My Talk In the Sherwood Ward Last Sunday

IS YOUR HOPE ENOUGH
Quin Christensen
Sherwood Ward
May 24, 2009

When Abinadi was brought before the wicked King Noah to be questioned and accused, the scripture says “he answered them boldly, and withstood all their questions, yea, to their astonishment;. . . . and did confound them in all their words.” This must have pricked the heart and won the confidence of at least one of the priests who asked a very sincere and interesting question. Listen to the question. Ask yourself what it was that the questioner really wanted to know.
Mosiah 12:20 And it came to pass that one of them said unto him: What meaneth the words which are written, and which have been taught by our fathers, saying:
21 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings; that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good; that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth;
22 Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing; for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall bring again Zion;
23 Break forth into joy; sing together ye waste places of Jerusalem; for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem;
24 The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God?

It is almost as if the joy spoken of in the verses he quoted was eluding him and he wanted to know how to capture it. In this question you can sense that this individual was holding onto a thin thread of hope. Hope that there was indeed something more to life than greed, and seeking for power, and the emptiness of self-gratification that comes from both of those. This individual was looking for an anchor for that hope.
In the 2008 October General Conference Pres. Uctdorf spoke of hope. He said:
“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 all 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.
This question brought ridicule from Abinadi, for one who professed to be a priest should know the answer to this question, but it is almost as if the question was planted in the heart of the questioner because Abinadi is led to expound, in detail, on every point, almost as if he had prepared a sermon on that very passage. After showing the emptiness of the Law of Moses on it’s own, he embarked on one of the most thorough and beautiful explanations of the Atonement found in scripture. He quoted scripture from Isaiah and other prophets who testified of Christ long before his birth. He expounded on the law of obedience and how that made us eligible for the saving grace of the great and last sacrifice. He spoke of the resurrection of the dead and the judgment that must come to all men. He spoke of prophets who publish the peace of salvation and knowledge of the nature of God. Surely, he was deep in the scriptures. Surely his hope was firmly anchored in the Savior, for he suffered himself to be captured and executed to fulfill the will of God. He was as the scriptures put it, “a type” of the Savior himself. At the end of his sermon it was very clear what we should hope for, and what we should hope in.

Pres. Uchtdorf said :
“The things we hope for are often future events.
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.”


"The things we hope in sustain us during our daily walk. They uphold us through trials, temptations, and sorrow. Everyone has experienced discouragement and difficulty. Indeed, there are times when the darkness may seem unbearable. It is in these times that the divine principles of the restored gospel we hope in can uphold us and carry us until, once again, we walk in the light."

We learn that Alma was touched by the words of Abinadi and sought to save his life but was cast out and hunted himself. He wrote down all the words of the prophet and began to teach them privately to anyone who would listen. He was sowing the seeds of hope and they were planted in very fertile ground for “. . . after many days there were a goodly number gathered together at the place of Mormon, to hear the words of Alma. Yea, all were gathered together that believed on his word, to hear him. And he did teach them, and did preach unto them repentance, and redemption, and faith on the Lord. “ (Mosiah 18:7)

It is here that we learn how the power of the priesthood and our covenants with God strengthen our hope. It is here that we learn that for hope to be real it must be active and lead one to good works. Listen to Alma as he invites all to enter the waters of baptism.
8 And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;
9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life—
10 Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?

Now we see how Hope integrates naturally with faith and Charity.
I quote from Elder Uchtdorf again:
“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.”1
“Hope is critical to both faith and charity. When disobedience, disappointment, and procrastination erode faith, hope is there to uphold our faith. When frustration and impatience challenge charity, hope braces our resolve and urges us to care for our fellowmen even without expectation of reward. 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 is also rooted in liberty. When the people of a Alma wanted him to be their king he reminded them of their bondage under King Noah. He spoke of the bands and bonds of iniquity that come on those ruled by a wicked king. He and they were witness that for the natural man absolute power corrupts absolutely. He said:

“13 And now as ye have been delivered by the power of God out of these bonds; yea, even out of the hands of king Noah and his people, and also from the bonds of iniquity, even so I desire that ye should stand fast in this liberty wherewith ye have been made free, and that ye trust no man to be a king over you.
14 And also trust no one to be your teacher nor your minister, except he be a man of God, walking in his ways and keeping his commandments.”

We can constantly be sustained by hope because we have men called of God to lead us in this church. We trust and know that they speak the words of God, as if from His own mouth, to lift and guide us back to His presence.

When we received the result of Tayler’s first Echo cardiogram we were shocked. The initial findings were consistent with cardiomyopathy. No evidence of defect in the septum was noted. Cardiomyopathy at age 19 leaves little room for hope. It is often permanent and progressive. I watched the blood literally drain out of Tayler’s face when I told him what the Doctor had said. His disappointment and fear were palpable. But it was not long before we were all brought to a similar thought that we discussed after family prayer that evening. Tayler had been called by a prophet through revelation from God to serve in Australia. Certainly, God knew of Tayler’s condition, and whether He intended Tayler to serve in Australia, or not at all was irrelevant. God was in the mix and it was the call from Him that led to finding a malady that threatened his longevity and possibly his life. This thought sequence restored our hope and brought us great peace. As we continued to pray we were blessed with the sweet assurance that Tayler would serve just as he was called. That assurance strengthened our hope and gave us courage to face whatever lay ahead. That hope led us to action. That action led us through a sequence of diagnostics and doctor visits that I am certain were nothing less that miraculous. It seems that each step was designed to test, challenge, teach, and prepare all at the same time. The fact that we found immediate access to a variety of specialists who excelled in their field and offered the best cutting edge technology in such short time span is a miracle in its self. With each visit the whole between Taylers atrial chambers seemed to grow and be less amenable to easier resolutions. When all non-invasive options were exhausted, it was Tayler’s hope in the priesthood and God’s love for him that gave him courage to ask that there be no delay in scheduling open heart surgery. I called immediately and the busiest cardiac surgeon in the Northwest, and possibly the country, put Tayler on the schedule for the next morning.

Now we know from experience and from the scriptures that hope and faith don’t always equate with ease and pleasantness, Alma shows us that “the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith”.
22 Nevertheless—whosoever putteth his trust in him the same shall be lifted up at the last day.
And so it was with the people of Alma. They had escaped the armies of King Noah and had found a wonderful place to build and grow. For close to 20 years they lived in peace and prosperity until one day, their fortune turned on a dime and they were brought into captivity. Not just political captivity with taxes and forced government, put physical and even attempted spiritual captivity.
Amulon began to exercise authority over Alma and his brethren, and began to persecute him, and cause that his children should persecute their children . . . . . and put tasks upon them, and put task-masters over them.
10 And it came to pass that so great were their afflictions that they began to cry mightily to God.
11 And Amulon commanded them that they should stop their cries; and he put guards over them to watch them, that whosoever should be found calling upon God should be put to death.
12 And Alma and his people did not raise their voices to the Lord their God, but did pour out their hearts to him; and he did know the thoughts of their hearts.
13 And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage.
14 And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.
15 And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.
16 And it came to pass that so great was their faith and their patience that the voice of the Lord came unto them again, saying: Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage.

Pres. Uchtdorf said:
“There may be times when we must make a courageous decision to hope even when everything around us contradicts this hope.
Hope sustains us through despair. Hope teaches that there is reason to rejoice even when all seems dark around us”.

Vancouver Lake Story
In 1999 I entered into a partnership with a friend to purchase a failing Veterinary Practice in Hazeldell, Washington. We had great hopes of building it back up and finding a doctor to run it for us. Our desire was to then sell it to that individual. As time went buy we found it difficult to maintain that clinic with our own busy practices. We were unable to find a Veterinarian who could build the practice. Our moral and hopes were waning. My partner became dispondent and very irratable and angry about it. I couldn't understand this change in his temperment until I learned he was suffering from a hidden addiction to pain medications from a past knee surgery. He was in jeperdy of loosing his liscense and his practice and I was forced to give him an ultimatum. He would have to admit himself into a rehab program or loose it all. To my great relief he chose to admit himself. That was good and bad. Good for him and his future, bad for me because I was stuck with the full responsibility of maintaining the two practices. Folding the practice was not an option because of a long term lease that had been negotiated for the building. Maintaining the practice until it could be sold was the only option. For a full year I would work my practice in Tigard in the moring, travel the 30 minutes to the Hazeldell practice and see appointments from 12;30 to 3PM, and then come back to my practice for the rest of the day. That schedule was difficult and became depressing as I saw my primary practice suffering and the Hazeldell practice loose its spark and begin to fail.
Durring that year I was serving as the Gospel Doctirne teacher and we were studying the Book of Mormon. I remember studying for the lesson on Abinadai and the people of Alma. This became a tremendous blessing in my life. I recall praying for the entire 30 minute drive on several occasions for the stregnth and peace in my trial. I fought off dispair on a daily basis with my faith in the Savior and his Atonemnt. Hope kept me going until one day, as I was praying and driving, I realized that the trial was still there but the depression and weight of it was not. I felt peace and joy and courage to face my challenge, and though I pleaded for it to end, I knew I would be sustainded until it was over. I was blessed immensly with the ablility to see clearly a path to sell the practice and finally escape the trial. I may someday forget the freedom I felt when I was finally relieved of that obligation and responsibility, but I will never forget the day those chapters of scripture came alive for me.

Elder Uchtdorf said:
”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 to pay a full tithing, we attain hope.28 We grow in our ability to “abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost,”29 as we more perfectly live the gospel.”
“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.”1. 2 Ne. 31: 20
20 Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a clove of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.

We can have a bright hope because of Joseph Smith and his first vision revealing the true nature of God.
We can have a perfectly bright hope because of we have the fullness of the gospel plainly before us in the Book of Mormon.
We can have a bright hope because the priesthood was restored and Prophets walk the earth today.
We can have a perfectly bright hope because of the Gift of the Holy Ghost by which “you may know the truth of all things”.

Brothers and sisters, we often live in the moment and wish for everything to be perfect right now, and because it is not we waste time longing, waiting, hoping for a day when all will be right in our world without realizing that each moment and each challenge represent a chance to grow, learn and become something better, to be sanctified. Our pride can keep us from seeing the big picture because we fail to look beyond our own limited set of experiences and understanding.
In the Movie National Treasure they find a special pair of spectacles that enable them to see what is not apparent to the natural eye. They had to use just the right combination of lenses to make the secret writing come into view. The worlds view is limited and confined to the limits of the natural man – unenlightened, full of error, me oriented, short sighted, mistaking good for bad and visa-versa. But when sacred covenants, the power of the priesthood, and the gift of the Holy Ghost are added, suddenly we have the right combination of lenses and we see clearly and understand what the world cannot even imagine let alone comprehend.

Faith, and hope in an unknown god will appease conscience but will not bring fulfillment. True hope requires knowledge and of the true nature of Deity. True hope is nurtured by real and personal experience with the atonement. The kind that requires the natural man to pull off his facade, let go his pride, and come before his father as a little child, meek, submissive, and willing to submit to whatever it may take become clean and pure in his eyes - expressing gratitude every moment for the power that makes one free from guilt and the torment of sin - giving thanks for the strength to endure in the face of bitter trials - keeping the covenant to always remember him – feeling his pure love flow through you to those around you.
It is that hope that will sustain you through even the most significant trials in life without losing faith and without giving in to apathy and despair.
“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.” (Pres. Uchtdorff)
Brothers and Sisters, if you believe that God is omniscient, that He knows everything, that He knows you-- and if you believe that He is full of grace and mercy, that He loves Perfectly, that He loves you-- andif you believe that He is Omnipotent, that he is all powerful, that he can heal your heart, change your heart, protect you and cause things to happen to you--
Then what do you have against waiting for his mercy – His plan to refine and sanctify you through tribulation, hardship and sorrow. Do not let your impatience rob you of His divine ability do refine and improve you.
When criticisms and false accusations assail you will you shrink in shame, or will you, like Abinadi, stand fast and firm in the hope of Christ, consecrating your very life to Him who gave it.
When disappointment and failure weigh down your heart will you sink in despair, or will you, like the people of Alma, let hope lead you to sincere prayer that you may endure in patience, and wait on the timing and will of God to change your heart and refine your spirit.
When sin robs you of joy and peace will you employ hope in him who is full of grace and mercy to cleans and heal you?
When you hear the word of God through modern day prophets will take note, study them, ponder them, until they fill your heart with hope?
Ask yourself, “What am I doing to store up hope so that when the crisis comes I will be able to rely on it to get me through?” Hopefully your answer will include your covenant to always remember the Savior. A covenant you make weekly during a sacred moment with the sacrament. It is preciesely for this purpose we “labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.
26 And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look “ . . .not only for repentance, but for hope.

I know Christ lives and loves me. I know God Knows me and my family, and I know His plan of Happiness. Because I know these things I am filled with hope continually. May our hope be firmly rooted in Jesus Christ who is mighty to save and who's mercy brings peace and joy.