The Just Shall Live By Faith

I was impressed by the story of the visit of LaMar Williams to Nigeria in 1961. He was sent by the leaders of the Church to visit with the people there who had been reaching out to the Church begging for more information and for missionaries to be sent to them. The Saints account records how his first Sunday there he met with a large crowd and taught them the principles of the gospel. He also “explained the priesthood restriction and said that he had come to Nigeria to find out if his friends would still be interested in the Church even if they could not hold the priesthood.” He thought the meeting would end after that, but the people insisted that they wanted to bear their testimony, which they did for the next three hours. Among those who spoke “was an old man with graying hair, a white shirt, and rose-colored fabric wrapped around his legs. His feet were bare. ‘I am sixty-five years of age,’ he said, ‘and I am sick. I’ve walked sixteen miles to be here this morning. I haven’t seen President McKay, and I haven’t seen God. But I have seen you, and I’m going to hold you personally accountable to go back to President McKay and tell him that we are sincere.’” He had walked barefoot for sixteen miles just to hear from this messenger from the Church. The story continues, “A little over a week later, in the town of Uyo, LaMar finally met Honesty John Ekong. He learned that his friend had traveled more than one hundred miles to meet him at the airport but had somehow missed him. Honesty John showed LaMar the walls of his home. They were decorated with articles and photographs of general authorities from Church magazines.” Lamar was impressed by the devotion of these members and “learned that around five thousand people in nearly one hundred congregations wanted to join the Church.” What incredible faith they had! These were not official members of the Church, there were no missionaries who had taught them, and they understood that the priesthood restriction that limited the blessings they could receive. But they had gained a witness of the truth through the Holy Ghost that could not be shaken. One of their leaders recorded this message for President McKay: “We believe that this Church has all the revelation and prophecy required by God to guide His people aright. We therefore will not refuse this Church because the priesthood is denied us.”

                These Nigerian Saints certainly had the kind of faith that Moroni spoke of when he wrote this: “And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith” (Ether 12:6). There was much that they figuratively could not see, but these Saints still trusted in the Lord and had unshakeable faith in the restoration of the gospel through the Prophet Joseph Smith. It is easy in our lives to get discouraged during the trials of our faith, when things do not work out like we hope and when our prayers seem to go unanswered. The example of these faithful believers in Nigeria—who patiently waited and held firm in their faith despite countless reasons not to—should inspire us to hold fast to the promises of the Lord and our testimony of the restored gospel. We should not let our trials or unanswered questions stop us from staying true to what we do know through the manifestations of the Holy Ghost. Paul could have been describing these faithful Nigerians when he wrote these stirring words: “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul” (Hebrews 10:35-39). We live in a day when indeed many are drawing back and retreating from the faith they once had, but we must trust that as we continue to do the will of God to the best of our ability, we will find our great recompense of reward. We can choose to live by faith in the God who parted the Red Sea and has worked miracles in the lives of so many Saints in our day. When we are tempted to cast away the confidence we once had, we should remember the barefoot Nigerian walking sixteen miles just to hear the word of God preached, and perhaps we can find the strength to hold on a little longer.