Faith gives a person the ability to look at life with a different lens. Faith is seeing situations as they truly are and, based on experience or a spiritual witness, expanding that view to know that there are possibilities beyond the scope of the current situation. Faith does not only dwell in the realm of religion, but in all aspects of a person's life. For example, when lying on my bed after a good night's rest, I feel comfort, security, warmth and satisfaction. In that moment, I could believe that those current feelings are all I need in my life and roll over again and never get up. However, experience has consistently taught me that when I get up, there is more in store for me than I could ever achieve while in bed. I have opportunities to receive and give love, listen to others, smile, laugh, accomplish something that were previously a challenge for me and ultimately become a more proficient person. I therefore exercise faith and chose to get out of bed for the possibilities that await me, not because of what I was feeling at the moment of my decision. Faith is a principle of action and consequently requires doing something; either physically, emotionally or spiritually. .
Faith encompasses all areas of life, but the focus of this paper will be upon faith in Jesus Christ and allowing that faith to change our lives and very sense of being. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, spoke and addressed this particular issue in his talk, "Lord, I Believe". As indicated in the title, at the heart of the lecture was a plea for every person to indicate where their faith was and to then build from that foundation. It is to not only believe in the Lord, but also to believe God. To believe God requires that we believe the possibilities that await us if we choose to act in faith. On the same subject area but with a different lens, Elder Neal A. Maxwell, a former member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, spoke on being "Grounded, Rooted, Established, and Settled" on Jesus Christ.
