The Prophet Joseph Smith declared that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the first principle of the gospel, yet it remains, for many, an elusive concept to grasp. "Faith comes from hearing the word of God through the testimony of the servants of God; that testimony is always attended by the Spirit of prophecy and revelation," as found in the Lectures on Faith.
President Marion G. Romney, a long-time counselor to Church presidents and a former President of the Quorum of the Twelve, said, "Blessed is he who, based on a knowledge
of the gospel has unshakable faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Such a one has for his goal the attainment of eternal life. He has an anchor to his soul and a motive for action." (The Power of Faith, Deseret Book Co., 1983, p. 10)
President Romney then detailed four attributes of people who radiate such faith:
First, the possessors of such faith have a sound understanding of the purpose of life. They know that God lives, know that they are His children and that as such are endowed with the potential eventually to rise to the full status of their Heavenly Father.
Second, the possessors of such faith have a sure test by which to distinguish truth from error. They know that they live in a day of great conflict between good and evil, but they are strengthened by the knowledge that God, their Heavenly Father, has not abandoned them in the struggle, but has put within their reach the knowledge and wisdom upon which they can correctly distinguish good from evil.
Third, the possessors of such faith are fortified in their courage to resist temptation and live true to their conviction, like Joseph in Egypt.
Finally, the possessors of a well-informed faith enjoy peace of mind in the days of trial. There is no greater blessing than to be able to weather the trials with full knowledge that the Lord is with us in our times of need. (Summaries from The Power of Faith, pp. 10-14.)
One of our hymns, "When Faith Endures," reassures us of this principle:
I will not doubt, I will not fear;
God’s love and strength are always near.
His promised gift helps me to find
An inner strength and peace of mind.
I give the Father willingly
My trust, my prayers, humility.
His Spirit guides; his love assures
That fear departs when faith endures. (Hymn No. 128.)
While a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, Elder Harold B. Lee said, "All the principles and ordinances of the gospel are in a sense but invitations to learning the gospel by the practice of its teachings. No person knows the principle of tithing until he pays tithing. No one knows the principle of the Word of Wisdom until he keeps the Word of Wisdom. Children, or grown-ups for that matter, are not converted to tithing, the Word of Wisdom, keeping the Sabbath day holy, or prayer by hearing someone else talk about these principles. We learn the gospel by living it" (Stand Ye in Holy Places, p. 215).
In the October 1976 general conference, Elder Howard W. Hunter, then of the Quorum of the Twelve, said, "Faith has always been a necessary condition of a righteous life. . . . Faith gives a feeling of confidence in that which is not visible or susceptible of positive proof."
As our leaders, both past and present, have reminded us, we need to exercise our faith, live the gospel more fully and obey the prompting of the Spirit as we strive to carry out our responsibilities.
"And Christ hath said: If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me," (Moroni 7:33).