Go Forward in Faith

I have the privilege (?) to speak on the Roy Stake Conference Dec.7. My topic was Go forward in Faith. I have attached a copy for any interested readers. It was a great experience and a humbling one. I spoke last, before the stake president. Our conference was held in the Ogden Tabernacle, next to the temple. It was not filled but had about 500 people attending. Hopefully that's a once in a lifetime experience!

[I couldn't figure out how to create an expandable post needed to link to the talk so here it is!]
Good afternoon, Brothers and Sisters. Though it’s not very far, it took a lot of faith to come from that nice comfy chair to this microphone. You know the longer you sit in one place the harder it is to get going! Well, here I am and there you are… We have both gone forward in faith today.

For those of you with families, it took faith for you to go forward to Stake conference today. For many of our seasoned brothers and sisters the very action of moving forward at all is an act of faith!
I am grateful for the faith the Stake Presidency has in me to ask me to address you toady. I ask for your faith and prayers that my remarks will continue to add to the spirit of the wonderful conference. Nephi tells us, (2 Ne 31: 19-20)

19 And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save.
20 Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men.
Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.

Today I would like to focus on the “Go Forward” part of our theme, particularly as it pertains to heeding the promptings of the Holy Ghost. I would ask each of you to recall a time you have gone forward in faith.

As member of the Church of Jesus Christ, we were baptized and given the gift of the Holy Ghost. This direct link to our Heavenly Father will guide us and help us in our goal of returning to live with the Savior. We study the scriptures, ponder and pray in order to have personal revelation.

And then what happens….Basically, we do what the Spirit prompts us or we don’t. One of my favorite sayings is from the movie Star Wars. Master Yoda is instructing young Luke Skywalker on how to use his Jed-I sword. Master Luke is frustrated because he can’t get the hang of it. Master Yoda tells him “Do or Do Not, There is No Try”

Sometimes we get frustrated when we attempt to go forward in faith. We get delayed because of stumbling blocks-- ones we create or those lovingly placed by our Heavenly Father to help us grow.
Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles says: (quote)
Revelation comes on the Lord’s timetable, which often means we must move forward in faith, even though we haven’t received all the answers we desire. As a General Authority, I was assigned to help reorganize a stake presidency under the direction of Elder Ezra Taft Benson. After praying, interviewing, studying, and praying again, Elder Benson asked if I knew who the new president would be. I said I had not received that inspiration yet. He looked at me for a long time and replied he hadn’t either. However, we were inspired to ask three worthy priesthood holders to speak in the Saturday evening session of conference. Moments after the third speaker began, the Spirit prompted me that he should be the new stake president. I looked over at President Benson and saw tears streaming down his face. Revelation had been given to both of us—but only by continuing to seek our Heavenly Father’s will as we moved forward in faith. (close quote)
I love the scripture by Moroni where he so beautifully explains faith and hope.
And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith. Ether 12:6

When I was going to school at BYU, I was part of a ballroom dance group. It was the night of our big performance at the Wilkinson center ballroom. As a parked my car and was gathering my stuff, I was prompted to leave my purse in the car because it would be stolen. Well I disputed. I didn't want to leave my purse in the car because it had all my makeup, comb, etc that I would need to get ready. So I compromised. I took out my wallet and checkbook and left them in the glove box. After performing, I returned to the restroom where everyone had left their stuff and sure enough my purse had been stolen. 5’

I was glad that I had listened but regretted that I hadn’t gone forward in full faith.

Have you ever gone forward but without much faith? Are we lukewarm like Pres. Standing mentioned last night? Sometimes we might even be guilty of a little murmuring. Laman & Lemuel didn’t have the market cornered on murmuring you know. They are great examples of going forward without faith We might ask ourselves: Am I moving down the straight and narrow path toward the tree of life or am I stopped somewhere along the way. You know the longer you sit the harder it is to get going again. .

As I was preparing my talk and pondering on personal experiences I could share, I starting feeling like Papa Bear in one of my favorite children’s stories--the Bike Lesson with the Berenstain Bears. Papa Bear brings a bicycle home for his son. His son is most eager to ride it, but his dad insists on giving him some lessons before he does. Every lesson ends in disaster. Each time Papa Bear says, “This is what you should not do. Now let that be a lesson to you.” It seems that my examples are “what you should not do”. It is my hope that you can respond as the son does “It surely was Dad, now I see. That was a very good lesson for me.”



Another good lesson for me in going forward in faith was when we lived in Provo.
I was a YW advisor when they announced the open house of the Las Vegas Temple. This was the first time a temple open house had been near Utah in a long time. I kept getting the prompting that we should take the youth in the ward to the open house. Well that wasn’t my place- I wasn’t the YW president. I kept feeling strongly that we should take the youth. Finally I went to the YW president and told her how I felt. She was having family medical problems at the time and was unable to be involved but gave me the go ahead. We needed to be very frugal in our planning in order for all the youth to be able to go. It just so happened that one sister in the ward had a friend in Las Vegas that was able to organize several homes to provide housing and breakfast for our youth and chaperones. We could only afford the smaller of the charter busses which would just hold our group. Because my husband was going as a chaperone, I really wanted to take our children ages 6,8 & 10 but there wouldn’t be room on the bus. I had to make complicated babysitting arrangements to leave them behind. The bus that came on the morning of departure wasn’t the bus were had chartered. They had sent the larger bus. My children were packed up to go to the babysitters, soI was able to quickly get them and take them with us. Because I went forward in faith the Lord blessed us and we were able to have a wonderful experience. That was the first of many temple experiences our family had together.

I like to share a story about Karola Hilbert a young LDS girl who went forward in faith. Karola’s family joined the church in Germany before the start of WWII. With her 2 older brothers in the army, Karola, her 3 older sisters and parents were trying to exist in post war Berlin. After the war was over, people in Berlin were starving. There was no food in the city. One Sunday a woman at church told Karola how to take the train to the country where she might beg for food. Knowing that her mother was starving to death Karola decided to go. This was extremely dangerous for a young 18 year girl to go through Russian occupied Germany. It meant risking rape or death. Karola took the train as far as it went then started walking the least traveled road. Soon she saw a village in the distant but had to past by an army garrison of Russian soldiers. As she sat on a stump thinking a farmer came by with a cart of straw. Karola hid herself in the straw until she got past the garrison and near the village. She was able to get 3 bags of food and arranged to come back each week. Amazingly there was always a farmer, or truck driver willing to help Karola pass the garrison and get back in time to catch the train.

One particular Thursday there was no truck or cart. Karola waited as long as she could then began walking. She knew if she didn’t make it home her mother would die from anxiety and worry. As she got close to the garrison the soldiers came out into the street for a break. There was no possible way to safely pass by them. If she was discovered, there was no way to survive what would be in store for her. Creeping between 2 trees, Karola knelt and begged the Lord in prayer for divine intervention. She remembered her mother telling how the Lord had protected Joseph Smith so that he was invisible to the eyes of his enemies. Let me read her words. (Quote)” Dear Heavenly Father, I know Thou canst protect me. Please make me invisible to the eyes of those Russian solders so that I may walk through them unharmed, even as Thou hast done for Thy prophet, Joseph Smith. Help me reach the train so that Mother will not have cause to worry beyond the strength she has to endure”.

After closing my prayer, I immediately picked up my sacks and without a doubt in my heart, walked straight toward the Russian solders.

I had to literally plough my way through them. As I pushed one soldier with my right shoulder to have a pathway through, he turned and said something to the soldier on my left. I looked into his eyes and he look right through me.I continued on my way unscathed. They never even knew I was there. I caught the train home safely.” (close quote)

My talk about going forward in faith wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the Pioneers. Last Saturday I had the privilege of walking down Parley’s street in Nauvoo where 1000 wagons had waited to cross the frozen Mississippi River that February in 1946. It is called the Trail of Hope. The Church has placed reader boards with excerpts from pioneer journals along the way. Each story is a testimony of going forward in faith.

Sarah Leavitt’s entry reads: As Sarah Leavitt and her daughters tried to comfort her sick husband, he began to sing, “Come Let Us Anew, Our Journey Pursue” He sang the hymn as long as he had strength to sing it and then wanted Elisa, one of his daughters, to sing it. He died without a struggle or a groan”. It is Hymn #217. I’d like to read verses 1 & 3.
Come Let us anew, our journey pursue, Roll round with the year, and never stand still till the Master appear. His adorable will let us gladly fulfill, and our talents improve by the patience of hope and the labor of love.
Oh, that each in the day of His coming may say, I have fought my way thru; I have finished the work thou didst give me to do. Oh that each from his Lord may receive the glad word: “Well and faithfully done; Enter into my joy and sit down on my throne.

Brother and Sisters--Let us go forward in faith. Take something from this wonderful conference and act on it. As Pres. Hinckley so often and lovingly said, “May we try a little harder to be a little better.” I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior and He cares about me and will give me direction through the Holy Ghost. When I heed those promptings I am blessed, my family is blessed and I can bless others. AMEN!