Increasing My Faith

This week I have been studying in the last chapters of Alma. Through these chapters I have seen many definitions of what faith is. I have chosen to study Faith over the last few weeks and see how faith can make a difference in my life. As I have read these chapters these are the things that I have come to understand faith to be:

Faith is Obedience (Alma 57:19-21)
Faith brings Protection (Alma 57:25)
Faith is the Power of God (Alma 57:26)
Faith is Trust in the Father (Alma 57:27)
Faith is Peace and Hope (Alma 58:11)

Faith is Patience (Alma 60:26)

As I have thought about these things and what a difference they could make in my life I was moved by all that the Lord has promised us in return for our faith in Him.  The examples of the young men that served to fight for their liberty and freedom alongside Captain Moroni are ones that I am very aware of and want to grow those attributes in my life. 

In Alma 56:46-48 we read, 

“For as I had ever called them my sons (for they were all of them very young) even so they said unto me: Father, behold our God is with us, and he will not suffer that we should fall; then let us go forth; we would not slay our brethren if they would let us alone; therefore let us go, lest they should overpower the army of Antipus.Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it.” 

In these verses we read of the great faith that these young men had and that they were without doubt.  This reminded me of the talk given by President Uchtdorf:

“My dear friends—please, first doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith. We must never allow doubt to hold us prisoner and keep us from the divine love, peace, and gifts that come through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.” 

Faith and doubt cannot exist together.  I am learning every day in my life.  If I want to become closer to Christ, I need to turn away from my doubts and look with faith unto Him. I hope that as I continue on my journey to discipleship that I will find the blessings of faith and that I will let go of those things that I doubt in my life and in my relationship with my Father and his son Jesus Christ.