Zion Family: Building Blocks of Faith and Testimony

In our Ward Conference today, Bishop Cameron McKay was extraordinarily emotional as he spoke. His wife has been battling cancer for over a year and is currently enduring yet another round of painful treatments. He had not planned to attend the meeting and had provided Brother Jones with the text of the message he wished the ward to hear. But Bishop McKay did come and gave a powerful talk about seeking to be perfect in Christ through the power of the atonement.

I was reminded of Elder Rasband's talk in the last General Conference, testifying that our life experiences can provide building blocks of faith:

"Our personal journey through life provides us with many special experiences that become building blocks of faith and testimony. These experiences come to us in vastly different ways and at unpredictable times. They can be powerful spiritual events or small enlightening moments. Some experiences will come as serious challenges and heavy trials that test our ability to cope with them. No matter what the experience may be, each gives us a chance for personal growth, greater wisdom, and, in many cases, service to others with more empathy and love. As the Lord stated to the Prophet Joseph Smith in a reassuring way during one of his most significant trials at Liberty Jail, 'All these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good' (D&C 122:7).

"As experiences accumulate in our lives, they add strength and support to each other. Just as the building blocks of our homes support the rest of the structure, so too do our personal life experiences become building blocks for our testimonies and add to our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ."

Ronald A. Rasband, Special Experiences, April 2008 General Conference, Saturday Morning Session.

I don't wish for more trials to come upon any of us in our family or our friends, but they certainly will come. I hope and pray that each of us can take advantage of each trial or test or life experience to progressively build our testimonies and commitment to Christ. I am confident the Master Builder will magnify our small desires and efforts through the power of the Holy Ghost to make our building blocks eternal.

Love,

Dad/Mark