As a parent, I have learned that exercising faith in the Lord, along with action on my part can lead to miraculous blessings. There was a time when dengue fever was prevalent in the area where I lived, and both my son and daughter were infected with this painful illness. The blood platelet counts for both were dropping rapidly. My son began to recover a bit, but my daughter was becoming severely sick. We had to admit her into a hospital and all we could do was wait for days as the treatment continued. One day, the doctor informed us that my daughter might need a platelet transfusion. This meant that I had to find people who would donate blood so the transfusion could happen. This was a day that tested our faith and courage. My wife and I were in continuous prayer and fasting. The night before the transfusion my daughter could not sleep and was very troubled; she did not know what was happening to her. I had to carry her the whole night as we waited for a miracle to happen. She was crying the whole night and couldn’t eat anything. We continued to fast and pray and to our great relief the next morning the doctors discovered that she no longer needed the transfusion. It was a great blessing in our life. As her platelet count started to increase, she could eat, and she began to get better. Like my family did as we looked for those who could donate blood, we do all we can, and then we put faith into action, showing the Lord through patience and prayer that we trust Him. Then we can know the Lord will bless our efforts.
“Our covenants bind us to Him and give us godly power”
President Russell M. Nelson
Elder Bednar taught, “Taking action is the exercise of faith. The children of Israel are carrying the ark of the covenant. They come to the river Jordan. The promise is they will cross over on dry land. When does the water part? When their feet are wet. They walk into the river—act. Power follows—the water parts.”
He continues, “We oftentimes believe, I’m going to have this perfect understanding, and then I’m going to transform that into what I do.” I would suggest that we already have enough to get started. We have a sense of the right direction. Faith is a principle—the principle—of action and of power. True faith is focused in and on the Lord Jesus Christ and always leads to action.”[1]
Alma the senior prayed with much faith to the Lord and when he exercised his faith through prayer, he saw the Lord’s hand in converting his son, Alma the younger. The scriptures are full of stories that help us understand how the Lord blesses the faithful. When we study the scriptures, we find that Paul, Peter and Joseph Smith were given great power and were able to accomplish many things due to their faith and actions. As we add faith in Jesus Christ to our works, many miracles can come to pass, and we will be astonished at the way the Lord makes things possible. The Lord taught, “He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do.”[2] It is evident that the power to do great works comes because of the faith in Christ.
Faith and covenant are woven together. As we make sacred covenants and keep those covenants with exactness, then we will be blessed with his power. In 2017 President Russell M Nelson taught, “Our covenants bind us to Him and give us godly power”.[3] And his promise from the April 2021 General Conference is this: “Only your unbelief will keep God from blessing you with miracles to move the mountains in your life…Your growing faith in [Jesus Christ] will move mountains — not the mountains of rock that beautify the earth but the mountains of misery in your lives.”[4]
May God bless you in this faithful journey as we find the power to meet all the challenges of this world and press forward towards a hope filled life with Heavenly Father.
[1] (David A. Bednar, “What Must I Do?” [Leadership Pattern video, 2014]; David A. Bednar, “Seek Learning by Faith” [address to Church Educational System religious educators, Feb. 3, 2006], lds.org/media-library).[1]
[2] John 14:11–12.
[3] Russell M. Nelson, “Drawing the Power of Jesus Christ into Our Lives,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2017
[4] “Christ Is Risen: Faith in Him Will Move Mountains,” April 2021 general conference