The Infinite Power of Hope

my dear brothers and sisters and friends what a glorious day for us to witness the announcement of five new temples by our beloved prophet what a beautiful day for all of us toward the end of World War two my father was drafted into the German army and sent to the Western Front leaving my mother alone to care for our family though I was only three years old I can still remember this time of fear and hunger we lived in Czechoslovakia and with every passing day the war came nearer and the danger grew greater finally during the cold winter of 1944 my mother decided to flee to Germany were her parents were living she bundled us up and somehow managed to get us on one of the last refugee trains heading west traveling during that time was dangerous everywhere we went the sound of explosions distressed faces and ever-present hunger reminded us that we were in a war zone along the way the train stopped occasionally to get supplies one night during one of these stops my mother hurried out of the train to search for some food for her four children when she returned to her great horror the train and her children were gone way down with Rory desperate prayers filled her heart she frantically searched the large and dark train station urgently crisscrossing the numerous tracks while hoping against hope that the train had not already departed perhaps I will never know all that went through my mother's heart and mind on that black night as she searched through a grim railroad station for her lost children that she was terrified I have no doubt I'm certain it crossed her mind that if she did not find this train she might never see her children again I know with certainty her faith overcame her fear and her hope overcame her despair she was not the woman who would sit and bemoan tragedy she moved she put her faith and hope into action and so she ran from track to track and from train to train until she finally found our train it had been moved to a remote area of the station there at last she found her children again I have often thought about that night and what my mother must have endured if I could go back in time and sit by her side I would ask her how she managed to go on in the face of fears I would ask about faith and hope and how she overcame despair while that is impossible perhaps today I could sit by your side and by the side of any who might feel discouraged worried or lonely today I would like to speak with you about the infinite power of hope hope is one leg of a three-legged stool together with faith and charity these three stabilize our lives regardless of the rough or uneven surfaces we might encounter at the time the scriptures are clear and certain about the importance of hope the Apostle Paul taught that the scriptures were written to the end that we might have hope hope has the power to fill our lives with happiness its absence when this desire of our heart is delayed can make the heart SiC hope is a gift of the Spirit it is a hope that through the atonement of Jesus Christ and the power of his resurrection we shall be raised unto life eternal and this because of our faith in the Savior this kind of hope is both a principle of promise as well as a commandment and as with our commandments we have the responsibility to make it an active part of our lives and overcome the temptation to lose hope hope in our Heavenly Father's merciful plan of happiness leads to peace mercy rejoicing and gladness the hope of salvation is like a protective helmet it is the foundation of our faith and an anchor to our souls Moroni in his solitude even after having witnessed the complete destruction of his people believed in hope in the twilight of the Nephite nation Moroni wrote that without hope we cannot receive an inheritance in the kingdom of God but why then is there despair the scriptures say that there must be an opposition in all things sword is with faith hope and charity doubt despair and failure to care for our fellow man lead us into temptation which can cause us to forfeit choice and precious blessings the adversary uses despair to bind hearts and minds in suffocating darkness despair drains from us all that is vibrant and joyful and leaves behind the empty remnants of what life was meant to be despair kills ambition advances sickness pollutes the soul and Denton's the heart despair can seem like a staircase that leads only and forever downward hope on the other hand is like the beam of sunlight rising up and above the horizon of our present circumstances it pierces the darkness with a brilliant dawn it encourages 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 what then is hope the complexities of language offer several variations and intensities of the word hope for example a toddler may hope for a toy phone and at a lesson may hope for a phone call from a special friend and an adult may simply hope that the phone will stop ringing all together I wish to speak today of the hope that transcends the trivial and centers on the hope of Israel the great hope of mankind even our Redeemer Jesus Christ hope is not knowledge but rather the abiding trust that the Lord will fulfill is promised to us it is confidence that if we live according to God's laws and the words of his prophets now we will receive desired blessings in the future it is believing and expecting that our prayers will be answered it is manifesting confidence optimism and through the azzam and patient perseverance in the language of the gospel this hope is sure unwavering and active the prophets of old speak of a firm hope and a lively hope it is a hope glorifying God through good works with hope comes joy and happiness with hope we can have patience and bear our afflictions there are things we hope for and things we hope in the things we hope for are often future events if only we could look beyond the horizon of mortality into what awaits us beyond this life is it possible to imagine a more glorious future than the one prepared for us by our Heavenly Father because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ we need not fear for we will live forever never to taste of death again because of his infinite atonement we can be cleansed of sin and stand pure and holy before the judgment bar the Savior is truly the author of our salvation and what kind of existence can we hope for those who come unto Christ repent of their sins and live in faith will reside forever in peace think of the worth of this eternal gift surrounded by those we love we will know the meaning of ultimate joy as we progress in knowledge and in happiness no matter how bleak the chapter of our lives may look today because of the life and sacrifice of Jesus Christ we may hope and be assured that the ending of the book of our lives will exceed our grandest expectations I have not seen nor ear heard neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him the things we cz's hope in sustain us during our daily walk they uphold us through trials temptations and sorrow everyone has experienced his courage ment and difficulty indeed there are times when the darkness may see unbearable it is in these times that the divine principles of the readers restored gospel we hope in can uphold us and carry us until once again we walk in the light we hope in Jesus Christ in the goodness of God in the manifestations of the Holy Spirit in the knowledge that prayers are heard and answered because God has been faithful and kept his promises in the past we can hope with confidence that God will keep his promises to us in the present and in the future in times of distress we can hold tightly to the hope that things will work together for our good as we follow the counsel of God's prophets this type of Hope in God His goodness and his power refreshes us with courage during difficult challenges and gives us strength to those who feel threatened by enclosing walls of fear doubt and despair hope leads to good works we learn to cultivate hope the same way we learn to walk one step at a time as we study the Scriptures speak with our Heavenly Father daily commit to keep the commandments of God like the word of wisdom and painful tiding we attain hope we grow in our ability to abound in Hope through the power of the Holy Ghost as we more perfectly live the gospel there may be times when we must make a courageous decision to hope even when everything around us contradicts this hope like father Abraham we will against hope believed in hope or as one writer expressed in the midst of winter we find within us an invincible summer faith hope and charity complement each other and as one increases the others grow as well hope comes of faith for without faith there is no hope in like manner faith comes of hope for faith is the substance of things hoped for hope is critical to both faith and charity when disobedience disappointment and procrastination erode faith hope is there to uphold us when frustration and impatience challenge charity hope braces our resolve and urges us to care for our fellow man even without expectation of rewards the brighter our hope the greater our faith the stronger our hope the purer our charity the things we hope for lead us to faith while the things we hope in lead us to charity the three qualities faith hope and charity working together grounded on the truth and light of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ lead us to abound in good works hope from personal experience each time a hope is fulfilled it creates confidence and leads to greater hope I can think of many instances in my life where I learn firsthand the power of hope I will remember the days in my childhood encompass by the horrors of and despair of a world war the lack of educational opportunities life-threatening health issues during youth and the challenging and discouraging economic experiences as a refugee the example of our mother even in the worst of times to move forward and put faith and hope into action not just worrying or wishful thinking sustained our family and me and gave confidence that present circumstances would give way to future blessings I know from these experiences that it is the gospel of Jesus Christ in our membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day saints that strengthened faith offer a bright hope and lead disciples of Jesus Christ to charity hope sustains us through despair if only we could cleanse for a moment what the Lord has in store for us not only in the next life but in this one as well our hope would be unshakable and despair could never overcome us hope teaches that there is reason to rejoice even when all seems dark around us with Jeremiah I proclaim blessed is the man whose hope the Lord is with Joel I testify the Lord is the hope of his people and the strength of the children of Israel with Nephi I declare press forward with a steadfastness in Christ having a perfect brightness of hope and the love of God and of all men feasting upon the word of Christ and endure to the end behold thus says the father ye shall have eternal life this is the quality of hope we must cherish and develop such a mature hope comes in and through our Savior Jesus Christ for every man that have his this hope in him purifies himself even as the savior is pure the Lord has given us a reassuring message of hope 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 and to all who suffer to all who feel discouraged worried or lonely I say with love and deep concern for you never give in never surrender never allow despair to overcome your spirit embrace and rely upon the hope of Israel for the love of the son of God pierces all darkness softens all sorrow and gladdens every heart of this I testify and leave you my blessing in the name of Jesus Christ amen

Channel: General Conference

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Keywords: 1328142194001, General Conference, eng

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Length: 18min 49sec (1129 seconds)

Published: Wed Dec 17 2014