From Elder David A. Bednar and his book “One by One”:
. . . . I suspect some individuals may be thinking to themselves at this point—surely the President of the Church, General Authorities, and General Relief Society President. and people called to serve in prominent stake and ward callings have one by one experiences like those described in this chapter. But I do not. I believe that the Lord indeed ministers one by one. but not to me or through me.
I am acquainted with Church members who accept as true the doctrine and principles contained in the scriptures and proclaimed in general conference. And yet they have a hard time believing that those gospel truths apply specifically to their lives and to their circumstances. They seem to have faith in the Savior, but they do not believe that His promised blessings are available to them and can operate in their lives. We come to know the Lord as we not only believe in him but also believe Him and His assurances.
In the New Testament, a father asked the Savior to heal his child. Jesus answered, “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help though mind unbelief” (Mari 9:23-24).
I have reflected many times on this father’s request. “help thou mine unbelief.” I wonder if the intent of the man’s pleading was not to help him believe in Jesus as our redeemer as in His healing power. He already may have acknowledged Christ as the Son of God. But perhaps he needed help to believe the Master’s healing power indeed could be so individualized and personalized as to bless his own child as a one. He may have believed Christ generally, but not believed that he could be the recipient the Savior’s love and one-by-one ministering.
We often testify of what we know to be true, but perhaps the more relevant question for each of us is if we believe what we know.
Sacred ordinances performed by proper priesthood authority are essential to believing the Savior, coming to know Him, and ultimately, believing what we know.
“And the [Melchizedek] Priesthood administereth the gospel and holdeth the keys of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God.
“Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest” (Doctrine and Covenants 84:19-20).
We believe and come to know the Lord as the key of that knowledge of God administered through the Melchizedek Priesthood unlocks the door and makes it possible for each of us to receive the power of godliness in our lives. We believe and come to know the Master as the “power of His word [takes root] . . . in us (Alma 26:13) and is written in our minds and hearts (see Hebrews 8:10), and we “give away all [our] hearts to know [Him]” (Alma 22:18)
Believing Him is trusting that His bounteous blessings are available and are applicable to us one by one in our individual lives and families. Believing Him is acknowledging that He knows our names and will provide the individual and guidance we need. Believing Him is relying upon His inspiration and guidance as we strive to minister and bless those whom we serve one by one. Believing him with our whole soul (see Omni 1:26) comes forth as we press forward along the covenant pathway, surrender our will to His, and submit to his priorities and timing for us. Believing Him—accepting as true His power and promises—invites perspective and peace into our lives.
President Henry B. Eyring (see link below) described in general conference a pattern that helps him to see and remember the bounteous blessings by the Lord upon him and his family. “I would ponder this question: ‘Have I seen the hand of God reaching out and touching our children or family today?’ As I kept at it, something began to happen. As I cast my mind over the day, I would see evidence of what God had done for one of us that I had not realized in the busy moments of the day. As that happened and happened often, I realized that trying to remember had allowed God to show me what he had done.
“More than gratitude began to grow in my heart. Testimony grew. I became ever more certain that our Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers. I felt more gratitude for the softening and refining that come because of the Atonement of the Savior Jesus Christ. And I grew more confident that the Holy Ghost can bring all things to our remembrance—even things we did not notice or pay attention to when they happened. . . .
My point is to urge you to find ways to recognize and remember God’s kindness. It will build our testimonies. . . . You will be blessed as you remember what the Lord has done. . . .
“Tonight, and tomorrow night, you might pray and ponder, asking the questions: Did God send a message that was just for me? Did I see His hand in my life or in the lives of my children? I will do that. And then I will find a way to preserve that memory for the day that I, and those I love, will remember how much God loves us and how much we need Him I testify that He loves us and blesses us, more than most of us have yet recognized” ~ David A Bednar (Sunday Morning session of Oct 7,2007:
(refers to Elder Eyring’s conference talk, , , , (“O Remember, Remember.” Ensign, November, 2007).
