Face the Future with Faith - Russell M. Nelson

  This time around, I am picking and choosing which talk to follow. Since Adversity is on the minds of most in these troubling days, I followed up on the "Pain" talk with this one. It is always good to approach a Gospel presentation with the "IF, THEN" approach. This takes us from the feeling of guilt and failure to the higher thoughts of IF I follow this, THEN I will have this result. Elder Nelson warned us against the Cafeteria approach to keeping the commandments that is so prevalent and then gave us throughout his talk the following more uplifting, future oriented points:

• IF we are obedient, THEN God's blessings will flow without restraint.
• IF we are obedient to the commands of God, THEN He will provide both physical and spiritual protection.
• IF we pray with an eternal perspective, THEN we need not wonder if our most tearful and heartfelt pleadings are heard.
• IF we offer sincere and heartfelt prayers, THEN our faith will be strengthened.
• IF we develop an enduring commitment to be a full-tithe payer, THEN He will open the windows of heaven and there shall not be room enough to receive it.
• IF we walk in the Lord's path of righteousness, THEN we will be blessed to continue in His goodness and be a light and a savior unto His people.
• IF we are faithful to the covenants made in the Temple, THEN we will qualify ourselves and our family for the blessings of eternal life.
• IF we are "faithful saints" THEN the Lord declared, "I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children." and "I, the Lord, would fight their battles, and their children's battles, and their children's children's, ... to the third and fourth generation."

  We remain children of the promise with this attitude to live our lives looking for the THEN of the doctrines and principles and seeking it.