we should walk down to find an investigator. I said, "Sorry Man, I don't work that way." He said, "Where's your faith?" That started me on an exploration of what faith is. For many years thereafter I have felt like I understood that faith is in Christ, born of obedience and good works, and is a belief and trust in God's will, which is sometimes unknown to us. This allowed me to accept the lack of success in a European mission, and the failures of life that often occur. If I can't discern God's will, then it must be that I don't have enough faith, which is a result of not being obedient enough.

For the first time in my life I'm beginning to wonder that in conjunction with this "faith in God" that there may be a "faith in self" that I have been ignoring and that interplays with "faith in God." I used to chide the notion of being able to will one's desires into reality through "faith." My out has always been, "it may not be God's will, so how can I have faith in it," "it" being any number of things, like being healed, making money, being happy, etc.

In the context of athletics, I don't see "faith in God" as having a huge impact. I do think that faith in God helps people to have perspective, work hard, etc., but I think it is "faith in self" that really is the dominant factor. Every once in awhile, at 7:00 am Saturday Stake Center Ball, I get into a zone. It's beautiful and magical. I can feel my body surge with adrenaline to match the vision and confidence that floods my mind. All of a sudden I'm pulling up from 12 feet beyond the arc, elevating, and already retreating to defense at the moment the ball rips the nylon and drops the jaws of the 9 witnesses. For that brief moment in time, I am Jimmer, I am a God.

Seriously, though, I think athletes and coaches that have a supreme attitude of confidence and victory are able to generate positive outcomes for themselves.