Email to Family and Friends
General Conference this week has been absolutely amazing. I have learned so much for the beautiful inspired messages from the Prophet, Apostles, and other General Authority's.
The high here tomorrow is about 51 degrees! It's starting to get cold, I'm so exited!
During my last interview with my Mission President, I was telling him about how before my mission I was given the opportunity to meet and study lots of different missionary's. There were a few I really admired and wanted to be like, but out of all these missionary's, I never met one better than my brothers, especially Jed. Right before I left Jed gave me some council that I'll never forget, and that was if the Lord wanted thousands of baptisms a night he would send out the Apostles. But he doesn't, Jed then said, "I honestly believe the Lord sends out 18 & 19 year old young men to refine THEM" Converts are are just a bonus. So I went on telling President Wadsworth about this and how my highest goal for my mission is to go home a better man. He then told me that another key reason young men are sent on missions, to learn how to be fathers. I am a witness of the truthfulness of that statement. I'm by no means perfect and have a lot left to learn, but over the past week I can honestly say that because of the past week, I will be a better father.
"Childlike, Simple Faith"
The Brother of Jared once needed to find a way to provide light in the vessels the Lord directed him to make. He came up with the idea to go "forth unto the mount, which they called the mount Shelem, because of its exceeding height, and did molten out of a rock sixteen small stones; and they were white and clear, even as transparent glass; and he did carry them in his hands upon the top of the mount, and cried again unto the Lord, saying:"
"O Lord, thou hast said that we must be encompassed about by the floods. Now behold, O Lord, and do not be angry with thy servant because of his weakness before thee; for we know that thou art holy and dwellest in the heavens, and that we are unworthy before thee; because of the fall our natures have become evil continually; nevertheless, O Lord, thou hast given us a commandment that we must call upon thee, that from thee we may receive according to our desires."
"..therefore touch these stones, O Lord, with thy finger, and prepare them that they may shine forth in darkness; and they shall shine forth unto us in the vessels which we have prepared, that we may have light while we shall cross the sea."
"Behold, O Lord, thou canst do this. We know that thou art able to show forth great power, which looks small unto the understanding of men."
"And it came to pass that when the brother of Jared had said these words, behold, the Lord stretched forth his hand and touched the stones one by one with his finger." (1)
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland spoke about the childlike, simple faith that the brother of Jared showed when he said, “Behold, O Lord, thou canst do this” (2): “Surely God, as well as the reader, feels something very striking in the childlike innocence and fervor of this man’s faith. ‘Behold, O Lord, thou canst do this.’
"Perhaps there is no more powerful, single line of faith spoken by man in scripture. It is almost as if he is encouraging God, emboldening him, reassuring him. Not ‘Behold, O Lord, I am sure that thou canst do this.’ Not ‘Behold, O Lord, thou hast done many greater things than this.’
"However uncertain the prophet is about his own ability, he has no uncertainty about God’s power. There is nothing here but a single, clear, bold, and assertive declaration with no hint or element of vacillation. It is encouragement to Him who needs no encouragement but who surely must have been touched by it. ‘Behold, O Lord, thou canst do this’” (3)
I would highly encourage all to listen to President Dieter F. Uchtdorf's latest talk in the General Woman's Session of General Conference entitled "Forth Floor, Last Door". He expounds on this childlike, simple faith, more than I ever could. Go and listen to his beautiful message whether your male of female. It will bless your life as you apply it.
I have seen miracles come as I have strived to have childlike faith. As I have been working with my newest companion, I have been pleading with God to help me be patient and loving and also to stay busy so that there can be no excuse for idleness. With simple faith and complete trust in Him to answer my prayers, both have been completely answered.
I know God lives. I would forever be lost without my Redeemer. Faith is real, it is a real natural force just as is electricity. (4) Never underestimate it. It will lead you to see miracles. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Elder Philip R. Bredsguard
Thermopolis, WY
Notes
1. Ether 3:1-2,4-6
2. Ether 3:5
3. Jeffery R. Holland, “Rending the Veil of Unbelief,” in Nurturing Faith through the Book of Mormon: The 24th Annual Sidney B. Sperry Symposium [1995], 12
4. “There is another kind of faith, rare indeed. This is the kind of faith that causes things to happen. It is the kind of faith that is worthy and prepared and unyielding, and it calls forth things that otherwise would not be. It is the kind of faith that moves people. It is the kind of faith that sometimes moves things. … It comes by gradual growth. It is a marvelous, even a transcendent, power, a power as real and as invisible as electricity. Directed and channeled, it has great effect. …" -President Boyd K Packer, Conference Report, Oct. 1994, 45
