I exercise faith my mind will be made clear and my path "shall be made straight" [2].

During this time of clarity, it is easy to know that what has kept me on my path in past times of trouble and what will keep me on my expedition in future hardships is faith. However, it is not easy to have faith when those difficult times engulf me; when I cannot clearly see the eternal reward that is in store at the end of this trip it becomes easy to falter in my faith. As a new investigator of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints my peregrination began with steep opposition; I was not even technically on the path homeward when I encountered my first trial. I was ready to be baptized after investigating the Church for a few months and was so excited; however, my excitement was suddenly curbed when I told my mother of my choice to become a member. As I explained to her my desires she became enraged and refused to allow me to be baptized; I was only sixteen. I had two choices: I could either wait two years to be baptized and become a member of the Church, or I could forget the notion all together and go on living my life as if I had never encountered the gospel. It seems like an easy choice to make, but I knew that if I chose to follow Christ I would lose the relationship I had with my mother. At this time it became nearly impossible to see the glorious end to the path my Father had laid for me. All I could see was the beginning of the journey and that to begin on this road would mean the loss of one of my most valued Earthly relationships. Even now I look back and wonder at my own strength; how did I have the courage to choose the Lord's plan over my own family? I know that, "it is our faith in Jesus Christ that sustains us at the crossroads of life's journey," [3] and that my faith in Christ was the largest determining factor in my even making it onto the path that I am now treading.

It is my faith in Christ that helps me to endure every trial that I encounter as I travel down my path, but it is the faith of Christ that makes my journey feasible. Christ, through his atonement, provided us with a perfect example of faith. He "ascended up on high, as also he descended below all things, in that he comprehended all things, that he might be in all and through all things" [4]. Christ has tread the very same path that I am treading and has overcome those things which I have been and will be asked to overcome; and this He did in great faith. I look to Christ and see the ultimate example of faith in the Father's plan. So steadfast was He in His faith that He suffered every affliction that mankind had ever and would ever encounter so that the plan of salvation might be carried out. Christ believed in the Father's design for my happiness and thus went before me so that it might be possible. "...Through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection," I have hope, "to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of [my] faith in him..." [5]. Because of Christ's perfect faith and sacrifice I have hope for the eternal reward that awaits me at the end of this difficult expedition and can place my faith in Him who has already endured all that I am faced with.

Could there be anything greater than Christ's faith in the journey that I am making? Yes! My Heavenly Father has faith in this journey! Elder Uchtdorf taught that, "We believe in the great plan of happiness, the plan of redemption, the plan of salvation, whereby God’s children may experience mortality and return to the presence of the Father—a merciful plan established from before the foundation of this earth. This is the plan and the faith of our Father!" [6] The Lord knows that the pilgrimage I am making is a difficult one, but He has faith in His plan. He has faith that, if I follow the path He has laid for me and rely on the example of Christ, I will return to be with Him once more. How can I doubt the importance of a journey that my Father in Heaven puts His faith in? In trying times I must leave to the Lord to "order and provide;" for "in ev'ry change he faithful will remain" [7]. Though the world is vastly different than it was in the time that Christ lived, the Lord remains faithful to His plan of happiness, for He knows that it is the only way for me to be redeemed and to experience eternal joy. I am not alone in my faith in this journey; it is a path that both Christ and my Father in Heaven have faith in. With this knowledge, there is no reason for my faith to falter.

As I continue on my expedition there will surely be great tests of my faith but I know that Christ and my Heavenly Father have faith not only in the journey that I am making, but also in me. I know that, "If God had commanded me to do all things I could do them," [8] and that any steep obstacle or mist of darkness that I face has been overcome by Christ so that I might also be able to overcome it. If I continue to exercise faith in Christ and the plan of redemption that my Father in Heaven has set up for my happiness, I will be able to complete my journey on this immensely difficult path and will attain the eternal reward that awaits me.


Footnotes:
[1] William Newton Clarke.
[2] Isaiah 40:4
[3] Elder Quentin L. Cook
[4] D&C 88:6
[5] Moroni 7:41
[6] President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
[7] "Be Still My Soul"
[8] 1 Nephi 17:50

Sources:
1. http://thinkexist.com/quotation/faith_is_the_daring_of_the_soul_to_go_farther/168558.html
2. The Holy Bible. King James text: LDS version. Salt Lake: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1979.
3. The Book of Mormon. Salt Lake: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1830.
4. The Doctrine and Covenants.
5. "Live by Faith, Not by Fear." Elder Quentin L. Cook. 177th Annual General Conference. October, 2007.
6. "Faith of our Father." President Dieter F. Uchtdorf. 178th Annual General Conference. April, 2008.
7. LDS Hymnal.