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Portraits of Faith

This Way to Joy

“Lord, Jesus,“ I prayed, “forgive me and help me to forgive him.” I tried to smile. I struggled to raise my hand but I could not. I felt nothing, not the slightest spark of warmth or charity.

Perspective

While I know that there will always be difficulties, my testimony has been strengthened with the added perspective of hindsight. Looking back, I now see that some of the trials have turned to blessings.

Hold Fast to the Word of God

Brothers and sisters, I leave you my bishop’s blessing. I pray for you. The Lord wants you to have a new relationship with the scriptures. He wants to teach you.

Finding Faith

So, this confirmed to me that the Lord was not finished with me, he needed me to teach the children in our ward the power of music and the importance of his word through song.

My Three Most Cherished Relationships

These three relationships are my foundation. They mean everything to me. I am so very grateful to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints where I can continue to learn about, grow closer to, and develop my relationship with Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and The Holy Ghost.

May We Love Everybody

May it make a difference in our lives. May we become a Zion people. May we love everybody. May we mourn with everybody.

The Grace of Christ

I love my Savior. And I love that Christ’s grace gives us the power and potential to become like Him!

Building a Reservoir of Faith

In retrospect, we can see that the time we spent longing, questioning, and wishing, was exactly what we needed to build a reservoir of faith we could tap into when we faced the difficulties of parenting precocious young children.

Finding Joy Through Trials

My wife in fact did beat this nasty disease and was called home in January of 2022. Although this has been a tough couple of years, we find great joy in knowing that she does not suffer any more and that the promise of that priesthood blessing was fulfilled.

A Slowly Focusing Vision of the Atonement

Ten years from now, will I come back to this and realize how much I only knew in part? Perhaps. But a lifetime of seeing through a glass, darkly, a journey of slowly focusing vision, has brought me a deep love for the Savior and His Atonement, and for that, I kind of like it.

Looking Up at the Temple Brings Peace

Time in the Temple will help you to think celestial and to catch a vision of who you really are, who you can become, and the kind of life you can have forever. Regular temple worship will enhance the way you see yourself and how you fit into God’s magnificent plan.

Putting God First

I’m so grateful that God has a perfect plan for each of His children. That experience was a huge wake-up call to me that I needed to put God first in my life.

Revelation Personalized for Our Learning

A few weeks later, my friend stumbled upon an article that she found interesting and sent to me. It was from a professor and expert on the Book of Mormon, written decades ago and comparing the (at the time) newly discovered Dead Sea Scrolls (ancient holy writings) to the content in the Book of Moses in the Pearl of Great Price.

Refining Our Faith

This journey transformed our faith from a set of beliefs to a dynamic, evolving relationship with a loving God who is eager for us to learn and is full of grace when we make mistakes.

Don’t Take the Good Things for Granted

When a hardship comes along, it may seem overwhelming, and we may feel an immense sense of loss. Most things we lose are temporary. An eternal perspective is important. The things that matter most and the things we should pursue have a more eternal impact.