Faith

This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the Sunday morning session of the April 2001 conference.

I currently serve as the Stake Choir Director and we just had our stake conference at which the choir sang four numbers. They did such a great job and it is a joy for me to serve as their director. We had our first rehearsal on Sunday, April 23. On Monday, April 24 we found our son had killed himself and our world was turned upside down. I was given the opportunity to cancel the choir, but I couldn't do it. I needed to fulfill my calling, and lead the choir as my testimony of the love and mercy of the Savior. We sang "There is Sunshine in My Soul Today", "Hope of Israel", "Softly and Tenderly", and "God So Loved the World". People wondered how I could keep going in the face of tragedy. What else was I supposed to do? I have long studied the stories of pioneers and found in them a model and example of how to live. 

President Gordon B. Hinckley spoke of The Miracle of Faith in this session. He said of the pioneers, "The suffering they endured, the sacrifices they made, became the cost of what they believed." He told of his grandfather ". . . burying beside the trail his wife and her brother who died on the same day. He then picked up his infant child and carried her to this valley."

Faith? There can be no doubt about it. When doubts arose, when tragedies struck, the quiet voice of faith was heard in the stillness of the night as certain and reassuring as was the place of the polar star in the heavens above. . . . The strength of this cause and kingdom is not found in its temporal assets, impressive as they may be. . . . It all comes of the gift of faith, bestowed by the Almighty upon His children who doubt not and fear not, but go forward.

 

The best way for me to handle my grief is to keep moving forward. I must pass my tests to be able to finish my course here at this mortal boarding school. I will miss James until I graduate and can see him again. But I can't sit by the side of the trail weeping and wailing in grief. I can cry and mourn as I move along, comforted by the presence of my gospel brothers and sisters who encourage me and mourn with me.

Faith is a miracle. It is trust in the Lord and showing that trust through our actions of obedience and service. Faith is a gift, the reward for obedience and service. President Hinckley said, "Faith is the basis of testimony. Faith underlies loyalty to the Church. Faith represents sacrifice, gladly given in moving forward the work of the Lord."

I loved the tender ending of his talk, "O Father, help us to be faithful unto Thee and unto our glorious Redeemer, to serve Thee in truth, to make that service an expression of our love. . . "

It is my desire to be found faithful until the end of my life here so I can be reunited with loved ones who have gone before.