We really are living in a time of great spiritual darkness
and it can take a lot of faith and courage to stand strong in a time when our
beliefs are being attacked and our values are being considered outdated at best
and hateful at worst. It can be easy to start doubting what we know to be true
when faced with such heavy amounts of opposition and hostility. However, we
need not give into fear and discouragement. As Richard C. Edgely stated in the
October 2010 General Conference:
“When our sacred doctrine and beliefs are challenged, this
is our opportunity to become acquainted with God in a most private and intimate
manner. This is our opportunity to choose….I wish to suggest
a single choice—a choice of peace and protection and a choice that is
appropriate for all. That choice is faith.”
Faith is not something that will just come to us but it is a
decision. And when we are choosing to have faith, fear can have no place in us.
Choosing to have faith invites the Spirit and he can testify to us the truths
of the gospel. There are some things that we don’t yet know but that is okay.
It doesn’t mean that the gospel isn’t true; it just means that we don’t have
all knowledge revealed yet, but in time we will, according to the wisdom of
God.
I would like to reaffirm what Elder Edgely
exhorts: “So I say, choose faith. Choose faith over doubt, choose faith over
fear, choose faith over the unknown and the unseen, and choose faith over
pessimism.”
Submitted by Aimee Foster
