If I were to have the opportunity to give one last talk (which is doubtful as my breath and voice would not hold up) this would be it – c/ork
“Faith to Knowledge” cji 2/24/19
Over the past 45 years I’ve had the opportunity to express my love and appreciation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in my life. Now drawing into the Winter of my life (which I’ve been given multiple extensions) I even further appreciate and understand what great blessings have been granted to my family and I. Great blessings come in many ways. A son born with multiple cranial facial deformities. Another born who was never supposed to have been born (we didn’t tell the doctors – smile). We’ve a couple waiting on the other side of the veil if we remain worthy. Both Joyce and I’ve been near death on several occasions but yet we’re still here. One might ask why and I’ll tell you why as I’ve enquired to know. And this is the topic of this presentation - Faith to Knowledge!
Now in this presentation it is primarily to those who in the companionship of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and also to those of my friendship over the many years of my life. Also, for those who are looking for purpose, understanding, knowledge and most of all our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
When we first joined the Church in 1974, we had a Bishop who told me, “Sometimes you’ve to borrow my testimony of the truth of various principles, until you to have such a testimony.” I did and sometimes still do and as a result my bountiful knowledge has increased exponentially. Many who know me smirk when I tell them there’s some 63 million items found in Faith that were responsible to turn into knowledge – therefore no longer relying on Faith but now counted as sure knowledge. Kepler had faith in his study of the comets and therefore figured the error was in his figures not the Lord’s laws of science. Therefore, he was able to turn Faith to Knowledge with Halley’s Comet. We can do this in our lives. Edison had faith in the lightbulb – until the first time it worked – it was no longer faith but knowledge.
A couple quick questions: 1) Do you know that Jesus is the Christ? 2) do you know that His Father and our Father is Heavenly Father? 3) do you know the Holy Ghost can be our constant companion? 4) do you know that these three (3) make up the Godhead as three individual personages? Do you know the Father and Son have bodies as tangible as ours? Or do you just have the Faith that this is so?
When a person bares his or her testimony, they are telling someone they know this is true. Many years ago, in a Stake Conference in Rochester NY Elder Bruce R. McConkie was our visiting General Authority. His Sunday morning talk involved Paul’s teaching of Timothy about the futility of argumentation or contention with another. Then he taught us the lesson, if you’ve a testimony of what is true – how can there be any argumentation? There cannot – otherwise the person you bore your testimony to is calling you a liar and are not prepared to hear the truth. Do we have that kind of testimony?
When the Missionaries visit our home one of the questions, I ask them if they know Jesus is the Christ? If they hesitate, I ask if they’ve Faith that he’s the Christ? Then I ask do you bare your Testimony that he is? If so then what is the basis of your testimony? You see we have to know to bare our testimony!
Once we establish that you’ve a Testimony do you see how many things, Spiritual transfer to Knowledge no long dependent upon Faith? This is the way and our mission to learn to move Faith buds to Knowledge trees.
The first General Authority I met in the Church was Neal A. Maxwell of the Quorum of the Seventy at the time. They were dedicating the Rochester II Ward Building having paid it off in full. I love to review his talks from General Conference over the years – and always find new gems of wisdom and truth. The talk referenced below was given as almost his last talk. He speaks about becoming and learning more to be like the Savior – using the Atonement. Here in the talk he’s referring to enduring small conflicts as well we do greater ones.
Neal A. Maxwell Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
“Again, our experiences surely do not approach those of Jesus, yet the same principles and processes apply. His perfected attributes exemplify what can be much
further developed by each of us. There is certainly no shortage of relevant clinical experiences, is there? Strange as it seems, we sometimes respond better to larger
challenges than to the incessant small ones. For example, impatience with a spouse may occur while a more public challenge is managed quite well. One can be
sincerely grateful for his major blessings but regularly murmur over minor irritations. One canhave humility that is hierarchical: being humble up, but not humble down.
Enduring large tests while failing the seemingly small quizzes just won’t do. Such shortcomings must be addressed if we are really serious about becoming more like
Jesus. Brothers and sisters, Christ paid such an enormous, enabling price for us! Will we not apply His Atonement in order to pay the much smaller price required for personal
progress? (see Mosiah 4:2). Being valiant in our testimony of Jesus, therefore, includes being valiant in our efforts to live more as He lived (see D&C 76:79).”
The Savior has given us the examples to become like Him – but you have to know who he was and is with a sure knowledge for them to apply. We’ll all have major tasks to perform – but more so the taking of the 63 million Faith tasks to Knowledge is more time consuming – requiring more patience and therefore making us a whole child of God – and brother/sister to the Savior. We can say we surely Know Him.
This is what Faith to Knowledge does in our lives. I’ve known the Savior since a young child – I met Him in the Scriptures reading the Bible at the age of 11 years old. He was real – and I knew He was real and as an innocent child I bore what would’ve been a testimony of him who let me read the Bible. For I testified to him that if the Bible were true – which I knew it to be – that he and his church was in deep trouble.
When running away from home at ages 11 and 15 – I would spend hours talking with Him (the Savior) and thus on the lonely roads of the East Coast of the US I was never alone. For almost 20 years I looked for the Church of Jesus Christ. I’d be invited to various churches until they’d ask me not to come back, I asked too many questions – and when given answers would show them where they were incorrect with their own Scriptures. You see since I knew what was true – I could only accept what was true!
When Joyce and were dating we would talk about eternal marriage (1 Peter 3:7). We’d talk of all the things Father could do and in the next 24 hours see all we’d spoken of happen. This isn’t to brag or otherwise be less than humble – but when you know – and you really know then you can move on in dealing with the multitude of things you don’t know but have faith in. I leave you this in the name of Jesus Christ – amen.
“Faith Buds to Knowledge Trees”
cji
3/17/19
Our mortal lives have a mission
move faith buds to knowledge trees
we need to be doing this everyday
also trying and testing for eternal
truths are the result of searching
we must be praying and studying
there is no rest in mortality found
there are too many way to flounder
therefore always vigilant seeking
never to be satisfied with grey
only pure white in the truths
thus accomplishing our mission
one faith bud at a time always
into the knowledge trees found
our testimony of Jesus the Christ!
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