Brightness of Hope

Good Morning, or Good Afternoon, or Good Evening, 

this post should take approximately four to seven minutes to read from start to finish. 

I would like to encourage you to think about, ask yourself and answer the following question,
What is your understanding and definition of "hope"?

This post focuses on a October 1994 General Conference talk and it is called, "Brightness of Hope" by Neal A. Maxwell. I would like to share some highlights with you while I was reading the talk and I hope you will learn something new. 

Neal A. Maxwell mentions the following, "Hope helps us to walk by faith, not by sight. This can actually be safer. When unaided spiritually, natural sight often shrinks from the odds (see 2 Cor. 5:7). It is immobilized by improbabilities. Mauled by his moods and intimidated by his fears, the natural man overreacts to, while hope overrides, the disappointments of the day.

Hope is particularly needed in the hand-to-hand combat required to put off the natural man (see Mosiah 3:19). Giving up on God and on oneself constitutes simultaneous surrender to the natural man.

By pressing forward, we can stand on what was yesterday’s horizon, thereby drawing hope from our own experiences. Hence Paul described how “tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope” (Romans. 5:3–4).

Only the acceptance of the revelations of God can bring both direction and correction and, in turn, bring a “brightness of hope” (2 Nephi. 31:20). Real hope does not automatically “spring eternal” unless it is connected with eternal things!

“What is it that ye shall hope for?” Moroni wrote. “Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ” (Moro. 7:41; see also Alma 27:28). From this triumphal act, resulting in the eventual resurrection of all mankind, so many lesser hopes derive their significance!

You and I can be repeatedly reassured concerning this grand hope by the Comforter, who teaches us the truth about “things as they really are, and … really will be” (Jacob 4:13; see also Moroni. 8:26). Such hope constitutes the “anchor of the soul” (Hebrews. 6:19). Such hope is retained through faith in Christ (see Alma 25:16; Ether 12:9). In contrast, a resurrection-less view of life produces only proximate hope (see 1 Corthians. 15:19).

Having ultimate hope does not mean we will always be rescued from proximate problems, but we will be rescued from everlasting death! Meanwhile, ultimate hope makes it possible to say the same three words used centuries ago by three valiant men. They knew God could rescue them from the fiery furnace, if He chose. “But if not,” they said, nevertheless, they would still serve Him! (Daniel. 3:18.)

Faith and hope are constantly interactive, and may not always be precisely distinguished or sequenced. Though not perfect knowledge either, hope’s enlivened expectations are “with surety” true (Ether 12:4; see also Romans. 8:24; Hebrews. 11:1; Alma 32:21). In the geometry of restored theology, hope has a greater circumference than faith. If faith increases, the perimeter of hope stretches correspondingly.

Humble hope helps us to improve by being sufficiently free of ego to ask, “Lord, is it I?” (Matthew. 26:22.) Submissive hope also readies us to “give away all [our] sins” because we have come to know Jesus, who alone can take them! (Alma 22:18.)"

I encourage you to read the whole talk in your own time. Here's the link below,
www.lds.org/general-conference/1994/10/brightness-of-hope

Stay Tuned until next time.

Hope in Christ} Part Two

Good Morning, or Good Afternoon, or Good Evening, 

this post would take approximately three minutes to read from start to finish. 

This post focuses on an October 1986 General Women's Conference talk from General Conference called "Hope in Christ" by Sister Barbara W. Winder. This post is part one. I would like to share with you some highlights while I was reading the talk. Yesterday's post was cut short because I had to get ready to go out with my mother in-law. Here is part two.

Sister Winder mentioned, "And then the soothing answer came from a kind and loving Father: “Thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; “And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes” (D&C 121:7–8).

An then, later, tenderly, “Know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good” (D&C 122:7). Most of us have witnessed how living the gospel can change the lives of people in a positive way.

Sister Barnes writes: “As we read the scriptures, we found that Jesus gave the instruction to ‘be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee’ (Matt. 9:2), indicating that as we truly repent and forsake our sins, we may be optimistic about the future. He said, ‘Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me’ (John 14:1). And we do believe in him, and this belief has changed our lives. We now feel that we can say, as Paul did, ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me’” (Philip. 4:13).

"PEACE comes through hope." - James E. Faust.

Another sister wrote: “On August 3, my twenty-one-year-old son broke his neck in a diving accident six hundred miles from home. He hovers near death, but we are at peace. We do not understand the reason this had to happen, but we do understand the gospel.”

Elder Richard L. Evans was sensitive to the need to prepare spiritually and emotionally for difficult times: “We have to prepare even for what we are unprepared for and do the best we can … to improve, to repent, to be grateful for all that is good and to have faith and hope even [in hard times]. …

“And whatever happens in the interim, there is solid assurance that life is everlasting, and that eternal progress is its purpose” Let us recognize and be grateful for the blessings we have. From the Savior comes hope! Understanding the gospel, doing his works of righteousness, and following the counsel of our prophet are our assurance of the realization of that hope."

I would like to encourage you to read the whole talk either now or in your own time. Here's the link,
www.lds.org/general-conference/1986/10/hope-in-christ

Stay Tuned until next time.

Hope in Christ} Part One

Good Morning, or Good Afternoon, or Good Evening, 

this post would take approximately three minutes to read from start to finish. 

I encourage you to answer the following question in your own time. What does Hope in Christ means to you?

This post focuses on an October 1986 General Women's Conference talk from General Conference called "Hope in Christ" by Sister Barbara W. Winder. This post is part one. I would like to share with you some highlights while I was reading the talk.

Sister Winder mentioned, "As our Father and the Savior planned for us to come to earth, they said, “We will prove them herewith, to see if they [you and I] will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them” (Abr. 3:25). This was to become a testing ground; we would come to an understanding of good and evil, of happiness and suffering, of joy and pain. We knew the plan. We desired it; we endorsed it. We defended it. We even fought for it!

With eagerness and excitement, we came to earth to learn each of us having our own particular set of circumstances with trials and temptations to overcome.

We were not left without hope. Our Savior, through his atonement, has made it possible for us to obtain salvation. He will not leave us helpless as we struggle to overcome the adversities of this life.There are so many kinds of challenges: the frustrations and disappointments of disobedient children or a difficult marriage, the loneliness of an empty house when one is so eagerly seeking companionship, the long upward road to repentance, or the difficulty of keeping a positive attitude and counting our blessings even in times of hardship.

"Once you choose hope, anything is possible."

The example of the Savior’s life and the teachings that he left us are patterns for us to follow. He faced trials similar to those we experience; he handled each situation in a perfect manner. In the wilderness of Judea and the Garden of Gethsemane, we witness two of the most grievous temptations of Christ, but during no part of his days in the flesh was he free from temptation. Otherwise his life would have been no human life at all. We read in Mosiah, “And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer” (Mosiah 3:7).
Which of us has not known disappointment, discouragement, and despair? That is one of the tests for all of us. Consider the Prophet Joseph, as he languished in Liberty Jail in March of 1839, having been there for months, knowing that his people had been driven from their homes and were destitute. His cry is touching: “O God, where art thou? … How long shall thy hand be stayed?” (D&C 121:1–2).

Stay Tuned until next time.

He GIVES me PEACE

Good Morning, or Good Afternoon, or Good Evening, 

this post take approximately three to five minutes to read from start to finish.

Sometimes whenever we get caught up and worry about what has been happening around us, we may or may not realized that we can forget about a simple truth of Jesus Christ can give individuals the feeling of peace on multiple occasions even at times when we aren't ready to feel peace straight away.

"He gives me peace." - John 14:27

I would like encourage you to allow yourself some time to think about, ask yourself and answer the following questions either now or in your own time. In what ways, have you acknowledged the feeling of peace that comes from Jesus Christ? What does peace means to you?

In the past, I know that I have been able to acknowledge the feeling of peace that comes from Jesus Christ by giving me multiple opportunities to feel peace such as whenever there is disagreements of not liking someone's opinions, whenever I am at Temple grounds, and so forth. I know whenever I feel peace, I tend to feel happy and to know it is okay to feel peace whenever I am not ready for it.

I know that Heavenly Father always does his best to help each of us to feel peace whenever we do deserve to feel peace and whenever we aren't ready for it. As days goes by; we can trust ourselves that we can feel peace by listening to our favourite songs, we can feel peace by the Holy Ghost, we can feel peace by talking to a relative, we can feel peace by talking to a friend, and so forth.

Whenever we are in tune and having the Holy Ghost by our side, we are able to feel peace by listening to the promptings and guide us to safety. We are able to also feel peace whenever we are making the right choices.

Whenever something doesn't go as plan, it's a good time to feel peace. I would like to encourage you to ask yourself and answer the following questions either now or in your own time.
In what ways of how can I improve for myself to feel peace more often?
In what ways of how can I improve for my relatives to feel peace more often?
In what ways of how can I improve for my friends to feel peace more often?

Stay Tuned until next time.

Peace, Hope and Direction

Good Morning, or Good Afternoon, or Good Evening,

this post should take approximately five minutes to read from start to finish.

This post is focuses on a Liahona January 2000 article that I love and it is called, "Peace, Hope, and Direction" by Sister Patricia P. Pinegar. I would like to share with you some highlights while I was reading the article.

Sister Pinegar mentioned,

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Prov. 3:5–6).

Brothers and sisters, I love the Lord and trust in Him with all of my heart. I know He lives and loves each of us. I know our Father in Heaven has a perfect plan for us. As we follow this plan and the example of our Savior, we can find peace in this troubled world, our hearts can be filled with hope, and we will receive the direction we need.

The difficult experience of my son’s death helped me identify and rejoice in the blessings of peace, hope, and direction blessings that all who truly accept and live the gospel of Jesus Christ may enjoy. I can bear witness to the words of Elder Richard G. Scott: “Please learn that as you wrestle with a challenge and feel sadness because of it, you can simultaneously have peace and rejoicing"

What are some specific things we can do to have these blessings of peace, hope, and direction in our lives? May I share with you three things that have helped me.

"Let us rejoice in the blessings of peace, hope and direction,
blessings that so many of our Father's children do not enjoy."

First, we must have complete trust in our Father’s plan of happiness and our Savior’s part in that plan.

The second thing that has helped me receive these blessings is the principle of courageous obedience. I am so grateful for God’s gift of laws and commandments. Peace, hope, and direction are outcomes of striving to live the teachings of Jesus and obeying His laws and commandments.

The scriptures teach, “Great peace have they which love thy law” They also teach that “he who doeth the works of righteousness shall receive his reward, even peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come”

The third thing we can do to receive these blessings of peace, hope, and direction is to learn to respond to the promptings of the Holy Ghost and acknowledge to the Lord our gratitude for this great gift."

I encourage you to read the whole article in your own time. Here's the link below.
www.lds.org/liahona/2000/01/peace-hope-and-direction

I know that each of us as individuals always would like to feel peace in our lives.
I know that each of us as individuals always would like to feel hopeful in our lives.
I know that each of us as individuals always would like to have senses of right directions in our lives.

Stay Tuned until next time.