Bryan and I had the opportunity to speak in Sacrament Meeting today. I really enjoyed preparing for this talk and I learned a ton while doing so. I figured that I'd post part of my talk on my blog for my future reference.
We were asked to speak on a topic that everyone needs: (young, old, strong, weak, rich, poor).
That is the subject of HOPE
What exactly is hope?
In the Preach my Gospel Handbook it gives an excellent definition of hope,
“Hope is an abiding trust that the Lord will fulfill His promises to you”.
It goes on to say…
“Hope is manifest in confidence, optimism, enthusiasm, and patient perseverance. It is believing and expecting that something will occur. When you have hope, you work through trials and difficulties with the confidence and assurance that all things will work together for your good. Hope helps you conquer discouragement”.
When I read this it reminded me of my cousin Christian Nielson and his wife Stephanie. Since 2005 Stephanie has offered hope to people all around the world through her blog. She has confidently and enthusiastically blogged about her simple life, the joy of motherhood, family devotion, eternal romance, and Christ centered faith. She has shared with others the true joy that she has experienced in her daily “Mommy Moments” and given them hope while doing so.
On August 16th, Stephanie and Christian were in a private plan crash in St. John’s Arizona. The pilot passed away soon after arriving at the hospital, Christian and Stephanie miraculously survived although Christian was burned over 30% of his body and Stephanie over 80% of hers. It was truly a tragedy! They both spent months in medically induced comas while doctors did everything possible to keep them alive (oxygen support, skin grafts, and many other delicate procedures. Thousands of people from all around the world (including dedicated blog readers) joined together in prayer for Christian and Stephanie. They have sent cards, provided financial support through benefit hope concerts, auctions, 5 K’s, and you name it. As Christian and Stephanie have awoken and realized their current situation, they have been blessed with the hope they’ve received from all around them.
Christian and Stephanie are currently living in Utah. Christian is doing well and is able to be with his 4 children. Stephanie is still in rehab and her children miss her terribly. At Christmas time they were promised the opportunity to visit with their Mother for the first time since the accident and to get to be together as a whole family. Their lives have changed dramatically by this terrible tragedy, and what is so amazing to me about this story is their decision. Christian and Stephanie have been given the choice to choose despair or hope and they’ve chosen hope. They choose to hope in our Savior, the resurrection, and in Eternal Families.
Each of us has been given our own individual challenges and hardships. The adversary uses despair which is the opposite of hope to discourage us and make us feel as though we are on a staircase that leads only and forever downward. We all need hope to help us make it through the hard times. I like how President Uchdorf put it, “Hope is like a beam of sunlight rising up and above the horizon of our present circumstances. It pierces the darkness with a brilliant dawn. It encourages and inspires us to place our trust in the loving care of an eternal Heavenly Father, who has prepared a way for those who seek for eternal truth in a world of relativism, confusion and of fear”. Hope has the power to fill our lives with happiness. In the book of Psalms it states, “Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God”.
Our Savior Jesus Christ is truly the one who gives us lasting hope. Because of his great atonement for us, we need not fear, but have hope. The Prophet Mormon taught, “Ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise”. So, by following Christ’s teachings and keeping his commandments we can have hope in a glorious future and the blessings that await us beyond this life.
We learn to cultivate hope the same way we learn to walk, one step at a time. As we pray, study the scriptures, follow our Savior’s example and truly commit ourselves to living the commandments, we attain hope.
I’ve definitely noticed a pattern of this in my life. When I make poor decisions I feel depressed, lonely and hopeless. Contrary, when I make correct choices my hope is brighter, I smile more, I’m more optimistic, and I’m just an all around happier person.
Sometimes we must make a courageous decision to hope even when circumstances around us seem bleak and depressing. We all know how things are right now with the economy. It’s not looking to good. Unemployment is on the rise. It’s basically just depressing to watch the news. Sometimes it may be hard to not allow the despair and gloom that is all around us, to overcome us and bring us down. We really have to make a conscious effort to look on the bright side of life and realize why we are here and what really matters in life. We have the wonderful opportunity to help prepare for the second coming of our Savior, who can bring hope to all.
In times of distress, we can hold tightly to the hope that things will “work together” for our good, and we need to trust that God is in charge. I find great hope in this, for God knows us best, He knows the end from the beginning. And it’s important to remember that, nothing will occur in our lives that He does not understand.
It is my testimony that hope sustains us through despair. Our Savior has said, “Fear not, little flock”. God will wait with “open arms to receive” those who give away their sins and continue in faith, hope, and charity. I know that Jesus Christ is the light, the life, and the hope of the world. His purposes will be fulfilled and someday we will understand the eternal reasons for all things. I know this church is true. I know that Thomas S. Monson is a true prophet of God. And I’m so grateful to have a living Prophet on this Earth.
Yesterday was a very special day for us. My youngest brother received his endowments, and my entire family (I have 5 siblings) and their spouses got to go through a temple session together. As a small child, I can remember my parents anxiously awaiting and hoping for this day. It was a great blessing to have this goal fulfilled. Being in the celestial room together, I couldn’t help but hope that we can all be together in the eternities as well.
I know that Jesus is the Christ and that God is our Eternal Father. I know that they love each one of us individually and that they want us to be happy as we find a true hope through our Savior Jesus Christ.
What exactly is hope?
In the Preach my Gospel Handbook it gives an excellent definition of hope,
“Hope is an abiding trust that the Lord will fulfill His promises to you”.
It goes on to say…
“Hope is manifest in confidence, optimism, enthusiasm, and patient perseverance. It is believing and expecting that something will occur. When you have hope, you work through trials and difficulties with the confidence and assurance that all things will work together for your good. Hope helps you conquer discouragement”.
When I read this it reminded me of my cousin Christian Nielson and his wife Stephanie. Since 2005 Stephanie has offered hope to people all around the world through her blog. She has confidently and enthusiastically blogged about her simple life, the joy of motherhood, family devotion, eternal romance, and Christ centered faith. She has shared with others the true joy that she has experienced in her daily “Mommy Moments” and given them hope while doing so.
On August 16th, Stephanie and Christian were in a private plan crash in St. John’s Arizona. The pilot passed away soon after arriving at the hospital, Christian and Stephanie miraculously survived although Christian was burned over 30% of his body and Stephanie over 80% of hers. It was truly a tragedy! They both spent months in medically induced comas while doctors did everything possible to keep them alive (oxygen support, skin grafts, and many other delicate procedures. Thousands of people from all around the world (including dedicated blog readers) joined together in prayer for Christian and Stephanie. They have sent cards, provided financial support through benefit hope concerts, auctions, 5 K’s, and you name it. As Christian and Stephanie have awoken and realized their current situation, they have been blessed with the hope they’ve received from all around them.
Christian and Stephanie are currently living in Utah. Christian is doing well and is able to be with his 4 children. Stephanie is still in rehab and her children miss her terribly. At Christmas time they were promised the opportunity to visit with their Mother for the first time since the accident and to get to be together as a whole family. Their lives have changed dramatically by this terrible tragedy, and what is so amazing to me about this story is their decision. Christian and Stephanie have been given the choice to choose despair or hope and they’ve chosen hope. They choose to hope in our Savior, the resurrection, and in Eternal Families.
Each of us has been given our own individual challenges and hardships. The adversary uses despair which is the opposite of hope to discourage us and make us feel as though we are on a staircase that leads only and forever downward. We all need hope to help us make it through the hard times. I like how President Uchdorf put it, “Hope is like a beam of sunlight rising up and above the horizon of our present circumstances. It pierces the darkness with a brilliant dawn. It encourages and inspires us to place our trust in the loving care of an eternal Heavenly Father, who has prepared a way for those who seek for eternal truth in a world of relativism, confusion and of fear”. Hope has the power to fill our lives with happiness. In the book of Psalms it states, “Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God”.
Our Savior Jesus Christ is truly the one who gives us lasting hope. Because of his great atonement for us, we need not fear, but have hope. The Prophet Mormon taught, “Ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise”. So, by following Christ’s teachings and keeping his commandments we can have hope in a glorious future and the blessings that await us beyond this life.
We learn to cultivate hope the same way we learn to walk, one step at a time. As we pray, study the scriptures, follow our Savior’s example and truly commit ourselves to living the commandments, we attain hope.
I’ve definitely noticed a pattern of this in my life. When I make poor decisions I feel depressed, lonely and hopeless. Contrary, when I make correct choices my hope is brighter, I smile more, I’m more optimistic, and I’m just an all around happier person.
Sometimes we must make a courageous decision to hope even when circumstances around us seem bleak and depressing. We all know how things are right now with the economy. It’s not looking to good. Unemployment is on the rise. It’s basically just depressing to watch the news. Sometimes it may be hard to not allow the despair and gloom that is all around us, to overcome us and bring us down. We really have to make a conscious effort to look on the bright side of life and realize why we are here and what really matters in life. We have the wonderful opportunity to help prepare for the second coming of our Savior, who can bring hope to all.
In times of distress, we can hold tightly to the hope that things will “work together” for our good, and we need to trust that God is in charge. I find great hope in this, for God knows us best, He knows the end from the beginning. And it’s important to remember that, nothing will occur in our lives that He does not understand.
It is my testimony that hope sustains us through despair. Our Savior has said, “Fear not, little flock”. God will wait with “open arms to receive” those who give away their sins and continue in faith, hope, and charity. I know that Jesus Christ is the light, the life, and the hope of the world. His purposes will be fulfilled and someday we will understand the eternal reasons for all things. I know this church is true. I know that Thomas S. Monson is a true prophet of God. And I’m so grateful to have a living Prophet on this Earth.
Yesterday was a very special day for us. My youngest brother received his endowments, and my entire family (I have 5 siblings) and their spouses got to go through a temple session together. As a small child, I can remember my parents anxiously awaiting and hoping for this day. It was a great blessing to have this goal fulfilled. Being in the celestial room together, I couldn’t help but hope that we can all be together in the eternities as well.
I know that Jesus is the Christ and that God is our Eternal Father. I know that they love each one of us individually and that they want us to be happy as we find a true hope through our Savior Jesus Christ.
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