Faith is an essential part of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Mormons, who believe their church to be God’s church on earth, see faith as essential to a person’s salvation.  The Book of Mormon defines faith as having a “hope for things which are not seen, which are true” (Alma 32:21).  Faith involves more than belief – it involves hope.  It involves more than believing in Christ . . . it involves believing Him when He promises forgiveness and salvation.  We must believe that He can heal us of our sins and our sorrows.  And believing Christ involves following His commandments . . . for in believing Christ, we trust Him when He shows us the way to salvation and act on it.  Hope should not be passive and neither should faith.
 
Faith, then, goes well beyond blindly believing something.  But while Mormons are encouraged to act on their faith, they are also encouraged to develop it completely, instead of accepting a doctrine or principle, or Christ, without thought.  Mormons have an idea they call “experimenting upon the word,” which means that a possible truth is tested out in their hearts and in their lives. 

We begin by being humble and teachable.  If we reject something from the beginning, if we are arrogant, the Holy Ghost can’t work within us.  Second, we desire to believe.  The Book of Mormon (the most identifiably Mormon book of scripture) compares this to planting a seed and watering it.  If we are to know if the seed is a “good seed” or not, we must nourish it.  We pray about the seed – the new teaching – we ponder it.  We act on it in a trial period of obedience.  If we are blessed by our obedience, if our joy and faith is increased during our trial period, we have found a good seed and can continue to nourish it.  And if we listen and obey with real intent, hoping that God will confirm in our hearts and minds the truth of the seed, God will indeed confirm.  We will feel the Holy Ghost’s influence telling us the teaching is true, we will see our lives change for the better. 

The salvation of Jesus Christ, again, requires faith.  His life and his prophets (and Mormons believe that there are prophets even today) give us many teachings to weight in our hearts and minds.  We don’t lack for His example – the New Testament tells us of His life and His nature.  All true scripture testifies of Him.  It is this testimony, His teachings and His love that further faith.  Moreso than miracles, which, even then, were not the primary spur to faith.  The influence of the Holy Ghost, confirming that what we see or read is true and holy – this acted on the people of the New Testament as it acts on us today.

In Mormon belief, faith does not only help us in verifying divine truth and in obtaining salvation through Christ, but it is also the very power by which Jesus and all his prophets have ever performed miracles, from healing the sick to parting the Red Sea, to even creating the world.  It’s commonly said in the Mormon Church that “faith precedes the miracle” (because miracles don’t bring faith by themselves), and it is by faith we also can experience miracles in our lives.  Some of these miracles can be very small, such as when we have a problem or have to make a difficult decision – if we have faith and turn to the Lord in prayer, we can receive guidance.  Sometimes, the guidance the Lord gives us may seem puzzling or simply not enough.  But when we obey His guidance, despite our own doubts or inclinations, events seem to fall into place.  In my own experience, sometimes, I have gotten promptings to linger a little longer at a gathering, or leave a little early, or talk to someone that I don’t know very well.  Although I didn’t understand why at the time, these small actions have ended up helping me with problems that seemed unrelated, or helped the people I talked to with problems in their life.  At other times, I haven’t listened and sometimes, my troubles would persist.  Small miracles, quiet life, but it comforts me to know that the Lord will answer my prayers with such small miracles, if I ask them in faith.