This Year's Theme

I find that having a "theme" or a focus of my study for the year seems to help me.  This year, I want to take what I have learned about peace and expand upon that. 

This year, I am taking the idea of "Faith" and the "But if nots..."  Dennis E. Simmons states towards the end in his talk, But If Not
    
     "Men accomplish marvelous things by trusting in the Lord and keeping His commandments—by
     exercising faith even when they don’t know how the Lord is shaping them."

I think that this is an excellent example of my brother Adam.  I am amazed at all that he does and how he truly and fully relies upon the Lord.  After spending years working towards a law degree, when it came time to apply for law school Adam was impressed to not apply to law school.  I can only imagine the turmoil he felt as he tried to completely had to re-evaluate his life and find another career.  I am proud of his courage, I don't know if I would have it.  He was inspired to apply for an externship that was for graduate law students (which he was not) and it was not paid.  I thought he was crazy for doing this, but admired his determination and understanding of the value of working.  This turned into a paying job in another department within the company Adam was completing the internship in.  Wow.  It is easy t see in hindsight how much the Lord had his hand in Adam's life.  Going through it, would be the scariest thing.  I am amazed at his strength and understanding of faith.  I want to be like that. 

So, with learning about peace, I think that faith would be an excellent partnering principle.  "Faith is believing that although we do not understand all things, He does. Faith is knowing that although our power is limited, His is not. Faith in Jesus Christ consists of complete reliance on Him...  [Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego] knew that they could trust God—even if things didn’t turn out the way they hoped.  They knew that faith is more than mental assent, more than an acknowledgment that God lives. Faith is total trust in Him...  He assures us that He will not suffer us to be tempted beyond our ability to withstand.  But we must understand that great challenges make great men. We don’t seek tribulation, but if we respond in faith, the Lord strengthens us. The but if nots can become remarkable blessings."

I hope this year I can be like Adam and like Elder Simmons and learn to be like them and learn to actually rely on the Lord and not on just me. 

http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2004/04/but-if-not?lang=eng&query=Men+accomplish+marvelous+things+by+trusting+in+the+Lord+and+keeping+His+commandments%e2%80%94by+exercising+faith+even+when+they+don%e2%80%99t+know+how+the+Lord+is