The Future

Facing the Future with Faith

Russell M. Nelson

"We live to die, and we die to live again." When I first heard this saying, it didn't seem to make any sense, but as I thought about it some more, it makes complete sense. God gave us the chance to come down here to earth, experience life, trials, etc. and then die so that we could return to live with Him for forever.

"All that the future holds in store for each sacred child of God will be shaped by his or her parents, family, friends, and teachers. Thus, our faith now becomes part of our posterity's faith later." You must have faith, but you also must show it. Whether you realize it or not, you are an example to everyone, to your family, your friends, acquaintances and even perfect strangers. They are always watching you, waiting to see what it is that you will do. Live your life with faith. 

"We live in a time of turmoil." Satan is trying his hardest to bring us down. On those that have more faith, he works even harder to break them, causing them to have more trials. But no matter what, know that the Lord does not give us more than we can handle. Trials that seem daunting will soon pass, but you must trust in the Lord, you have to let him help you. He suffered on the cross for us, He know every sin that I have committed, every pain, every sorrow, He has felt it all. Don't let Satan win!

"You parents bear the primary responsibility to strengthen their faith. Let them feel your faith, even when sore trials come upon you...Teach that faith with deep conviction." As I said before, you are always being watched, you are an example, but the question is, are you a good example or a poor example? I never had realized just how much my little brother and sister were watching me, learning and doing what I was doing. Looking back now, I wish I had set a better example for them. They still are watching me and copying my actions, now I just hope that I am setting a better example for them. It seems funny because siblings always seem to pick up on the negative actions that I have set before them, not the good, but then again people only ever seem to remember the bad and have a harder time remembering the good.

"Teach that our sojourn in mortality is a period of probation, a time of trial and testing to see if we will do whatever the Lord commands us to do. . .picking and choosing will not work." You have a choice, it is black and white, there is no grey, you can either keep or break the commandments. It's as simple as that.

"Obedience allows God's blessings to flow without constraint." If you cannot follow the little things such as praying, reading your scriptures, keeping the commandments, then how is the Lord supposed to trust you with bigger things such as being God's and Goddess's of our own worlds? Plain and simple he can't, if we want the Lord to trust us, we must obey His commandments without question!

"God's holy angels are ever on call to help us. . .'I will go before your face. I will be on you right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.'" No matter what, Christ will be there for me. He wants me to be happy; He wants me to let go of all my anger, frustration, the hate, the anguish. He has suffered all these pains and doesn't want me to hurt anymore. Trails are given to us to make us stronger, it's not to make us feel like we are not good enough!

"Unfailing faith is fortified through prayer." All the time that I was going through my trial, I couldn't help but think that I wasn't good enough, that the Lord didn't love me, that I was nothing. I quickly let my faith dwindle. Sure I still went to church, but the little things seemed to fade away, they didn't seem to matter at all. It was not until I went to school this last year, until I started surrounding myself with people that had been doing the little things. I could see the light shining in their eyes, and I wanted that for myself. For the first time in years, I realized how unhappy I was, how much I disliked the person I had become. And I knew that I needed to make some changes, the first being that I needed to start with the little things again. I needed to read my scriptures, say my prayers before I could even begin to work on forgiving those that have hurt me so much in the past. I know for a fact that the little things do in fact help. I never once faded in my church attendance, but my faith was not as strong as it could be. Now, I do my reading consistently, I can always tell when I have forgotten to do my scriptures/spiritual study, or forgotten to say a prayer.

"Know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good." What am I to learn from my trials? I have always known that my Heavenly Father loves me, but now I know the Lord has been there to comfort me when every tear has been shed, every bad thought about myself, He's been there through it all!



"Why do we need such resilient faith? Because difficult days are ahead." Every day we are battered by what other people think and believe. Satan works his hardest against those that the Lord's hardest workers, His most faithful followers. Whenever you are having a hard time, a bad day, etc, ask yourself, does you day suck or does your attitude suck?

"Strength comes when you remember that you have a divine nature, an inheritance of infinite worth." I know now that I am good enough; I am so very loved by my Heavenly Father. He knows my sorrows, He knows my pains, my fears, my afflictions. I know that I am a beloved daughter of God. His greatest wish is for me to return to live with Him again. He wants me to be happy, He wants me to feel my self-worth. I thank Him every day for sending my friends to me that have helped me through all the dark times, the sad times and the good times. I am so lucky.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.