LDS Place

If I asked you what your favorite word was, what would you say? Recently I asked a group of friends to share with me their favorite words. What began as a point of conversation soon became a period of testimony, for my friends said such things as commitment, family, love. Since that experience I’ve thought about my own favorite word.

Rejoice is a major contender, but I think hope wins. To me hope embodies happy feelings, anticipation of good things, the best of the gospel, and zest for life. In this church we celebrate “a perfect brightness of hope.” (2 Ne. 31:20.) What a light, ebullient phrase that is. I’ve stood on a mountaintop at sunrise and thought of that phrase. Hope—what it does to my soul when I feel it! Hope—what it does for the world when we act on it!

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“This is a troubled world. Discord and disaster are everywhere. It sometimes feels as though mankind itself may be hanging in the balance.

“Foreshadowing our day, the Lord said, ‘The heavens shall shake, and also the earth; and great tribulations shall be among the children of men, but my people will I preserve’ (Moses 7:61; emphasis added). We should take great comfort in this promise.”

Keith B. McMullin, “Our Path of Duty,” Ensign, May 2010, 13

That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good—to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted.

And again, behold I say unto you that he cannot have faith and hope, save he shall be meek, and lowly of heart.

And the remission of sins bringeth meekness, and lowliness of heart; and because of meekness and lowliness of heart cometh the visitation of the Holy Ghost, which Comforter filleth with hope and perfect love, which love endureth by diligence unto prayer, until the end shall come, when all the saints shall dwell with God.

And except ye have charity ye can in nowise be saved in the kingdom of God; neither can ye be saved in the kingdom of God if ye have not faith; neither can ye if ye have no hope.

And if ye have no hope ye must needs be in despair; and despair cometh because of iniquity.

Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.

And I also remember that thou hast said that thou hast prepared a house for man, yea, even among the mansions of thy Father, in which man might have a more excellent hope; wherefore man must hope, or he cannot receive an inheritance in the place which thou hast prepared.

For, for this intent have we written these things, that they may know that we knew of Christ, and we had a hope of his glory many hundred years before his coming; and not only we ourselves had a hope of his glory, but also all the holy prophets which were before us.

And again, my beloved brethren, I would speak unto you concerning hope. How is it that ye can attain unto faith, save ye shall have hope?

And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that 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.

Wherefore, if a man have faith he must needs have hope; for without faith there cannot be any hope.

Wherefore, there must be faith; and if there must be faith there must also be hope; and if there must be hope there must also be charity.

“Hope is not knowledge, but rather the abiding trust that the Lord will fulfill His promise 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 manifest in confidence, optimism, enthusiasm, 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’ (Alma 34:41) and a ‘lively hope’ (1 Peter 1:3). 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’ (Alma 34:41).”

Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “The Infinite Power of Hope,” Ensign, Nov. 2008, 22

“We know that sometimes it can be difficult to keep our heads above water. In fact, in our world of change, challenges, and checklists, sometimes it can seem nearly impossible to avoid feeling overwhelmed by emotions of suffering and sorrow.

“I am not suggesting that we can simply flip a switch and stop the negative feelings that distress us. This isn’t a pep talk or an attempt to encourage those sinking in quicksand to imagine instead they are relaxing on a beach. I recognize that in all of our lives there are real concerns. I know there are hearts here today that harbor deep sorrows. Others wrestle with fears that trouble the soul. For some, loneliness is their secret trial.

“These things are not insignificant.

“However, [there are] two principles that may help you find a path to peace, hope, and joy—even during times of trial and distress. I want to speak about God’s happiness and how each one of us can taste of it in spite of the burdens that beset us.”

Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Happiness, Your Heritage,” Ensign, Nov. 2008, 117–18

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 II, 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, where 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, the stressed faces, and ever-present hunger reminded us that we were in a war zone.

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May I extend a warm and sincere welcome to Elder Neil L. Andersen to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He is a worthy and welcome addition.

On August 15, 2007, Peru suffered a massive earthquake that all but destroyed the coastal cities of Pisco and Chincha. Like many other Church leaders and members, Wenceslao Conde, the president of the Balconcito Branch of the Church in Chincha, immediately set about helping others whose homes were damaged.

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“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. ‘Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him’ (1 Corinthians 2:9).”

Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “The Infinite Power of Hope,” Ensign, Nov. 2008, 22–23

“We need strong Christians who can persevere against hardship, who can sustain hope through tragedy, who can lift others by their example and their compassion, and who can consistently overcome temptations. We need strong Christians who can make important things happen by their faith and who can defend the truth of Jesus Christ against moral relativism and militant atheism.”

D. Todd Christofferson

“I cannot imagine life without hope. I learned early that the personal quality of hope is essential for righteous living. Hope comes from a knowledge that the Lord’s promises are true, that he will fill our souls with his Spirit, and that we will have the strength to carry on.”

— Elaine L. Jack, “Believing in the Light After Darkness,” from “Heroines of the Restoration”

“Hope is a precious principle by which to live. However, some among us may have lost all hope because of sin and transgression. A person can become so deeply immersed in the ways of the world that he sees no way out and loses all hope. My plea to all who have fallen into this trap of the adversary is to never give up! Regardless of how desperate things may seem or how desperate they may yet become, please believe me, you can always have hope.

Always.”

—M. Russell Ballard, Ensign, Nov. 1992, p. 32

“Significantly, those who look forward to a next and better world are usually ‘anxiously engaged’ in improving this one, for they ‘always abound in good works’ (D&C 58:27; Alma 7:24). Thus, real hope is much more than wishful musing. It stiffens, not slackens, the spiritual spine. It is composed, not giddy, eager without being naive, and pleasantly steady without being smug. Hope is realistic anticipation taking the form of determination–a determination not merely to survive but to ‘endure…’.”

—Neal A. Maxwell, Ensign, Nov. 1994, p. 35

“As we trust in God and his plan for our happiness with all our hearts and lean not unto our own understanding (see Prov. 3:5), hope is born. Hope grows out of faith and gives meaning and purpose to all we do. It can give us comfort in the face of adversity, strength in times of trial, and peace when we have reason for doubt or anguish.”

—Elder M. Russell Ballard, Answers to Life’s Questions, General Conference, April 1995