A Couple Follow-up Thoughts

On Faith

On Testimony

As I continue to talk and ponder this issue of faith and testimony and how certain trials impact both, I'll continue to blog about it.   I feel compelled to because of this:

Luke 22:  31 ¶And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:

 32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

We know in the last day's hearts will fail.  We'll be weary of all the evil, the turmoil of life, the impact all this has had on our souls; souls that are divine and spiritual and holy.   I love this video as a reminder to be patient and to wait.  We won't understand the reasons and purposes for our trials, God does.  He will use them for our good.

While I'm working to develop a few more thoughts for my next post,  I'll share a couple videos that touched me.

1. Abide
2. Hope


One final thought from the amazing Sister Chieko Okasaki, “I do think we should struggle for understanding just as hard as we can. It’s not showing a lack of faith to say, ‘I don’t understand this. Tell me how. Explain why.’ But at the same time, we also need to remind ourselves — sometimes right out loud — that, as the Lord explained to Isaiah: ‘My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways . . . For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts’ (Isaiah 55:9-9). We need to accept and be patient with our lack of understanding. It’s a superb and glowing faith to say, ‘I don’t understand this and I don’t like it very much, but I accept it. Show me how to live with it, how to deal with it.’ The limitations of mortality are so real and so personal that I’m sure one of the things we’re going to do in the next life is laugh and laugh.”
– “Behold Thy Handmaiden: The Answer of Faith,” chapter 13, Disciples