Faith

I came across this quote on faith by President Packer while on my mission. Next month I am teaching a lesson in Relief Society on faith and so I looked it up again. I think it is brilliant!

There are two kinds of faith. One of them functions ordinarily in the life of every soul. It is the kind of faith born by experience; it gives us certainty that a new day will dawn, that spring will come, that growth will take place. It is the kind of faith that relates us with confidence to that which is scheduled to happen...
There is another kind of faith, rare indeed. This is the kind of faith that causes things to happen. It is the kind of faith that is worthy and prepared and unyielding, and it calls forth things that otherwise would not be. It is the kind of faith that moves people. It is the kind of faith that sometimes moves things. Few men possess it. It comes by gradual growth. It is a marvelous, even a transcendent, power, a power as real and as invisible as electricity. Directed and channeled, it has great effect.
But faith must be faith. One man tried 'experimenting' with faith. He had spoken of his certainty that an event would transpire, and his desires were not brought to pass; the event he so much yearned for did not happen. Afterward, his bitter comment was, "Well, you see, it didn't happen. I didn't think it would."
In a world filled with skepticism and doubt, the expression 'seeing is believing' promotes the attitude, "You show me, and I will believe." We want all of the proof and all of the evidence first. It seems hard to take things on faith.
When will we learn that in spiritual things it works the other way about - that believing is seeing? Spiritual belief precedes spiritual knowledge. When we believe in things that are not seen but are nevertheless true, then we have faith. (Boyd K. Packer, "What is Faith," Faith, Deseret Book Company, 1983, p. 42-44)

I want the second kind of faith he describes. This is the kind of faith that enables us to change our natures from the 'natural man' into Celestial beings.

"You have to live spherically"

This evening Candice and I watched the movie Under the Tuscan Sun. It is a mildly entertaining, completely unrealistic romantic comedy. Knowing a thing or two about Italy and life there, some of the things they suggest about life there are ridiculous (such as the easiness of buying a villa there). Anyway, it is still a fun movie...and reminds me of Italy and how it would be good to keep up my Italian skills.

One quote I like from the movie is when Katherine tells Frances something she heard from a famous director: "You have to live spherically, in many directions and never lose your childish enthusiasm and then things will come your way."

I think this is so true and I want to live my life this way. I want to live with enthusiasm and celebrate the opportunities that come my way... and grab life with both hands.

This week has been hard. My classes are really demanding, work demands a lot at the moment, I have a thesis to think about (although I'm dropping out of the doctoral program, I'm going to get another masters - I can do that at a distance and won't take too much more from me because I have most of the credits) and a prospectus/proposal to write, a wedding to plan, and I miss Rob SO MUCH. I have just felt so stressed because I feel like I have more to do than I have time for. Anyway, despite this, I know that being at BYU is such a great opportunity and I have so many great things happening in my life... I can only be happy and embrace everything Heavenly Father has given me with enthusiasm. My biggest blessing right now is my Rob. He is so loving and so supportive of me and everything I want to do in my life. Yesterday I got home after having a particularly hard day, there was a big bunch of brightly coloured beautiful flowers waiting for me with a wonderful note attached from Rob. I felt so loved! Then, in the evening, Rob booked a flight out to Utah for the first weekend in April (2 weeks time) so we can watch General Conference and attend my mission reunion together. I'm so looking forward to it!!!!

Two cool quotes

If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.

John Quincy Adams

Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.

Steve Jobs