Faith and Hope

I was thinking about an experience of Faith and Hope... which my missionary friends understand is about everyday we have faith and hope.. haha so the experiences are to many and sometimes to small.. but one that has really really helped me is called "A prayer of Faith". Which of course is EVERY DAY. I first want to share a quote that I absolutely love it's called, "Get to Know Him"

"I thought I knew Him when I saw Him nestled in the straw; A babe in the arms of his mother was the picture that I saw. I thought I knew Him when He was among a group of learned men, Teaching them of God’s plan and things they didn’t comprehend.

 I thought I knew Him when thousands of people were all fed, Not only with the word of God, but with fishes and loaves of bread. I thought I knew Him when Pilate said, “I find no fault with this man.” “Crucify Him” the people cried and drove nails in his hands. 

I thought I knew Him when a crown of thorns was placed upon his head, Or when out of the tomb He came, having been resurrected from the dead. All of these scenes are pictures that help me know that He is real, But I only start to know Him when I change the way I feel. 

When I visit with God in the morning and again at each days end, Not with memorized words, more like talking with a friend. When I share with God my problems and I feel His helping hand, Guiding me from day to day, I begin to understand. 

I get to know Christ better when I have pondered what He said, When I go to church each Sunday and partake of the water and the bread. I know that He can help me, if I will let Him show the way, So He can teach my spirit when I say my prayers each day. 

I pray that I can live my life in every sort of way, That I can get to know Him better, every single day. So that when this life is finished and I have endured until the end, He will put his arms around me as a brother and a friend."

Also in the Bible Dictionary it says "As soon as we learn the true relationship in which we stand toward God (namely, God is our Father, and we are His children), then at once prayer becomes natural and instinctive on our part. Many of the so-called difficulties about prayer arise from forgetting this relationship. Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other. The object of prayer is not to change the will of God but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant but that are made conditional on our asking for them. Blessings require some work or effort on our part before we can obtain them. Prayer is a form of work and is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings."

Prayer is one of the most important tools that we have to exercise our faith and hope for things to come. Like in Alma 37:6-7 "by small and simple means the lord brings great things to pass" this is a very small thing, to kneel down every day and plead to our Father in Heaven to align our will to his. This has been one of the MOST powerful tools on the mission for me. Without it I would probably be back home now. "Faith is a principle of power" and prayer is where we receive that power from our prayers of faith. I know that our Father in Heaven listens to our prayers and is waiting and ready to answer them. I know that Jesus is the savior, redeemer, and christ.

They both love us and wait for us to exercise our faith so that they can help us.

Love Elder Cody Johnson

P.S I LOVE YOU MOM AND DAD!