February 24

Hello everybody!

So I don't have hardly anything to say about this week.... It was
rough. We lost our baptism dates, we have one progressing investigator
who can't be baptized for at least another month if not longer, and no
luck with anything else including new investigators. This is one of
those weeks where I hate that we have to call in and report to our
district leader, and answer the usual question "well, why do you think
so and so is not progressing or coming to church or etc." I don't know
- is it something I am or am not doing? Oh well, that is when I finish
the call, go into the closet and yell out my frustration. And the
Hilliard sisters in our apartment had a venting session with us too
which was nice.

However, my studies in the morning this week and the messages shared
at church were fantastic. I was looking up all sorts of things on
Faith in Christ and thinking about it throughout the week and trying
to exercise my faith.
To start off I came to the conclusion that faith is much more than
simply believing on Jesus' name and that He is. James in the Bible
tells us that even "the devils also believe, and tremble." I thought
that was an interesting point - Satan knows that God and Jesus Christ
are real and he believes so there must be something more to faith.
Faith is a principle of action and power and Satan would try to have
us underestimate what faith can do. But in Moroni 7, we are reminded
that God has not ceased to be a God of miracles, but to those in
unbelief, it would seem that way. Miracles are brought about though
after the trial of faith, or after we prove our trust and confidence
in Christ and Heavenly Father.
We are to walk this life by faith, which is a real challenge at times
because we don't see the fruit that we hope the little seed will
become and there is a lot we just don't know or understand. Yet, faith
can be that daily motivation leading us to repent (change) and
obedience. Would a farmer plant fields if he did not hope for a crop
to harvest? Would we work hard if we did not hope to accomplish
something? -- That is faith. And having faith in the Savior brings
many blessings, not the least of which is eternal salvation. And while
here in our mortal existence it will make us free (Helaman 15: 7-8),
free from worldly sorrow and worry and free from the degrading
destruction we see occurring in societies.
One of my favorite things I found is a talk from Elder Andersen, "You
know Enough". He talks about giving a blessing to a man who was
struggling with faith and of that experience he said,
"Faith is not only a feeling; it is a decision. He would need to choose faith."
I could do everything right- read my scriptures, say my prayers, serve
in a calling, teach a million Restoration lessons- but I might still
need to CHOOSE to have faith and definitely need to choose to exercise
it.

That was some of what I learned from my study on faith last week and
this week is hope. I look forward to hearing some of your thoughts. :)

I sure love this gospel and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day
Saints! Somehow I am going to find someone who will see that and
desire it for themselves and I look forward to that day.

I love y'all!
Sister Rust