Elder and Sister Renlund Discuss Faith and Doubt in Worldwide Broadcast

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“God wants us to have faith so that He can bless us,” said Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Elder Renlund and his wife, Ruth, spoke to young adults during a live Church Educational System (CES) worldwide broadcast originating on the Brigham Young University–Hawaii campus, Sunday, January 13, 2019.

Standing side-by-side at the podium, the Renlunds discussed faith and doubt, which they said is a topic they have had on their minds for many months.

“Faith is the key that unlocks God’s mercy,” Elder Renlund told the audience in Laie, located on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii. “A person needs to decide that he or she wants to have faith and then act in faith before faith can grow.”

“Faith must be centered in Jesus Christ for it to lead a person to salvation,” said Sister Renlund.

“Doubt is not and will never be the precursor of faith any more than light depends on darkness for its creation,” explained the Latter-day Saint apostle.

“Those things that persuade you to believe in God, to love Him, and to keep His commandments are from God. You will miss spiritually important events if you choose persistent doubt, fueled by answers from faithless and unfaithful sources,” said Elder Renlund. “Doubt is not wrong unless it becomes an end in and of itself. That doubt which feeds and grows upon itself and breeds more doubt is evil.”

Elder Renlund asked, “So why would you entrust your eternal welfare to those who are spiritually bankrupt because they have ripped up in doubt what they once planted in faith?”

“Many who have had questions, who have had doubt enter their minds, and have had difficulty finding their spiritual footing, have nonetheless stayed faithful and have remained on the covenant path,” he said.

“To have questions about the Church and its doctrines is normal and the root of gospel learning,” said Sister Renlund. “We may be inspired by someone who has great faith, but another’s faith is not transferred to us in the process.”

“The sole purpose of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is to help Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in Their work to bring to pass the eternal life of God’s children,” she taught. “Those who serve in the Church, though not perfect, are essential to help and encourage us along the covenant path.”

The Renlunds said developing faith takes work. “In many ways, we express our faith with our feet,” said Sister Renlund. “Faith does not come from demanding signs from God but by obeying and following His commandments.”

“The blogosphere cannot replace scripture study and reading the words of living prophets and apostles,” she added. “Foster your faith by going to trustworthy sources to find answers to your questions.”

Elder Renlund talked about the faith of his father, who joined the Church in Finland at the age of 24. “He became one who qualified for that gift of the Spirit to know that Jesus is the Christ and was crucified for the sins of the world and for [my father’s] sins. Qualifying for this gift is not gender-dependent and it is not priesthood office-dependent. It is the promised reward for choosing faith and choosing the covenant path.”

“I pray that God’s richest blessings will [be] yours,” concluded Elder Renlund. “I pray that you will develop faith in Jesus Christ, that you ‘doubt not, but be believing’ (Mormon 9:27).”

Watch the Church’s CES broadcast at devotionals.lds.org and on the Gospel Library app.