"Faith in the Lord can help us live the commandments
with a willing heart and receive countless blessings"
Fun fact: In 1972, when Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, he received heart surgery from Russell M. Nelson, at the time, he was yet to be called to serve as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. "I shall never forget the feeling I had as his heart resumed beating, leaping with power and vigor. At that very moment, The Spirit made known to me that this special patient would live to become the Prophet of God on earth".
History:
Spencer Woolley Kimball came from a big family, he was the sixth of eleven children. He had great parents who taught by example and who were his inspiration. When his mother said, he said that had to have been one of his more difficult challenges. Spencer not only learned basic hard work, but he learned to sing and lead music and became stake chorister at age 15. Although he started school late, he was able to catch up and be ahead of his class. I noticed that in his sermons, he could be both poetic and plainspoken. Late in 1956, he was diagnosed with cancer of the throat which resulted in the removal of one vocal cord and part of another. He struggled with thought, if he would ever speak again. As president of the Church, he oversaw a significant increase in temple building. Under President Kimball, an LDS edition of the King James Bible was published in 1979 and a new edition of the triple combination, meaning the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price, were published in 1981. The scriptures also became the basis for Church's Sunday School curriculum. He was also the one to introduce the three-hour block meeting schedule on Sunday. In regards to the Priesthood, he was the one to receive the revelation that wondrous blessings of priesthood extended to worthy men everywhere regardless of lineage meaning the blessings of the priesthood extended to blacks. I think it's wonderful that he wanted to be remembered as one who loves his brothers and sisters.
Spencer Woolley Kimball came from a big family, he was the sixth of eleven children. He had great parents who taught by example and who were his inspiration. When his mother said, he said that had to have been one of his more difficult challenges. Spencer not only learned basic hard work, but he learned to sing and lead music and became stake chorister at age 15. Although he started school late, he was able to catch up and be ahead of his class. I noticed that in his sermons, he could be both poetic and plainspoken. Late in 1956, he was diagnosed with cancer of the throat which resulted in the removal of one vocal cord and part of another. He struggled with thought, if he would ever speak again. As president of the Church, he oversaw a significant increase in temple building. Under President Kimball, an LDS edition of the King James Bible was published in 1979 and a new edition of the triple combination, meaning the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price, were published in 1981. The scriptures also became the basis for Church's Sunday School curriculum. He was also the one to introduce the three-hour block meeting schedule on Sunday. In regards to the Priesthood, he was the one to receive the revelation that wondrous blessings of priesthood extended to worthy men everywhere regardless of lineage meaning the blessings of the priesthood extended to blacks. I think it's wonderful that he wanted to be remembered as one who loves his brothers and sisters.
Obedience Born of Faith in God: Chapter 13
President Spencer W. Kimball taught that faith motivates us to do the will of God. Faith is a willingness to accept without total regular proof and to move forward and perform works. In James 2:26 it states, "Faith without works is dead". I think what this statement meant that without faith one would lose the will to serve valiantly. It's the idea that we cannot foresee the future that tests us whether we seek diligently and expect the best outcome. President Kimball sais something that caught my attention, " The blessing will never be his unless he connects his set with the power , and turns the dial correctly. Faith manifested by prayer and works is the key. Obedience based on faith is not blind obedience. You know what you are following, you are not doing what everyone else is doing, you know it's true and you act on your beliefs. The scriptures provide examples of obedience born of faith. Listening to the story of Adam and Eve as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, I see the beauty of their faithfulness to the Lord because Adam was obedient to the commandments of the Lord. I used to think that because of Adam and Eve's transgression, we were born in sin, but in reality we ought to be punished for our own sins. Faith precedes the miracle. I have always enjoyed the comparison of a mustard seed to faith. In faith we plant the seed and soon w see the miracle blossoming, it does not go the other way around. We must first show our faithfulness to the Lord, and based on that he may bless us. Everyone is encouraged to first perceive with the eye of faith and then through effort to express that faith in a higher nobler life.
