A Brightness of Hope

A Brightness of Hope

In chapter 6 of Preach My Gospel – Christlike Attributes, we learn about hope. 

“Hope is an abiding trust that the Lord will fulfill His promises to you. It 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.” Preach My Gospel, p 117.

I have found it that as my faith increases so does my hope and as my hope increases, so does my hope. They go hand in hand one helping the other to grow as we come to realize the importance of what we do and what our purpose is as servants of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul teaches us that “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of thing not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1) So, the substance of all the things which we hope for is what makes up our faith. What a marvelous manifestation and insight to this Christlike attribute is given to us by Paul. Having a greater substance of all the thing that we hope for will help our faith to increase.

In the 13th Article of Faith it states: “- We believer all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.”

Hope is therefore worth seeking after. Hope has given me the ability to believe even more. At times when hope was waning or not existent in my life, I found that I was a miserable and lost soul. When I focused on hoping for things to get better whether it was illness, results from sin, trials and tribulations, at that moment when I began to regain lost hope, things became brighter and my attitude towards all things changed. I needed to focus on hoping for things that mattered – not for things of the world but for things that would fortify and strengthen my soul.

Elder Neal A. Maxwell former member of the Quorum of the Twelve said the following about hope:

“Real hope keeps us “anxiously engaged” in good causes even when these appear to be losing causes on the mortal scoreboard (see D&C 58:27). Likewise, real hope is much more than wishful musing. It stiffens, not slackens, the spiritual spine. Hope is serene, not giddy, eager without being naive, and pleasantly steady without being smug. Hope is realistic anticipation which takes the form of a determination—not only to survive adversity but, moreover, to “endure … well” to the end (D&C 121:8).

“Real hope inspires quiet Christian service, not flashy public fanaticism. Finley Peter Dunne impishly observed, “A fanatic is a man who does what he thinks the Lord would do if He knew the facts” (quoted in The Third—and Possibly the Best—637 Best Things Anybody Ever Said, comp. Robert Byrne [1986], no. 549). 

The greatest source of hope is of course the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the source of all things good and true. His love will always be available to us and that should give us hope during times of trial.

Our Savior’s love shines like the sun with perfect light,
As from above it breaks through clouds of strife,
Lighting our way, it leads us back into his sight,
Where we may stay, to share eternal life.

The Spirit, voice of goodness, whispers in our hearts
A better choice than evil’s anguished cries.
Loud may the sound of hope ring till all doubt departs,
And we are bound to him by loving ties.

Our Father, God of all creation, hear us pray
In reverence, awed by thy Son’s sacrifice.
Praises we sing. We love thy law; we will obey.
Our heavenly King, in thee our hearts rejoice.

LDS Hymns – Our Savior’s Love – No. 113

I pray that all our hearts rejoice in this knowledge. He lives! He will return once again to gather His children. Let us have a greater hope regardless of the things we struggle with and He will deliver us and claim us as His own.

I love each one of you. I rejoice in your goodness and your dedication to His cause.

Love,

President Alba

Adversity

President Alba

Mission Letter 2-2-14

Adversity

As part of Heavenly Father's plan of redemption, we all experience adversity during our lifetime. Trials, disappointments, sadness, sickness, and heartache are a difficult part of life, but with the help of the Lord they can lead to spiritual growth, refinement, and progress.

Each person's success and happiness, both now and in the eternities, depend largely on our responses to the difficulties of life.

Adversity comes from different sources. Trials may come as a consequence of a person's own pride and disobedience. These trials can be avoided through righteous living. Other trials are simply a natural part of life and may come at times when people are living righteously. For example, we may experience trials in times of sickness or uncertainty or at the deaths of loved ones. Adversity may sometimes come because of others' poor choices and hurtful words and actions. Suffering may also come through a loving Heavenly Father as a tutoring experience.

Different kinds of adversity require different responses. For example, if we are stricken with illness we may simply need to be patient and faithful. If we suffer because of others' words or actions we should work toward forgiving those who have offended us. If a person's trials come because of disobedience, we should correct the behavior and humbly seek forgiveness. We must also realize that if we make wrong choices, trials will come our way as we try to change our behavior and become more like our Savior.

We may ask the question: If God is all powerful and knows all why does he put us through the agony of continual suffering when He already knows what the outcome will be? The answer is very simple. The Lord does not test us to measure us, but these are tests and trials for us to measure ourselves. It is important that we know the strengths we have been blessed with during our adversities and the growth that we will experience as we work through adversity.

When some people face adversity, they complain and become bitter. They ask questions like “Why does this have to happen to me? Why do I have to suffer this now? What have I done to deserve this?” But these questions have the power to dominate our thoughts. Such questions can overtake our vision, absorb our energy, and deprive us of the experiences the Lord wants us to receive. Rather than responding in this way, we should consider asking questions such as, “What am I to do? What am I to learn from this experience? What am I to change? Whom am I to help? How can I remember my many blessings in times of trial?”

I personally have experienced adversity in my life, we all have, and at times I thought that it would break me. At times I wanted to give up as nothing seemed worth fighting for. I can testify that in the end it's all worth it! I was able to understand my own abilities to overcome and become victorious. I was able to gain a greater understanding as to why I was being tried and tested. I have been able to know God's purpose for me. I know that I will yet have many opportunities to learn more - learn things that will refine me and help me to know my Heavenly Father's mission for me. For this I am eternally grateful.

President David O. McKay said: “There are those who have met disaster, which almost seems defeat, who have become somewhat soured in their natures; but if they stop to think, even the adversity which has come to them may prove a means of spiritual uplift. Adversity itself may lead toward and not away from God and spiritual enlightenment; and privation may prove a source of strength if we can but keep the sweetness of mind and spirit” (Treasures of Life, comp. Clare Middle miss [1962], 107–8).

I also know that each of you has gone through much and may continue to go through much more, how much more, only the Lord knows. Missions are a place to store spiritual strength so that when the trials come, we will be able to meet them head on and embrace them to our advantage. These reservoirs of strength will allow us to overcome come what may. Remember the 10 virgins? The five wise ones kept their lamps full and were prepared to meet the bridegroom.

Let’s not ever give up and as you become victorious you will forever be grateful for the things you will learn if you allow adversity to shape you in the Lord's way. We must avoid becoming bitter and negative but we must learn to embrace adversity. It will be much easier to endure and we'll be blessed for overcoming it like the Savior overcame all. As we do, we will have a place next to our Heavenly Father and His Righteous Son, even Jesus Christ.

I testify that ours is our lot to overcome and be great in his sight. We will truly measure ourselves to belong with the great men and women who have overcome the world and be joint heirs with our Christ.

During tough times, we will overcome through Christ Jesus if we allow ourselves to let Him and stop fighting him or asking why? or why me?

All my love,

President Alba