Elder Edward B. Lowe, a General Authority Seventy, recently learned that Ensign College President Bruce C. Kush teaches Ensign College students to say, “I can’t do this yet,” instead of saying, “I can’t do this.”
Elder Lowe said hearing that sentiment made him think a lot about the word “not yet.”
“It acknowledges where you are, but it leaves room for the Lord to help you grow and grow,” Elder Lowe said.
He said the word is full of faith and is another way of expressing what the apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
That, Elder Lowe said, was the core message he delivered to Ensign College students during a campus devotional held Jan. 20 at the Salt Lake City Conference Center.
“As you exercise faith in Jesus Christ, He will strengthen you and enable you to do things you could never do on your own,” Elder Rowe told the students. “He will enable you to do all that is asked of you.”
get off the boat
While serving as a mission president, Elder Rowe asked Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles how he could help missionaries develop faith in Jesus Christ so that they would receive strengthening power.
Referring to the story of Peter walking on water, Elder Bednar responded that missionaries must be encouraged to “get off the boat.”
According to Elder Lowe, Elder Bednar explained that the Apostle Peter’s faith in Christ grew because the Savior called him to do something he could not do for himself: to jump out of a boat and walk on water.
Elder Lowe said faith in Christ does not grow by doing what is easy or familiar; faith must precede miracles.
“Remember, the Lord often sees what we call problems as opportunities to strengthen our faith—an invitation to get off the boat, an invitation to trust Him, an invitation to go beyond the ‘not yet,’” he said.
The strength to accomplish what seems impossible
Elder Lowe illustrated the power that comes from exercising faith in Jesus Christ through the story of Dean Vicki Tadic, an Ensign College graduate.
Elder Lowe’s family met Tadic Dean while he was living in Bosnia on Elder Lowe’s business. She was one of the few English speakers in the area and befriended the elder Lowe’s eldest son. Soon Tadic Dean accepted an invitation to attend church with the Rowe family. It was held at their home, as the Lowe family was the only members of the church in the country.
Over the next few months, Tadic Dean and his family were taught the restored gospel and joined the church for the first time in Bosnia.
The family began to experience intense religious persecution, and in order to protect his family, Tadic Dean’s father stopped attending church services and identifying himself as a member of the church.
Despite this, Tadic Dean remained faithful, refusing to figuratively jump ship and abandon his beliefs, Elder Lowe said.
Eventually, Tadic Dean had the opportunity to study at Ensign College in Utah. She eventually married and moved out before graduating.
After five years of marriage and two children, Tadych Dean became a single mother due to unimaginable circumstances, Elder Lowe said. She returned to school at Ensign College, where she earned 20 credits per semester while working and raising her children, ages 1 and 5.
“It would have been easy for her to throw up her hands in despair and harbor a grudge against God because her life didn’t turn out the way she expected, and perhaps she felt she should have been faithful, but she didn’t do that,” Elder Lowe said. “She stepped out of the boat again and did what seemed impossible.”
Tadic Dean graduated at the top of his class and secured a job at a hospital. According to Elder Lowe, she met and was sealed to a “wonderful man,” and over the summer the couple gave birth to a son.
“Walking with the Savior brought His power and blessings to her,” Elder Rowe said. “There are still challenges in life, but she is moving forward with her faith in Jesus Christ.”
A handbook to further your faith
Elder Rowe concluded by encouraging students to prayerfully read the Book of Mormon every day and learn from people like Nephi who acted in faith.
“Like you, I am committed to making the Book of Mormon your personal handbook to discover how exercising your faith in Christ can strengthen you as He has done for them.”
