Faith

There are many definitions of Faith. My favorite would be the acronym given in the above motivational poster quote I found on Pinterest. :)

"Faith is Forwarding All Issues To Heaven." It is having Trust in God. It is the first principle of the Gospel. It is the base of all other gospel principles and doctrines.

“And now as I said concerning faith- faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true.” (Alma 32:21)

I love the whole chapter of Alma 32 in “The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ”. It not only describes what Faith is, but how we can obtain it.

“But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words.” (Alma 32:27; italics added.)  

Faith begins with a desire to believe. Alma goes on in the chapter to compare faith to a seed. He tells us to plant this seed- this desire- within our hearts. As we walk by faith, trusting God by following His commandments, we are experimenting and exercising faith and allowing it to grow within us. The seed of faith will begin to swelleth and sprouteth with hope and happiness. (click here to study the full chapter.)

I am grateful for the principle of Faith, and the hope and happiness it gives me. I am also grateful for the scriptures that remind me of this principle and give me strengthen.