Russell M. Nelson on the role of religion and faith in our lives

President Russell M. Nelson (b. Sept 9, 1924) was an internationally-renowned heart surgeon when he was called to serve as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 1984. He was set apart as president of the Quorum of Twelve on July 15, 2015.

"I will say that one of the realities of mortal life is that our faith will be tested and challenged....

"When we speak of faith—the faith that can move mountains—we are not speaking of faith in general but of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ can be bolstered as we learn about Him and live our religion. The doctrine of Jesus Christ was designed by the Lord to help us increase our faith. In today's vernacular, however, the word religion can mean different things to different people.

"The word religion literally means 'to ligate again' or 'to tie back' to God. The question we might ask ourselves is, are we securely tied to God so that our faith shows, or are we actually tied to something else? For example, I have overheard conversations on Monday mornings about professional athletic games that took place on the preceding Sunday. For some of these avid fans, I have wondered if their 'religion' would 'tie them back' only to some kind of a bouncing ball.

"We might each ask ourselves, where is our faith? Is it in a team? Is it in a brand? Is it in a celebrity? Even the best teams can fail. Celebrities can fade. There is only One in whom your faith is always safe, and that is in the Lord Jesus Christ. And you need to let your faith show!"

- Russell M. Nelson, "Let Your Faith Show," Ensign, May 2014, pp. 29-32
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Our faith will be tested and challenged. That is certainly showing to be true in today's world, as challenging circumstances, growing opposition, and confusing information are presented in greater and more frequent ways. Hence the need for deep and abiding faith in Jesus Christ.

But where is our personal "religion" focused? What do we worship, what do we "tie" our faith to? Is it in a worldly pursuit, a person, an organization, a philosophy? Or is it in the only secure and lasting source of power and hope? "There is only One in whom your faith is always safe, and that is in the Lord Jesus Christ."