Faith, Works and Watch Your Mouth

James 1:5–7. What Does It Mean to “Ask in Faith”?
Elder David A. Bednar has said; “True faith is focused in and on the Lord Jesus Christ and always leads to righteous action. …

“… We press forward and persevere in the consecrated work of prayer, after we say ‘amen,’ by acting upon the things we have expressed to Heavenly Father.

“Asking in faith requires honesty, effort, commitment, and persistence”

Am I willing to put in to action of the things that I pray for. I know Doran and I have had many discussions on this after our prayers. We can’t just pray for something and it’s answered. We have to be willing to put in the work, find information, do our research on some things. THEN our prayers will be answered.





James 2:14–26. “Faith without Works Is Dead”

Elder David A. Bednar taught, “Thus, faith in Christ leads to righteous action, which increases our spiritual capacity and power.”

One thing that came to mind when reading this was a person doing rehabilitation for, let’s say walking. That person can’t just pray and sit back and wait for their legs to get stronger. They must put in the hard work, having faith that they will get stronger.




James 3:1–10. “The Tongue Is a Fire”
What a powerful statement, yet so true. I often reflect on things said to me while in my youth. (Why do I still harbor them?) They were hurtful things said by “Mormon girls”, when I was not active. Do you think I wanted to join their “club”? I am sure that all of us have felt the sting of words and we have been the cause of stinging words. I pray that I can see the good, BE the good and DO the good. I want to focus on building and NOT tearing down a person.

James warned the Saints of the potential ruin that unkind words, inappropriate language, or the loss of one’s temper can cause. To help readers recognize the importance of speaking with care, he compared the mouth and the tongue to a horse’s bit, a ship’s rudder, fire, and poison.
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles quoted from James 3:2–10 and then expressed the following about harsh or hurtful speech:

“Obviously James doesn’t mean our tongues are always iniquitous, nor that everything we say is ‘full of deadly poison.’ But he clearly means that at least some things we say can be destructive, even venomous—and that is a chilling indictment for a Latter-day Saint! The voice that bears profound testimony, utters fervent prayer, and sings the hymns of Zion can be the same voice that berates and criticizes, embarrasses and demeans, inflicts pain and destroys the spirit of oneself and of others in the process.

…“Husbands, you have been entrusted with the most sacred gift God can give you—a wife, a daughter of God, the mother of your children who has voluntarily given herself to you for love and joyful companionship. Think of the kind things you said when you were courting, think of the blessings you have given with hands placed lovingly upon her head, … and then reflect on other moments characterized by cold, caustic, unbridled words. … A husband who would never dream of striking his wife physically can break, if not her bones, then certainly her heart by the brutality of thoughtless or unkind speech. …

“… Wives, what of the unbridled tongue in your mouth, of the power for good or ill in your words? How is it that such a lovely voice … could ever in a turn be so shrill, so biting, so acrid and untamed? A woman’s words can be more piercing than any dagger ever forged, and they can drive the people they love to retreat beyond a barrier more distant than anyone in the beginning of that exchange could ever have imagined” (“The Tongue of Angels,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2007, 16–17). To read more about the need to control what we say, see Matthew 12:34–37; Alma 12:14; and Doctrine and Covenants 42:27.

Peter indicated that when the Saints “suffer as a Christian” (1 Peter 4:16), they can feel joy knowing that they are following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ (see 1 Peter 2:19–23; 3:15–18; 4:12–19).

1 Peter 1:6–8; 4:12. “The Trial of Your Faith” 
Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught: “How do you remain ‘steadfast and immovable’ [Alma 1:25] during a trial of faith? You immerse yourself in the very things that helped build your core of faith: you exercise faith in Christ, you pray, you ponder the scriptures, you repent, you keep the commandments, and you serve others.

“When faced with a trial of faith—whatever you do, you don’t step away from the Church! Distancing yourself from the kingdom of God during a trial of faith is like leaving the safety of a secure storm cellar just as the tornado comes into view” (“Trial of Your Faith,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2012, 39–40).

I love this. Distancing ourselves from church is the last thing we need to do when we are facing a trial, though it is usually the first thing that we do. We tend to hide from the world, but we need the gospel.