General conference: Faith to Move Mountains

by Miriam Caldwell | More from this Blogger

31 Mar 2007 12:45 PM

In his talk "Faith to Move Mountains" President Gordon B. Hinckley speaks about the faith of those in the church. He opens the talk by briefly speaking of his health and age. He says that as long as the Lord is willing to have him serve he will And when the time comes for new leadership the church will move forward in faith.

President Hinckley goes on to say that the church was built on faith. He speaks about Joseph Smith and that it was faith that led him to pray in the grove, and translate the Book of Mormon. He also speaks of the faith of Brigham Young as he led the pioneers to the Salt Lake Valley.

President Hinckley spoke about the faith of the members of the Willie and Martin Handcart companies. He also spoke of the faith of those who went to their aid. While many suffered and died, many more were saved as members of the church put their faith into action.

President Hinckley also spoke of the important of small acts of faith. He shared the story of his wife's grandmother. She became a young widow when her husband was injured while he was working on the Manti temple. All she had left to remember him by was her wedding ring. While doing the spring cleaning she lost the ring in the straw of a mattress. She looked for the ring and could not find it. Finally she knelt and prayed that she might find it. After the prayer she found the ring. President Hinckley said of this experience:

"Now I hold it in my hand. It is too small for all of you to see. It is 18 karat gold, old and scarred and bent. But it represents faith, the faith of a widow who pleaded with the Lord in her extremity. Such faith is the wellspring of activity. It is the root of hope and trust. It is this simple faith that all of us so much need.

"In the on-working of this great cause, increased faith is what we most need. Without it, the work would stagnate. With it, no one can stop its progress. . .

"May the Lord bless us with faith in the great cause of which we are a part. May faith be as a candle to guide us in the night by its light. May it go before us as a cloud in the day."

This a wonderful talk about the importance of faith in our lives. Faith can help us through the bigger trials of life, but it is also there to guide us through the daily challenges that we each face. I hope that you will take the time to read and ponder President Hinckley's words.

Related Articles: General Conference: "Faith, Service and Constancy" General Conference: "Spiritual Nutrients" General Conference: "How Firm a Foundation"

Learn more about Miriam Caldwell

Miriam is a SAHM mom of three children. She has a daughter who is seven, and two sons, four and two. She loves being a parent and spending time with her children.

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LasVegasSaint (5) 31 Mar 2007 10:06 PM

I just ran across this website...and I'm very happy that I did! I just moved with my wife and children to Las Vegas, and, needless to say this is an eye-opening place! Consequently, we do not get KBYU or anything else in order to listen to conference. Hopefully, I can start bloging on here so that I can keep my sanity! Thank you for your wonderful comments on President Hickley's talk. Faith is so elusive...and yet it is so vital. I grew up Catholic in Utah Valley of all places. I was the only Catholic in my high school. All of my friends were LDS, and, while I never really felt discriminated against or looked down upon, I did feel...well, different. My decision to join the church (when i was 19) was all my own. I've always been a very deep spiritual person and thinker. There is a great quote from Joseph Smith (that I don't have in front of me, but I'll share at a later time) that I've always held dear. (I really should memorize it!) He speaks about the necessity of exploring the deepest abyss in order to commune with God. I've always done that. For other people, it may be a challenge to their faith to open their mind to other beliefs and philosophies, but it has always served as a catalyst to strengthen mine. Without faith (in God, in the church, in the teachings of the prophets), there is not a single thing to keep you in the church. Yes, the secular teachings of the church are nice, and it leads to a happy and prosperous life, but without a faith in the purpose of this existence, there is no reason to stay in the church. Faith is the key. I am so grateful that I have the faith that I do. It has been a blessing to me.

Miriam Caldwell (8030) 02 Apr 2007 11:00 AM

I really appreciate your comments on faith. Faith really is central to all that we do and who we are. I am sorry that you did not get to watch conference. You can watch it streaming over the internet if you get on early enough. You can listen at the church's site or watch at KNYU or BYUTV's site. We have a cable station that carries it here as a public service. Also if you have Dish Network or Direct TV you can watch it on the the BYU station. I know that on dish it is 9403. There are great resources available on that station. It is even available in the smallest family package that is offered through Dish network. It may be on the smallest Direct one as well. The transition from living inside Utah to outside can be eye opening, but I love living in the mission field now. Also I've heard that the saints are really strong in Vegas area.