When Jesus was asked why He had been able to cast out devils from a child when His disciples had not, He answered, “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you  (Matthew 17:20, King James Translation of the Bible.)

Another time His apostles asked Him to strengthen their faith for them. He responded, “And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you” (Luke 17:6, King James translation of the Bible.)

If faith the size of a mustard seed could lead to those kinds of miracles, imagine what you could do with faith even half that size. In the Book of Mormon, we’re taught that even a longing for faith is enough to start the process of learning to trust God.

Although many of us struggle with faith, it is often because we’re thinking we need so much more to start the process than we really do. Of course, we want to continually work to strengthen our faith in Jesus Christ, but we only need desire to get started.

Faith means to believe in something we can’t prove scientifically. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1.)

Although most of us hope for a great many things, God and Jesus are the only certainties. Everything else can be altered or lost. For that reason, our journey for faith has to start with God and Jesus.

When we read the scripture above, Paul’s great sermon on faith found in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews we can find examples of people whose lives are recorded in the scriptures and who demonstrated faith. One way to start our journey is by studying those lives and the lives of others who have shown great faith in their own lives. As you read, ask why God wanted that story in the Bible and how you could apply the lessons of faith learned in your own life.

The Bible offers several different pieces of advice on gaining faith. Paul taught the Romans, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” This means we need to learn more about God and Jesus in order to begin developing faith. This can come by reading the Bible, praying, pondering, and studying good material on the subject. When gathering material from sources other than the direct word of God, it’s important to pray to know whether or not what you are reading is true.

Learn how to pray.

James taught us that another step is obedience to the laws of God. He reminded us of Abraham, who was willing, if necessary, to sacrifice his only son simply because God asked him to. James said that Abraham’s faith was perfected through his works or actions. This means our beginning faith can grow when we live the teachings of Jesus Christ. Works are not what save us, but they are the manifestation of our faith. “Faith without works is dead,” taught James. He reminded the early Christians that Satan himself believes in God—has faith—but of course, Satan refuses to obey the laws of God, and therefore, cannot be saved. (See James 2 in the New Testament.) Neither faith nor works alone is enough. Faith brings with it a longing to live the commandments. The greater our faith, the easier it becomes to obey God, because we trust Him and we believe that by obeying God, the rewards will be far better than the sacrifices. James uses as an example a poor person approaching and asking for food and clothing. Preaching a sermon is not enough. We must follow up the teaching of our faith by helping that person physically. Our actions will flow naturally from our faith because we know God taught us the responsibilities to the poor, and out of love for Him and for the child of God who is in need, we obey.

Kevin W. Pearson summed up the stages of faith a person will go through as he sets a goal to develop faith:

“Desire is a particle of faith that develops within us as we experience divine truth. It is like spiritual photosynthesis. The influence of the Holy Ghost, acting on the Light of Christ within every human being, produces the spiritual equivalent of a chemical reaction—a stirring, a change of heart, or a desire to know. Hope develops as particles of faith become molecules and as simple efforts to live true principles occur.

As patterns of obedience develop, the specific blessings associated with obedience are realized and belief emerges. Desire, hope, and belief are forms of faith, but faith as a principle of power comes from a consistent pattern of obedient behavior and attitudes. Personal righteousness is a choice. Faith is a gift from God, and one possessed of it can receive enormous spiritual power” (Kevin W. Pearson, “Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ,” Ensign, May 2009, 38–40.)

It’s often said that fear and faith can’t exist in the same place. When we find ourselves afraid, it is due to a weak spot in our faith.

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid,” Jesus told His followers shortly before leaving them. He often asked them not to be afraid, but they often found this harder than they expected. In Matthew 14, Peter wanted to walk on water after seeing Jesus doing it. He thought he had the faith to do that, and he had enough to step out of the boat and into the water. It was a starting faith. However, the wind picked up and Peter let his faith blow away with it. He panicked and called to Jesus for help. Jesus gently rebuked him, reminding him that he needed to strengthen his faith.

Although Jesus said we didn’t have to be afraid, we can choose to be afraid. Fear—lack of faith—is a choice. Naturally, everyone has times when he is afraid and it’s simply hard to hold on to the faith we normally have, particularly when the wind is blowing hard while we’re trying to walk on fragile water. These times are signals to us to increase our faith through prayer, scripture study, conversations with those who have faith, and obedience to the commandments. The more often we simply let God show us the way, instead of trying to take charge of our lives ourselves, the easier faith will become. We will see the good results that come—not always instantly, but eventually—of trusting God and our faith will grow.

4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.

6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:

11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will (1 Corinthians 12 in the King James version of the Bible).

Each of us is given different gifts, depending on what God feels we need. However, we can pray and ask God to give us other gifts, if our desire is based on worthy goals of serving Him, and not on personal ego.

These gifts come to us through the Holy Ghost and most are bestowed on baptism. However, some gifts are with us before then, allowing us to find God and truth. They are given only for spiritual purposes and we must never use them for personal gain. They aren’t to be used to garner admiration or financial gain, or to harm others. Instead, they’re used to build God’s kingdom and to improve our faith in God.

The Bible and other scriptures refer to a number of these gifts. The verses above give us some of them. Other gifts include the gift of tongues, the interpretation of tongues, the gift of translation, wisdom, knowledge, teaching wisdom and knowledge, knowing that Jesus is the Christ, believing the testimonies of others, prophecy, healing, working miracles, and faith.

Once given a gift, we have a responsibility to magnify the gift. The parable of the talents teaches us that when we’re given something, we must not just selfishly guard it, but make it more than it was. After praying to learn which gifts we have, and praying for any additional gifts we long to have to improve our ability to serve God, we need to study the Bible and other scriptures to learn what God says about each of these gifts. Then we need to use them to serve God. We can’t hide them away or we’ll lose them. As we use these gifts, our gifts will grow and we’ll be better able to serve God and to live a Christ-like life.

We have to be extremely careful in the use of gifts. Satan can imitate these gifts. The imitations are pale in comparison to the real thing, but they can deceive those who aren’t careful. For instance, fortune telling can be mistaken for prophecy. However, we can discern the difference by looking at how these gifts are used. A fortune teller might claim to foretell something that will happen to movie stars, or offer other spiritually meaningless promises, rather than the teachings of God. If someone who claims to be a prophet requires you to pay him before he will give you what he claims is God’s message, he is misusing any gift he might have. The best way to know who really has a spiritual gift, or to know if you have the gift yourself, is to pray and ask God.

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him (James 1:5, King James version of the Bible).

Spiritual gifts are sacred and must be treated that way. Over the next few weeks, we will examine some of the gifts God offers His children and discuss ways to treat them sacredly.

To make Bible study more meaningful, you need to slow down. If you’ve committed to reading ten chapters a day, you may want to consider either reducing the number of Bible chapters you’re reading each day or set a time goal instead of a chapter goal. This way, if you read a single verse and spend fifteen minutes pondering what it means to you, it won’t throw you off schedule and ruin your need for productivity. You can read as slowly as you’d like and allow yourself time to use your reading to increase your knowledge of the Bible, God, and Jesus Christ.

Next, create a plan for getting yourself to slow down and ponder as you read. Begin each session with a prayer to help you have the Holy Ghost (Holy Spirit) with you as you’re reading. Then put a few tools nearby to assist you with your reading.

One useful tool to have handy is a colored pencil for marking your Bible. Some people use multiple colors and a system of marking certain types of scriptures in different colors. This is useful for future study, but can cause you to focus more on the method and less on what you’re reading. The best systems are always simple. If you long for a color-coded study Bible, consider having a second one for that purpose. At a time other than your Bible study, go through your personal Bible, note all the marked scriptures, and also mark them in your color-coded Bible.

You will also want something with which to write. Put notes in the margins to remind you of thoughts you had, meanings you’ve applied to the verses, or explanations you’ve found as you study.

You may have more notes than fit into the small margins of most Bibles. A scripture journal can give you expanded room for your thoughts and ideas and force you to slow down and ponder. Purchase or make a journal, or keep one online (but print it periodically) and, as you read, stop to write your thoughts or inspirations. What does that verse or story mean to you? What can you learn from it that will help you in your own life? How can you change your life based on what you read? This record will be a valuable tool for you in the future, and can also be a way to help your children understand your faith process when they’re old enough to read it. (If your thoughts are too personal, you may want to type an edited version to save for your family.)

Take time to make the people in the stories come to life. They were real people (except in the parables, of course) and had complete lives that went on before and after the stories we have preserved. How do you think they felt about the things that happened? What kinds of people were they? How do you think the events recorded impacted their lives? Don’t just focus on the main characters. Sometimes there are great lessons to be learned from the minor characters as well.

Each day, when you finish your reading, stop and spend several minutes just thinking about what you read. Decide what you’ve learned and what you’re going to do about it. This is called pondering. Pondering is an essential part of your scripture reading.

You may find commentaries helpful in giving you more background or new ideas, but don’t let them do all your thinking for you. Sometimes, just read without the aid of a commentary. Let the Holy Ghost tell you what you need to know, instead of just accepting someone else’s interpretation.

Reading alone is important, because it allows you to ponder and to focus your reading entirely on what you need to learn. However, it can be helpful to also read the Bible with others. You don’t have to be in the same place in your group reads as you do in your private reading. Read with your children each day and encourage them to talk about what they’ve read. Children, even very young ones, often have amazing insights into the Bible. You’ll find you look at the stories and the people in all new ways after you’ve listened to a child’s opinion of them. You might also read with your spouse, as a way of finding what is in the Bible that can help you as a couple.

Try reading the Bible in several different ways. Sometimes read it straight through, as it was published. Other times, read it chronologically. (The New Testament is not published in the order experts believe it was written.) Still more often, read it by topic.

To read the Bible topically, choose a topic you want to know more about or that you feel you need to focus more on in your life. For instance, you might be thinking a lot about truth, faith, or service lately. Using a good topical guide to help you find those scriptures. Read each one, noting them in your study journal, and add your thoughts about them. Cross-reference those you feel add more insight into the other scriptures on the subject. Reading the Bible this way is a whole different experience than reading chronologically, because you’ll get a more complete picture of God’s teachings on a given subject. If you write out each scripture on the topic, along with your thoughts, you’ll begin to see the topics you’re studying in new ways. It will force you to think of them differently when you put all the verses together, instead of encountering them in pieces during chronological study.

Read both the Old Testament and the New Testament. Both parts make up the complete Bible and although the Old Testament is harder reading, there are great riches of understanding to be found there.

God gave us the Bible for a reason. He meant us to love it, study it, and apply it. Make the very best use of His gift you possibly can by increasing the power of your Bible study.

At a New Year’s Eve party, the host asked the guests to write on a sheet of paper what they hoped to accomplish in the year to come. Each guest did so and sealed and labeled the envelope. The host took the envelopes to his bank and placed them in a bank vault until the following year.

Elder Packer quotes Heber C. Kimball, who said, “I have said often, “you may write blessings for yourselves, and insert every good thing you can think of, and it will all come to pass on your heads if you do right.”

Elder Packer and his wife had listed six things they hoped for, all for others and all seemingly impossible. However, because they had written those things down, they periodically prayed for them to come to pass. Each time they prayed, they received personal inspiration that allowed them to further their goals. He noted that they would likely have ignored or not received those inspirations if they had not set down a goal. Five were accomplished, and on New Year’s Eve the next year, they learned the final goal had been achieved by the friend they had been praying for. Although he knew nothing of the goal Elder Packer and his wife had set, he happily informed them the serious challenge faced had been resolved (Packer, Boyd K.. “A Host of Goals.” Memorable Stories With a Message. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co, 2001. 7-8. Print).

Unless we set goals, we risk roaming through life without ever really accomplishing anything meaningful. It can be easy to get caught up in the pace of life and the immediacy of issues and never really plan our lives. Making a goal, writing it down, and setting a deadline can help us accomplish everything God sent us to do, resolve problems, and even bless others. When we add prayer to the plan, we insure that God’s will can be carried out for us.

The first step to planning the coming year is to pray for inspiration. We usually have a good idea of what we want, but sometimes God has another plan and His is always better. We want to be sure our plans are aligned with His.

Next, we should decide what we want to have happen in our lives. I spend time picturing my life one year from now and then write down what has to happen to bring that picture to life. I try to be sure my vision is realistic—I can’t be a best-selling novelist by next year if I’ve not even written a book, or have no idea how to write one. I also work to keep the number of changes I have to make under control. No one is going to keep 100 resolutions, but we are likely to keep five manageable resolutions.

The next step is to write them down. If they aren’t written, they probably won’t happen. Decide where the resolutions will be kept for the coming year.

For many people, this is the end of the process. However, if this is all the planning that occurs, the resolutions will be broken or forgotten in a few weeks. Each resolution needs its own plan.

A goal must be broken down into manageable steps. “Write a book” is a huge goal with many smaller steps involved. Plan each step and create a timetable for accomplishing it. If your goal were to write a book, you might first need to learn how to write a book. Write that down as the first step and then research how to learn. What books will you read? What friend will you meet with for advice? How long do you need to do this?

The next step would be to choose the topic of the book. Will it be fiction or non-fiction? What will it be about? You may not know the entire outline of the book, but you do need to know what type of book you’re writing so you can study the correct preparation materials.

After this, the prospective writer would need to decide how long the book will be and then figure out how many pages he has to write each day to accomplish it in one year. Since writers are usually reminded that they need only write a page a day to finish the first draft in a year, the goal-setter might decide to write two pages a day, to allow for Sabbath breaks, holidays, sick days, and the preparatory learning.

Continue in this fashion until you know what steps are needed to complete your goal and you’ve created a timeline for achievement. You’re now well on your way, but you still aren’t finished.

When are you going to work on this goal? If you’re planning to read the complete works of Shakespeare this year, will you read in the mornings, before bedtime, or during your lunch hour? If you don’t choose a time and clear your calendar, it won’t happen. You’ll get busy and you’ll climb into bed at the end of the day still not having found a free hour to read.

What will you do if you break your resolution or fall behind schedule? It is at this point most people give up. You can help to prevent this by planning in advance how to handle it. If you decided to read the Old Testament this year, will you take on extra reading to catch up, or simply continue reading the planned number of pages each day and redo the schedule, so you finish after the end of the year—but you do finish? Will you re-evaluate your plan to see if it was realistic and rework it to meet the reality?

There are times when it is appropriate to abandon a goal. If you’ve decided to return to college, but a child becomes seriously ill, the child will naturally come first. This is not a failed goal. You have prioritized the conflicting challenges of life and made the proper choice. Sometimes, while praying, we learn we need to put a goal on hold or abandon it all together. When my children were younger, I began a freelance writing career. When things changed and I began homeschooling, I was warned during a prayer that I could not handle both my writing career and homeschooling. Many people do, but I wasn’t one of them. I put the goal, pursued with Heavenly permission, on hold for eight years until prayer revealed it was time to restart. The start I had made many years before made the new developments in my restarted career possible, so it wasn’t a failed goal at all—simply an altered timeline after consultation with God.

When goals are approached prayerfully, and prayer is a regular part of the year’s plans, it is very likely we will achieve our goals, or be aware of what God wants us to do in relationship to them. God wants us to achieve our righteous dreams, and when we live worthy of His help, and we choose goals He approves of for us, we can do and become everything He wants us to become.

We are children of a loving Father in Heaven. That is the first item to place on any list. The second is that His Son, Jesus Christ, loved us enough to die for us. These two blessings can serve as the foundation for all other blessings on our list. Some things cannot be taken from us, no matter how little income we have or how few our possessions.

In the May 2000 Ensign, a talk given by Bonnie D. Parkin in the Mormon General Conference, talked about gratitude during even the hardest of times. (See Bonnie D. Parkin, “Gratitude: A Path to Happiness,” Ensign, May 2007, 34–36.) She suggested showing gratitude toward Heavenly Father for our blessings was one way to find happiness in our trials.

Sister Parkin said, “Let me share a sweet story with you. A family was going through a difficult time. It was hard for them not to focus on their challenges. The mother wrote: “Our world had completely crumpled, so we turned to Heavenly Father for guidance. Almost immediately we realized that we were surrounded by goodness and were being cheered on from every side. We began as a family to express our gratitude to each other as well as to the Lord daily. A close friend pointed out to me that our family’s ‘blessing basket’ was overflowing. From that conversation came a sort of game, which my children and I grew to love. Before family prayer each night we would talk about how our day had gone and then share with each other all of the many blessings that had been added to our ‘blessing basket.’ The more we expressed gratitude, the more there was to be grateful for. We felt the love of the Lord in a significant way as opportunities for growth presented themselves.”2

What would a “blessing basket” add to your family?”

We often have no control over the trials we’re given. They come to us through our own choices or through the choices of others. Sometimes we can work to improve the situation, but other trials are outside our control. However, we can control how we view those trials and we can control where we focus our attention. Certainly, some trials require a great deal of our attention, but others must simply be gotten through. With either type of trial, we can focus exclusively on the negative portions of the trial, or we can give time as well to the good things going on in the background. Every day of our lives, something good is happening to us. When we pay attention to those good things and remember to take a few minutes to thank God for them, somehow the trials don’t seem as overwhelming. We’re able to see God’s presence in the worst of times, and to remember there will always be goodness during bad times.

“Gratitude requires awareness and effort, not only to feel it but to express it. Frequently we are oblivious to the Lord’s hand. We murmur, complain, resist, criticize; so often we are not grateful. In the Book of Mormon, we learn that those who murmur do not know “the dealings of that God who … created them.”3 The Lord counsels us not to murmur because it is then difficult for the Spirit to work with us.

Gratitude is a Spirit-filled principle. It opens our minds to a universe permeated with the richness of a living God. Through it, we become spiritually aware of the wonder of the smallest things, which gladden our hearts with their messages of God’s love. This grateful awareness heightens our sensitivity to divine direction. When we communicate gratitude, we can be filled with the Spirit and connected to those around us and the Lord. Gratitude inspires happiness and carries divine influence. “Live in thanksgiving daily,” said Amulek, “for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you.”4

Mercies and blessings come in different forms—sometimes as hard things. Yet the Lord said, “Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things.”5All things means just that: good things, difficult things—not just some things. He has commanded us to be grateful because He knows being grateful will make us happy. This is another evidence of His love.”

The Book of Mormon, a book of sacred text used by Mormons alongside the Bible, tells of a man named Nephi. He wrote that he had been blessed all the days of his life. This might seem to be an unimportant, generic sort of expression until you realize those days of his life had been filled with trials that would do in the average person. As a young teenager, he had to flee his home with his family due to persecution, and leave for a strange new land. He was homeless for many years as he traveled through the wilderness. His two oldest brothers regularly abused him and even attempted to kill him numerous times. When his parents died, he, his family, and his supporters fled persecution and danger once again—this time escaping his oldest brothers.

And yet, despite a lifetime spent in a highly dysfunctional family and despite constant danger, he felt all—every one—of his days had been blessed. While he faced homelessness, he was never alone. While he faced abuse and attempted murder, he was always saved by angels or God’s power, and he always had the portion of his family that believed in him behind him. He seems to have focused his attention on the blessings, rather than the trials of his life. Certainly he couldn’t ignore the trials—it’s hard to overlook attempted murder—but they didn’t define his life in his own mind. Instead, he made a special point of noticing and expressing gratitude for the good parts.

Sister Parkin explained the blessings that come from a lifetime of choosing gratitude: “The kind of gratitude that receives even tribulations with thanksgiving requires a broken heart and a contrite spirit, humility to accept that which we cannot change, willingness to turn everything over to the Lord—even when we do not understand, thankfulness for hidden opportunities yet to be revealed. Then comes a sense of peace.”

Read “Gratitude: A Path to Happiness.”

11 For all have not every gift given unto them; for there are many gifts, and to every man is given a gift by the Spirit of God.

12 To some is given one, and to some is given another, that all may be profited thereby. (See Doctrine and Covenants 46: 11-12.)

Everyone, male and female, can receive spiritual gifts. The scriptures list many of these gifts, and it can be interesting, as we read, to highlight each gift mentioned. The gifts bless the holder of the gifts if he uses them wisely, but they can also be used to bless others. A person who has the gift of faith can use it to find the truth among conflicting and confusing choices. This gift can be used to help that person become a member of the Savior’s church. It comes to her through the Spirit of Christ. After receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, her faith grows even more. She might then choose to use that gift to pray for others or to share her faith with those who were not given as strong a gift as she received.

We’re taught that it is appropriate to pray for certain gifts, if we are prepared to use them wisely in the service of others, rather than to glorify ourselves. A person who is invited to teach a class, but lacks the gift to teach can begin to pray for it. While praying, of course, she must do what she can to improve her teaching skills, but God will step in and honor righteous requests if they are part of His plan for us. A prayer to become the greatest teacher in the world is not likely to be honored, because this is a prideful request, but a prayer to have the ability to teach the class one has agreed to teach will be honored.

The diversity of the human race is one of God’s best ideas. If we all had the same talents, gifts, and assignments, most things wouldn’t get done. The world needs writers, but it doesn’t need everyone to be a writer. It needs gardeners, but everyone doesn’t need a talent for gardening. Because each of us has different talents and passions, everything that needs doing gets done. If we each had all the talents possible in equal proportion, we might find ourselves spread too thin, and most things wouldn’t get accomplished. We’d all be doing whatever was easiest or created the most wealth, given human nature.

In the same way, God divided up certain tasks and assigned them to specific genders. Only women were given the ability to give birth. This doesn’t mean God loves men less; it only means that doesn’t happen to be one of the tasks assigned to them. Only men hold the priesthood, but that does not say women aren’t worthy or capable of holding it. Priesthood is an office, not a gender, but assigning it to men keeps it focused, just as assigning childbirth only to women keeps that aspect of life focused.

Within the Mormon Church, there are a great many tasks to be completed, because we have a lay religion and very complex programs. Everyone is asked to take on his or her share of the work. Tasks are assigned in various ways that make the church run more smoothly. Some are assigned by age: Only a twelve or thirteen year old girl may serve as a youth leader in the Beehive Program. (Beehives are girls of that age in the Young Women’s program for teenagers.) Others are assigned by gender: Only women can serve as Primary or Relief Society Presidents. (These are, respectively, the organizations for children and women.) Some tasks are open to anyone who is an adult: Anyone may teach the children or the literacy classes, even though only women can lead those programs. Some tasks are assigned by office: Only a person who holds the office of a high priest can serve as a bishop (the leader of a congregation.) It might appear that the rule is that only men can be bishops, but actually, the rule is that only high priests can be bishops. A good and worthy man who does not hold the office of high priest in the priesthood cannot be a bishop, no matter how qualified he is otherwise.

While it’s true that only men are to hold the Mormon priesthood (as we see from even a casual study of the Bible), this does not limit a woman from serving God, anymore than not being able to be the Primary president limits a man’s ability to serve God. There are many ways to serve, and God does not love the priesthood holders more than the Primary president—or the door greeter. We don’t get bonus points for serving in certain kinds of positions. God asks us to serve wherever He needs us, and if we do this well, we are blessed for our attitude and willingness to serve, not for the specific task accomplished.

Men holding the priesthood receive no special blessings over the women. It isn’t about power or blessings, or God’s love. It is, rather, about our trust in God and His plan. If we have a testimony that the Savior is at the head of the church, and that He sees with a vision greater than our own, we won’t waste valuable mortality hours fretting over what gifts or offices we don’t have. Instead, we’ll work hard to develop those God has asked us to take on. As with every other aspect of the gospel, it really comes down to a testimony. How much do you trust God?

When I was first investigating the church, the priesthood issue concerned me. As a teenager raised in the 1970s, I thought women’s lib was what I was supposed to be living, even though I was known for my love of taking care of children. In other words, my nature was fairly traditional, if you leave out housework. The missionaries, when asked about priesthood at the first lesson, told me they’d be happy to discuss it with me, but I needed more background and training in prayer first. They asked me to learn to pray, and to continue to study, and then we’d discuss it. By the time I was able to understand the answers, I no longer needed to ask the question. I had learned to get my own answers through prayer and I had come to see how much God valued the woman’s place in His kingdom. I understood that being told I had to turn into a man was degrading to women and insulting to God, who created gender. It was no longer a problem for me. I had become proud of the person God created in me.

Over the years, I’ve longed for certain gifts. Some I’ve been able to receive, such as an improved ability to teach. Others were not my calling, such as a desire to sing. Over the years, as I’ve grown and matured, I’ve stopped wasting time fretting over what I don’t have, and have begun to be thankful for what I do have. God gave me a most interesting gift box of traits, talents, and experiences. I would be ungrateful and unworthy of those gifts if I wasted my life whining they weren’t good enough.

Tithing funds are used for very specific purposes. Financial costs outside those specified items are paid for from other funds, so Mormons know their money is always well used. Although the Mormons have a lay church, and their leaders are not paid, there are, of course, many expenses involved in running a church with a complex series of programs. Tithing funds pay for the costs of buildings, supplies used during services, meetings, and classes, to further missionary work, to build and operate temples, and to educate church members. They are used for those programs and expenses that further the Lord’s work and are considered sacred funds. Money collected is sent to Church Headquarters, where a committee decides how they are used. Money is allocated to local congregations based on their needs. Each congregation then lives within its budget, ensuring the money is used wisely.

Tithing was instituted in the Old Testament and restored early in the restoration of the gospel. Malachi, an Old Testament prophet, taught this law:

Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (Malachi 3:10).

It is important to note that although Malachi promises blessings, he does not say they will be financial blessings. Mormons are not promised they will become rich if they pay their tithing. They are promised they will have what they need. Sometimes this comes through their own resources. Other times, the Church steps in to assist a member who has done all he can do and still doesn’t quite have enough for the essentials of life. The Lord has made provisions for those who need a little help despite efforts to be self-reliant and to demonstrate faith. Gordon B. Hinckley, a previous prophet, taught, “The Lord will open the windows of heaven according to our need, and not according to our greed.” (See Gordon B. Hinckley, “The Sacred Law of Tithing,” Ensign, Dec 1989, 2.)

There are many ways a person can be blessed, however, and the blessings may not be financial in nature. One promised blessing of tithing is that it reduces our need for worldly things. Those who tithe soon learn they can manage without many of the luxuries they once saw as necessities, and focus instead on things of eternal significance.

Tithing is considered a very equitable law. Every person is asked to pay exactly the same percentage of his income. Whether our tithing is one dollar or one thousand dollars, it is counted the same to the Lord. The Savior, Jesus Christ, taught this lesson when he watched wealthy people paying large quantities of tithing. One women, who was very poor, paid only two mites, a very small amount of money. Jesus told those who were with Him that she had paid more than they had, because her small contribution was much more difficult for her to give, since she had so little. The law of tithing does not give value to the millions more than to the contributions of the poor.

Mormons do not engrave pews or give other recognition to those who give the most money. Tithing amounts are never made public and a collection plate is not passed, so others don’t see the contribution the member made, or even if he made one at all. Instead, each person places his or her tithing into an envelope and fills out the donation form, which is added to the envelope. This is given to a congregational leader whenever the member happens to encounter him during church meetings and it is counted by two leaders that day.

Tithing is an act of faith. Even though it was difficult for the widow to pay her tithing when she had so little, she had faith that God would take care of her needs. The times it is hard to pay tithing are often the times that bring the most blessings, as God notes the great faith. Many church members recount miracles that occurred after they paid a tithing they thought they couldn’t afford, and then their financial needs were met in miraculous ways. For a new member, paying tithing may be the greatest act of faith they’re asked to undertake. However, after having paid it for a time, most members wouldn’t dream of not paying it, because they’ve experienced the miracles and blessings that have resulted from their faith.

In addition to basic tithes, members are asked to contribute to other special funds. One is the Fast Offering. Once a month, Mormons are asked to go without food for twenty-four hours, which means to skip two meals. They do not eat or drink anything during this time. The fasting is done for a purpose, with an increased focus on prayer and spiritual development. They then donate at least the amount of money they would otherwise have spent on food and drink to the Church, which uses it to care for those in need in their own congregation. By going hungry for one day to feed another who would otherwise be hungry for many days, they learn compassion and are given a way to care for others. Mormons are noted for the way they care for their own, leaving the limited funds of community groups free for others.

However, Mormons also donate money to care for those of any faith or no faith. The Humanitarian Aid program assists people around the world regardless of religion. Projects include helping people in developing nations to grow food efficiently, to have clean water, to power schools, and to improve their health care. Wheelchairs are provided to those in need, immunizations are given where they couldn’t be afforded otherwise, and skills are taught.

This is only a sampling of the work done by the Mormons to care for the Savior’s children. All of this is possible through tithing and other donations made to God.

Staying safe is a matter of choices, and to make wise choices, we have to understand the concept of agency. This article will focus on agency, and future articles in this series will walk through the process of using that understanding to make eternally safe choices.

Agency is the right to choose. It is not the right to do anything we want without consequences, however. With every choice comes consequences, and those consequences are beyond our control. We can’t choose how the choices impact us, or their impact on others. Because of this, agency must be accompanied by responsibility.

Satan can’t take our agency from us, but he can encourage us to give up our agency or to weaken our ability to use it well. When we allow someone or something  else to do our thinking for us, when we choose to partake of an activity or substance that dulls our judgment, such as hypnotism, alcohol, or drugs, we are making it harder for the Spirit to reach us, and weakening our ability to choose for ourselves. We’ve chosen to participate in something that is designed to allow others to control us. While we might still break through and avoid doing wrong, we are less inclined to do so because we are not able to have the spirit to guide us. The Holy Ghost cannot be where sin is. This choice to allow another person or substance to control us puts us in danger.

We can also weaken our ability to use our agency wisely when we begin to put too much faith in something or someone other than God. Do we, without prayer, follow the advice of a friend, a popular student, a celebrity, a self-help guru, a club, or a political party, even when their teachings conflict with those of the living prophets? If so, we’re handing over our agency to another, who may not have our best interests at heart, or who may not know eternal truths. When we listen to the counsel of another that conflicts with the teachings of God, we’ve decided this person knows better than God what is right and true, and that we ourselves know someone better than God to trust. This weakens our ability to hear the Spirit, who never yells, but who speaks quietly to those who trust Him.

The ability to listen to the spirit is critical to the wise use of agency. None of us is wise enough to know what is right or wrong on our own. We need the promptings of the spirit to guide us through the many choices offered us every day. The adversary is very smart and is an expert at manipulation. He can take a truth and present it half-way, and so skillfully the twisted version sounds reasonable. Assurances that we are safe, we won’t lose control, or we won’t get hurt can fill our minds and block the gentle reminders of the spirit.

Study the ways Satan uses to manipulate us into following his guidance or giving him our agency as a gift. Pay attention and listen with the spirit, not your emotions, to times when you see others are trying to influence you. What tactics are they using? Why are they using them? What will happen if you fall for the tactics? Are the teachings and arguments in line with the teachings of the gospel?

The only sure way to know how to use your agency well is to pray. A person who is considering becoming a Mormon is assigned by the missionaries to ask God before making their decision. Those born to LDS parents are taught from early childhood to also pray and make their decision based on the advice of the Holy Ghost. Only God can be trusted to give us wise advice for the use of our agency, and it’s critical that we ask Him if He’s there and if we have found His church. It’s important to know how He is communicating with us. In the Bible, we see that God communicated with man through prophets as well as through the spirit. Today, we are again guided by prophets, but we can’t be guided until we know for ourselves there really is a prophet and are able to identify him. We must also learn to recognize what it is like to receive personal revelation from God, so we can trust the answers He gives us.

Agency is a wonderful gift, but it has extraordinary power for both good and evil, depending on how we choose to use it and who we listen to when making our choices.

Robert D. Hales, a high-ranking church official, said,

Agency allows us to be tested and tried to see whether or not we will endure to the end and return to our Heavenly Father with honor. Agency is the catalyst that leads us to express our inward spiritual desires in outward Christlike behavior. Agency permits us to make faithful, obedient choices that strengthen us so that we can lift and strengthen others. Agency used righteously allows light to dispel the darkness and enables us to live with joy and happiness in the present, look with faith to the future, even into the eternities, and not dwell on the things of the past. Our use of agency determines who we are and what we will be. To all who desire to enjoy the supernal blessings of agency, I testify that agency is strengthened by our faith and obedience. Agency leads us to act: to seek that we may find, to ask that we may receive guidance from the Spirit, to knock on that door that leads to spiritual light and ultimately salvation.

(See Robert D. Hales, “To Act for Ourselves: The Gift and Blessings of Agency,” Ensign, May 2006, 4–8.)

Pay special attention to this sentence from his thoughts:

“Our use of agency determines who we are and what we will be.”

This is why the subject of agency matters and why we must devote a great deal of time learning to use it well.

Now Ammon being wise, yet harmless, he said unto Lamoni: Wilt thou hearken unto my words, if I tell thee by what power I do these things? And this is the thing that I desire of thee.

Wise, but harmless. This unexpected combination of words has stayed with me since that time and I’ve often thought about what they mean. It could mean the historian recording the event had a sense of humor, but it’s likely there is more to the phrase than might initially be obvious. How can you be wise, but harmless? The key lies in understanding the source of wisdom. When we are truly wise, and our wisdom comes from the proper source, we are harmless to others. When we mistake the source of wisdom, we can do great eternal damage to ourselves and to those we teach.

Today, too many people confuse credentials and secular knowledge for wisdom. They presume if a person has a high degree and an impressive resume, he must also be wise. The press, the politicians, and the ordinary people line up to learn wisdom from such people.

Job asked, “But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding (Job 28:12)?

He goes on to answer the question in a beautiful poem:

13 Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.

14 The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me.

15 It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.

16 It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.

17 The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.

18 No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.

19 The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.

20 Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?

21 Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.

22 Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.

23 God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof.

24 For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven;

25 To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure.

26 When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder:

27 Then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yea, and searched it out.

28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

Secular knowledge is not bad; God expects us to learn, and he planted in many hearts a longing for knowledge. However, it is critical to know the difference between learning and wisdom. Timothy warned that in the last days-the days in which we live, people would be “ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. (2 Timothy 3:7). In the Book of Mormon, Nephi explains this problem even more clearly: “O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish. But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God.” (See 2 Nephi 9:28-29.)

As these prophets have made clear, wisdom can come only from God. Secular learning is useful for learning to physically heal a heart that is not functioning; only wisdom can heal a heart that is spiritually broken. While we need both types of learning in our lives, it is the wisdom that will help us find our way back to God. Wisdom helps us to evaluate the swarms of conflicting secular learning and the teachings of men and find in them what is really true. College professors sometimes declare only reason and logic must be used in making decisions, but when we rely on reason and brainpower to find truth, we only find confusion. Over the centuries, and even in the course of mere weeks, secular knowledge changes. Suddenly, even though everyone “knew” the sun revolved around the earth, now we know something different. One day we know a food is good for us, and the next a new study says it is not. Marriage that was once for life is suddenly until it’s no longer convenient. Secular knowledge is constantly changing to suit new discoveries or the selfish motives of others.

To find unchanging and perfect knowledge, we must turn to God, the source of all truth and wisdom. When we look to Him to understand complex issues of morality, family, purpose of life, and eternal perspective, we can be assured of finding truth that is unchanging and perfect. No new scientific studies are needed when the information comes from God. Changes in society don’t require changes in truth. Practices in the church might change, but practices aren’t doctrine. Doctrine is pure, unchanging truth and it is in that doctrine that wisdom is found.

“Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding (Proverbs 4:7).

Positions are assigned by inspiration. For instance, the president of the children’s organization, called the Primary, might need a few new teachers. She and her two counselors, who lead the Primary, discuss possible names for the position. Then they pray for confirmation of the names they’ve chosen. Those names are submitted to the bishop and his two counselors, who also discuss the names and pray about them. If all is well, and the leaders feel this person can be moved to the new position, he or she is contacted privately to be offered the calling. Although each person is free to accept or reject the offer, generally, members understand callings come through inspiration and accept what is offered unless they have a specific reason not to do so.

Members don’t seek after specific callings, although they may have favorites or places where they frequently find themselves working. Sometimes, of course, they find themselves in positions they feel unqualified for. Mormons are taught that whom the Lord calls, the Lord qualifies. This means a person is not called to a position because he is the most qualified, but because of reasons that please the Lord. Sometimes it is because the Lord knows the member needs this job to grow and to learn. Other times it is because a person the member will serve especially needs him.

If a member is called to a position she has no training or experience in doing, there is a great deal of support offered. A teacher, for instance, can take a class on teaching, and can also turn to her leaders and friends to advise her. The official church website, LDS.org, also offers training and advice on how to fulfill a calling. The lesson manual she is given provides the material needed to teach each lesson and also includes teaching advice and information on each age group.

Most importantly, each person given a calling is given a special priesthood blessing which “sets them apart” to the calling. This gives them official authority from God to do what is needed and an increased ability to succeed. Often the blessing includes advice or special promises. The member must also turn to prayer because even though she may not know how to do the calling, God does.

Let me offer a personal example of how this works. I was assigned to fill a position as the literacy leader for my congregation. My first responsibility was to develop a program to teach English as a second language to our immigrant members and their friends. I was very nervous about this calling, in part because I had no idea how to do it. However, I also have auditory processing disorder, and it is very difficult for me to understand people with accents. I spent a great deal of time praying about this specific concern and asking for help. Then I went to work. I talked to my leader, who teaches ESL, and got some very basic advice. I also went onto the Internet and began to research how to teach ESL. The day I was asked to speak in church to introduce the program, a woman arrived who is a trained ESL teacher. She offered to take on the advanced students, leaving my assistant and me to focus on the beginning and intermediate students. We had no doubt she was sent into our congregation by God because we desperately needed her.

Our first classes didn’t go perfectly. I made my lessons much too complicated to carry out-a standard problem for me when I’m nervous. But over time, with more study and prayer, I became better at what I was doing. I stopped being scared every time I faced my class and began to get a feel for how the lessons should work. In time, I realized it was one of the most satisfying things I’d ever done, and am currently planning to return to school as soon as possible to study in the field.

At the time I was called, I had no idea how to teach ESL. I specialize in teaching small children and generally feel sick at the thought of teaching adults, because I’m quite shy. Over the past year and a half, however, I’ve stopped being afraid of teaching adults, learned a new job skill, and gained new self-confidence. My prayers about my challenges with language were answered and I can now understand people with accents easily.

This is not a calling I would have volunteered for, even though I’d always thought it would be interesting. I was too certain I couldn’t do it. However, the Lord knows me far better than I know myself, and He saw something in me I could not see in myself. Through callings, He was able to show me talents I didn’t know I had and was able to help me become more like the person He knows I can be.

I’ve often thought callings were one proof the church is true. It’s exactly how God would choose to run His church, because He wants us to become everything He created us to be. While we may not always have the self-confidence to tackle the hard things He has in mind for us, through a responsibility to accept callings, we can be placed in situations we consider beyond our capabilities.

Why do Mormons agree to spend a great deal of time on callings? Their primary motivation is love for God and faith in His requests of them. They understand it takes many people to make the Church run well and by doing their part, they’re helping to build the Lord’s kingdom. Frequently, a side benefit is that they learn to love the calling, make new friends, and develop new skills, but these extra blessings are not the real reason Mormons serve.

“You are called to represent the Savior. Your voice to testify becomes the same as His voice, your hands to lift the same as His hands. His work is to bless His Father’s spirit children with the opportunity to choose eternal life. So, your calling is to bless lives. That will be true even in the most ordinary tasks you are assigned and in moments when you might be doing something not apparently connected to your call. Just the way you smile or the way you offer to help someone can build their faith. And should you forget who you are, just the way you speak and the way you behave can destroy faith.

Your call has eternal consequences for others and for you. In the world to come, thousands may call your name blessed, even more than the people you serve here. They will be the ancestors and the descendants of those who chose eternal life because of something you said or did, or even what you were. If someone rejects the Savior’s invitation because you did not do all you could have done, their sorrow will be yours. You see, there are no small callings to represent the Lord. Your call carries grave responsibility. But you need not fear, because with your call come great promises.” (See Henry B. Eyring, “Rise to Your Call,” Ensign, Nov 2002, 75).