"The Old Testament is a family book," said Elder Hugh W. Pinnock of the First Quorum of the Seventy and Sunday School general president in a Church News interview. "The Old Testament shows what happens when people don't live the commandments, and the blessings that come to them when they do. So many of life's great lessons for families can be learned in the Old Testament."

One of those great lessons is found in Genesis 6-8, which tells the story of Noah and the ark.In an April 1981 general conference address, Elder Loren C. Dunn of the First Quorum of the Seventy said, "Faith is the ability to act `as if.' "

He related an insight President Spencer W. Kimball gave regarding Noah and the ark:

" `As yet there was no evidence of rain and flood. . . . His warnings were considered irrational. . . . How foolish to build an ark on dry ground with the sun shining and life moving forward as usual! But time ran out . . . the floods came. The disobedient . . . were drowned. The miracle of the ark followed the faith manifested in its building.' (Faith Precedes the Miracle.)"

Elder Dunn, in making a modern-day application to the faith Noah manifested, told of an incident that took place "many years ago during the dark days of World War II" when Elvon W. Orme, president of the Australia Mission, was invited to a faithful widow's house for Sunday dinner.

Rationing had taken its toll, and many of the good foods had long since disappeared from the shelves of the local stores. When the mission president arrived, he was shocked to find a table filled with goods that were in short supply and had not been seen for months.

Thinking he might be taking the widow's food, the mission president told her, "I can't eat this."

She replied, "I'm afraid you'll have to. You see, I listened to the Brethren years ago and put in my year's supply, and this is the only kind of food I have."

Elder Dunn said the widow showed the faith to act "as if' by storing food, and the faith produced a miracle in the time of need.

"I wonder how many saints will be able to withstand the disaster of their own personal flood by showing faith in the advice of modern prophets and building an ark of family preparedness," said Elder Dunn.

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(ADDITIONAL INFORMATION)

Articles on this page may be used in conjunction with the Gospel Doctrine course of study.

Information compiled by Gerry Avant

Sources: Church History and Modern Revelation, by Joseph Fielding Smith; and October and April 1981 general conference reports.