Talk Exchange

Talk- "Hope"
MTC
Mark Runolfson
5-25-08

What is hope? What do we hope for? What can hope do for us?

• What is Hope?

Hope is an abiding trust that the Lord will fulfill His promises...It is believing and expecting that something will occur. "As President James E Faust taught: 'Hope is the anchor of our souls. Hope is trust in God's promises, faith that if we are sons and daughters of God and that His Son, The Lord Jesus Christ, saved us from death.'" PMG pg.117

• What can we hope for?

Mormon taught "Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal and this because of your faith in Him according to the promise." (Moroni 7:41)

So, we can have a perfect brightness of hope that we "shall have eternal life" if we can "press forward with a steadfastness in Christ...love God and all men...[feast] upon the word of Christ and endure to the end. (Tttf pg 86)

• What can hope do for us?

"Hope helps us conquer discouragement" (PMG pg 117)
"When [we] have hope, [we] can find joy in life, [we] can 'have patience, and bear with afflictions, with a firm hope that [we] shall one day rest from all our afflictions.'" (TttF p 86)

If we want this hope, how do we get it?

"As you strive to live the gospel, you grow in your ability to abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost'"(Romans 15:13).

You increase in hope as you pray and seek God's forgiveness...You also gain hope as you study the scriptures and follow their teachings. The Apostles Paul taught, "'Whatsoever things were written afore time were written for our learning, that we, though patience and comfort of the scriptures, might have hope (Romans 15:4).'" TttF pg 85

Now, I pray that we all have hope, and remember we gain hope through righteousness and study. Doctrine and Covenants 59:23 states, "But learn 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". Remember this promise from the Lord, and have hope and endure.

Those of us that do have hope in the promises of God, let us share this hope. Help others to get "sure, unwavering and active" hope for we have been called and our "faith, hope, charity, and love...[qualifies us] for the work." (Doctrine and Covenants 4:5)

PMG- "Preach My Gospel"
TttF- "True to the Faith"