Peace Comes Through Hope

Here’s the talk I gave in church today:

James E. Faust once said: “Everybody in this life has their challenges and difficulties. That is part of our mortal test. The reason for some of these trials cannot be readily understood except on the basis of faith and hope because there is often a larger purpose which we do not always understand. Peace comes through hope.”

Hope is the confident expectation of and longing for the promised blessings of righteousness. The scriptures often speak of hope as anticipation of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ. In our common speech hope is often tinted with doubt, but in our church hope is sure, unwavering, and active.  D&C 59:23 says “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.”

Recently I went on a scavenger hunt with a friend and one of the things we had to get were some words of wisdom from a stranger.  We stopped into an almost empty candy store and asked the teenage clerk for his wisdom.  He thought for a moment and said “First, always treat others the way you want to be treated.  Second, always give and don’t always expect to get anything.  And third, no matter how good you are, bad stuff still happens.”  We talked to him for a couple more minutes and then we continued on our way.  After we left I started thinking about the words of wisdom he chose to share with two random people.  He told us about the Golden Rule, which is something we should all live by and is pretty common.  Next he talked about giving.  And the last thing he shared was a thought that I have not very heard often phrased like this outside of the church.  He said “No matter how good you are, bad stuff still happens.”  This is a statement that sounds almost sad, like there is no way to win, but this guy said it like it was a promise, like he relished the challenge.  He said this with a glint in his eye that made me suspect that he knew something about these bad things that most people didn’t know.  I think he knew that these things all have a purpose.  It is said about work that it is just fun disguised in overalls, well I believe the same thing about challenges: they are just blessings disguised in overalls.

When we change our perspective from how hard or how hectic and crazy our lives are to the lessons we can learn and the ways we can grow our view of everything in life changes.  Instead of seeing this moment we can look at the Heavenly timeline and see who we can become instead of what we’re going through. 

Elder F. Enzio Busche of the Quorum of the Seventy gives some useful advice in a devotional he gave at BYU in 1996.   He says: “I want to share with you a vehicle, an instrument, that I developed some time ago for myself and for my family. It can assist us to reach our focus as we read the suggested vision of true discipleship as a Latter-day Saint. It helps when, from time to time, we ponder and seek identification with the following thoughts:
* Embrace this day with an enthusiastic welcome, no matter how it looks. The covenant with God to which you are true enables you to become enlightened by him, and nothing is impossible for you.
* When you are physically sick, tired, or in despair, steer your thoughts away from yourself and direct them, in gratitude and love, toward God.
* In your life there have to be challenges. They will either bring you closer to God and therefore make you stronger, or they can destroy you. But you make the decision of which road you take.
* First and foremost, you are a spirit child of God. If you neglect to feed your spirit, you will reap unhappiness. Don't permit anything to detract you from this awareness.
* You cannot communicate with God unless you have first sacrificed your self-oriented natural man and have brought yourself into the lower levels of meekness, to become acceptable for the Light of Christ.
* Put all frustrations, hurt feelings, and grumblings into the perspective of your eternal hope. Light will flow into your soul.
* Pause to ponder the suffering Christ felt in the Garden of Gethsemane. In the awareness of the depth of gratitude for him, you appreciate every opportunity to show your love for him by diligently serving in his Church.
* God knows that you are not perfect. As you suffer about your imperfections, he will give you comfort and suggestions of where to improve.
* God knows better than you what you need. He always attempts to speak to you. Listen, and follow the uncomfortable suggestions that he makes to us--everything will fall into its place.
* Avoid any fear like your worst enemy, but magnify your fear about the consequences of sin.
* When you cannot love someone, look into that person's eyes long enough to find the hidden rudiments of the child of God in him.
* Never judge anyone. When you accept this, you will be freed. In the case of your own children or subordinates, where you have the responsibility to judge, help them to become their own judges.
* If someone hurts you so much that your feelings seem to choke you, forgive and you will be free again.
* Avoid at all cost any pessimistic, negative, or criticizing thoughts. If you cannot cut them out, they will do you harm. On the road toward salvation, let questions arise but never doubts. If something is wrong, God will give you clarity but never doubts.
* Avoid rush and haste and uncontrolled words. Divine light develops in places of peace and quiet. Be aware of that as you enter places of worship.
* Be not so much concerned about what you do, but do what you do with all your heart, might, and strength. In thoroughness is satisfaction.
* You want to be good and to do good. That is commendable. But the greatest achievement that can be reached in our lives is to be under the complete influence of the Holy Ghost. Then he will teach us what is really good and necessary to do.
* The pain of sacrifice lasts only one moment. It is the fear of the pain of sacrifice that makes you hesitate to do it.
* Be grateful for every opportunity to serve. It helps you more than those you serve.
* And finally, when you are compelled to give up something or when things that are dear to you are withdrawn from you, know that this is your lesson to be learned right now. But know also that, as you are learning this lesson, God wants to give you something better.”

I know a young man.  He was born into a large family but when he was young his father died in an accident.  His mother went a little crazy and started doing drugs and drinking.  The children were left to fend for themselves.  Eventually the decision was made that the 6 youngest children would be best served if they were split up and sent to live with various relatives.  This young man was sent to live with relatives 700 miles from his nearest sibling while all of the others remained relatively close to each other.  This young man entered a period of darkness in his life when everything looked hopeless.  He never lost faith in the Lord and his plan, but he did wonder if the plan would ever put good things in his path.  Eventually the darkness became overwhelming and this young man went to a church activity crying.  His leaders immediately took him aside and just listened to him.  He talked and talked until he ran out of words.  His leaders thought for a moment and told him that happiness was a choice.  That no matter what happened yesterday if he made the decision to be happy then he could be.  If he hoped for a better day, that day would come.  Ever since then this young man has had huge growth in his testimony, in his demeanor, and in his happiness.  In his life, no matter how frenzied, crazy, and terrible life seems he has hope and is able to find peace.

The Savior suffered in the Garden so that our sins may be washed clean and we can be saved.  He died for us and rose again so that we may live.  There must be opposition in all things.  We cannot know happiness without feeling despair.  We cannot fathom true love without first experiencing heartache.  We cannot grow without first feeling the sting of growing pains.  The difficult times in our lives when we have doubts or when we struggle are given to us so that we may eventually become Gods like our Father.  That knowledge, that hope, brings peace to my life and I hope it can bring peace to yours as well.

I say these things in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.