Show Faith by Seeking Spiritual Gifts

Today in Sunday School class we studied D & C 47 and spiritual gifts that are available to members of the Church.  Mary Adams had us list which gifts we felt we had been blessed with and I wrote faith.  That is sort of ironic, because for years I kept waiting for some supernatural experience to happen which would verify I had it. I wanted something real I could feel that would let me know I had faith.  But in the mean time, I kept trying to do my best at whatever the Lord called me to do, and somehow in the process i guess I developed faith.  I have come to realize that faith is demonstrated by acting, doing moving ahead with full confidence even when we don=t really know what we should be doing. Bill Redd  gave a fireside in our home about faith one time, and how it was a principle behind all great enterprises.  He said, "Without faith nothing happens."

Taken the winter of 1974 when
 I was Relief Society President with
four busy little boys. 

I have had to do some very scary things in my life: having eight C-sections, serving as Relief Society president when I was 30 with four little boys, being Young Women=s president, talking to the Young Women and leaders at Stake Girls Camp.  Those are probably some of the hardest things I've had to do.  Many times I’ve gone into situations where I had no clue what should be done; I still went ahead and did my best.  Somehow everything seemed to work out OK.  I guess that is what faith is to me.

I can remember two summers ago when they asked me to speak at Girls Camp.  Autumn and I weren't getting along too well, and I knew she would probably be embarrassed by anything I would say.  I felt so self-conscious about speaking.  I can remember praying daily for help and inspiration about what to talk about.  I ended up using nature images to help teach the things of God.  I first had the girls create a rainstorm, then used a poem about it.  Then I used scenes from nature: pine trees, mountains, trails, etc. to help teach them principles of the gospel.  Even though I was scared, I think it went OK and Autumn seemed to think I did alright.  I was so thankful for the spiritual help I had received.  I know I need to be in tune more to those promptings, but I am so thankful when they do come. To me that is what faith is.

Bishop Webb told me that he thought my strongest spiritual gift was my testimony, that I always gave a full effort in everything I did, that I went the extra mile and made sure my calling was fulfilled and magnified.  He said that even in very difficult times like our fire, and Aaron's death that my testimony had been strong and had been a source of strength to others.  I really appreciated his words. Mary Adams (Palmer) also wrote me a very special letter letting me know of ways in which I had touched her and others.  I really appreciated those two experiences.