Choose To Believe

I've been reading over the talks in the Priesthood session of General Conference the last few days. As always, I love how blunt and straight forward they are with their messages. They don't mince words, but just tell it like it is and how things should be. And then they tell of the blessings that follow for being obedient. 

President Uchtdorf gave a great self-examination interview in his talk Be Not Afraid, Only Believe:

Do we stand loyal to God?
Do we practice what we preach, or are we Sunday Christians only?
Do our daily actions reflect clearly what we claim to believe?
Do we help “the poor and the needy, the sick and the afflicted”?⁵Do we just talk the talk, or do we enthusiastically walk the walk?

Am I rising up to the challenge to "...daily practice the principles of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and to live true to God's commandments"? If not, how do I do that?

• Stay calm under pressure
• Don't be impressed by popular trends or false prophets
• Disregard the ridicule of the ungodly
• Resist the temptations of the evil one
• Overcome your own laziness

 In the past, it has been extremely important for me to have a strong foundation as my testimony. I've learned from my seminary years, EFY classes, Youth Conference and General Conference talks that relying on a sure foundation of a testimony will be what carries me through the hard experiences. And it has. The strongest testimony that helped sustain me was knowing who I am and who I belong to. Who am I?

[I am a DAUGHTER] of our Heavenly Father, who loves [me], and [I] love Him. [I] WILL “STAND as [a witness] of God at all times and in all things, and in all places” (Mosiah 18:9) as [I] strive to live the Young Women values, which are:
Faith • Divine Nature • Individual Worth • Knowledge • Choice and Accountability • Good Works • Integrity • and Virtue
[I] BELIEVE as [I] come to accept and act upon these values, [I] WILL BE PREPARED to strengthen home and family, make and keep sacred covenants, receive the ordinances of the temple, and enjoy the blessings of exaltation.

 Why is it so important to know this? Because when we know who we are, then we know our potential and can work on that as our goal. Satan would have us believe that we can't achieve our potential. President Uchtdorf said this concerning "Satan's deceptions: that belief is available to some people but not to others." Believing takes work and is attainable by anybody.

• Desire to believe.
• Scientific curiosity to exercise a particle of faith
• Requires humility
• Requires an open heart and an open mind
• Requires seeking for it
• Requires patience and waiting upon the Lord

When we decide to stop doubting, fearing, or being lazy but instead start to believe, we are open to the blessings our Heavenly Father is waiting to bestow upon us.

• Opens our spiritual eyes to splendors we can scarcely imagine
• Faith grows stronger
• Discover the dawn of light
• Discover truth
• Find peace
• Never hunger nor thirst again
• God's grace enables us to be true to our faith
• Soul filled like a well of water springing up into everlasting life
• Experience true and lasting joy

We are beckoned to have courage to believe and not to be afraid. And when we do, the blessings will come!