Christlike Attributes

I love Sundays. Yesterday was a good one. I learned a lot in my lessons, I talked with some great people, and I had lots of time by myself to grow. Right now I feel like I am being stretched by Heavenly Father to the point that I can't take it anymore, but somehow He makes it so that I can. The highlight of yesterday was the nearly 3 hours I spent studying chapter 6 of Preach My Gospel, which is all about developing Christlike attributes. I love this chapter because you don't have to be a missionary to read it and understand. Anyone can develop these attributes. I read over each one, read the wonderful scripture references included, and decided to make goals for myself on how I can improve. Each day this week I am going to work on developing a couple attributes. So today I am going to work on the first two, Faith in Jesus Christ and Hope.

I've learned that faith takes work. This past weekend I felt like I received some powerful revelation, and while I felt very good and happy when I received it, yesterday I started to doubt. That isn't faith. Faith is having confidence in the Lord, in trusting and believing the revelation we receive, and never doubting. In his talk, "Cast Not Away Therefore Your Confidence," Jeffrey R. Holland says that Heavenly Father will not give us revelation and then take it away. If it was right when we received it, it is still right now. "If it was right when you prayed about it and trusted it and lived for it, it is right now. Don’t give up when the pressure mounts. Certainly don’t give in to that being who is bent on the destruction of your happiness. Face your doubts. Master your fears. 'Cast not away therefore your confidence.' Stay the course and see the beauty of life unfold for you." Just like fear, doubt is the opposite of faith. Preach My Gospel says that faith leads to action. This means that if there is something I have faith that I can achieve, I am going to work hard for it, which I am doing right now. The Bible Dictionary says, "Where there is faith, there are miracles." I believe that.

Hope goes with faith, and it is one of my favorite attributes. The book says that "Hope helps you conquer discouragement," which is something I deal with from time to time right now. Hope is trusting in God's promises. I had an experience this last week where in a blessing I received I was given a promise that I was also given in my Patriarchal blessing, practically word for word. Heavenly Father and I have discussed in numerous prayers what this promise is, and I know that He is keeping his word about me receiving it as long as I do my part, which is trusting Him and making changes. Romans 8:24-25 says that hope can only happen when the outcome is NOT seen, and that patience is required for the outcome to take place. If we already know the outcome of something, what is there to hope and trust in the Lord for?

Studying this chapter is really giving me a greater desire to become like the Savior. Yesterday I made a list of goals that I am working towards that will help me become more like Him. And with faith and hope, I know they can be achieved.