Strength Through Jesus Christ

I was struck by a simple statement from Elder Andersen in his most recent general conference talk. After telling of an almost unthinkable act of love and forgiveness of a woman who took in a child as her own, he questioned how she could possibly do this. “How? Because she found strength through Jesus Christ.” This story is a powerful reminder that we can do hard things through faith in Jesus Christ. In fact, the scriptures teach us repeatedly that through Him we can do all things that He wants us to. Momon recorded, “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). Moroni, alone and finishing the record of the Book of Mormon (the same Moroni who had lamented his own weakness in doing it), also wrote, “And Christ truly said unto our fathers: If ye have faith ye can do all things which are expedient unto me” (Moroni 10:23). Lamoni said to Ammon, “I know, in the strength of the Lord thou canst do all things” (Alma 20:4). That same Ammon declared, “Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever” (Alma 26:12). Through their faith in Jesus Christ, he and his brethren performed a miraculous work among the Lamanites. Nephi also declared to his brethren when they doubted the Lord’s ability to handle Laban: “Behold he is mightier than all the earth, then why not mightier than Laban and his fifty, yea, or even than his tens of thousands? Therefore let us go up; let us be strong like unto Moses;… Let us go up; the Lord is able to deliver us, even as our fathers, and to destroy Laban, even as the Egyptians” (1 Nephi 4:2-3). It was through his faith in Jesus Christ that he obtained those plates. Nephi said to his brothers on another occasion when they doubted again, “Yea, and how is it that ye have forgotten that the Lord is able to do all things according to his will, for the children of men, if it so be that they exercise faith in him? Wherefore, let us be faithful to him” (1 Nephi 7:12). Many years later when they doubted his ability to build a boat, Nephi declared again, “If God had commanded me to do all things I could do them. If he should command me that I should say unto this water, be thou earth, it should be earth; and if I should say it, it would be done” (1 Nephi 17:50). Nephi, Lamoni, Ammon, Mormon, and Moroni all understood that through faith in Jesus Christ we can do all the hard things that the Lord requires of us.

                Elder Anderson also told of a young couple who recently had a child with down syndrome and severe heart defects. Despite the urging of medical professionals to abort the baby, they refused because of their faith in Jesus Christ. The father wrote, “Throughout this process as we prayed fervently for divine help, … we have felt the Spirit give us comfort. We received revelation and understanding that our daughter is an elite child of Heavenly Father and has an immense desire to be in our family and to come to earth.” And the mother similarly professed her faith with these words, “The Savior healed my heart and gave me a sense of peace and excitement about our baby girl. … [Heavenly Father] has shown me time and time again that He has a perfect plan for me [and] I trust Him.” Elder Andersen declared after telling their story, “Undaunted faith and remarkable courage are hallmarks of disciples of Jesus Christ.” We can have the courage to do the hardest things in life because of our faith in Jesus Christ.  Paul famously put it this way: “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13). The Savior Himself encouraged us to have this kind of faith and courage when He said in our dispensation, “Therefore, fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail…. Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not. Behold the wounds which pierced my side, and also the prints of the nails in my hands and feet; be faithful, keep my commandments, and ye shall inherit the kingdom of heaven” (Doctrine and Covenants 6:34-37). Whenever we are tempted to fear, we can look in our mind’s eye to His wounded hands and feet and side and remember that because He triumphed over sin and death, we too can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.