(Link to original talk http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-947-7,00.html )
Hope, what a great topic for Pres. Uchtdorf to choose, and how applicable for our day. I appreciate that he has ensured that the Saints understand the true meaning of this oft repeated word. Throughout history Satan and his servants have attempted to distort and change definitions of the words and language that we use, that have historically had very specific meanings, and are usually words with spiritual significance, and some, if it weren’t for the restoration of the gospel, and additional scripture would have lost its original meaning.
Pres. Uchtdorf said “Hope is one 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.”
Some of the past, as well as a couple of more recent examples of attacks on the language that followers of Christ use, are the words already mentioned, faith, charity, along with more modern examples of marriage, agency, and freedom. Hope, most recently has been used as a political slogan, defined, by the context in which it was used, as the expectation that if we elect a particular individual to a certain office all of our personal wants and needs will be met. Is this what hope is?
From the first recorded conversations of the council in heaven Satan tried to redefine words. He said “Behold, here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will dredeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely eI will do it; wherefore fgive me thine honor”… Redeem has a very specific meaning, referring to paying a price, or exchanging something in ransom. As Christ redeemed us with his blood. But you can see from the context of the way he uses the word, he did not intend to pay any price for the redemption of mankind, but to rule as supreme dictator. Maybe if he was the ruler of the world enforcing his will on the people of earth he would force everyone to wear their seatbelts in their cars, or tell you, you are not allowed to buy milk from your neighbor who owns a cow(ask sister Lennigton about that)
What was the war in heaven all about? It was the struggle between light/dark, good/evil, agency/force, freedom/security. This war has moved from the battlefield in heaven, where a third of Gods children sought force over agency here to earth where this same war is in full force. I’m sure many that were lost in that first battle, thought “is it not Just and right that everybody be saved, and everybody have the same reward?” It is a mentality that is asserting itself more and more strongly in our day. Our political leaders say, “here am I, send me, I will make sure that all mankind has a job, and a roof over your head, and food to eat, just give me the power to do it, and the glory, and honor”. Are we on the side of freedom and agency, or are we on the side of force and security?
From Cain’s, attempt to get favor through force, all the way down to the most recent attempts by modern day tyrants to keep us from squirting off our sidewalk or taking from individuals by force the fruits of their labor to give to those, of their choosing, who they see as entitled to that fruit.
Why do so many people feel hopeless despite the fulfillment of “our” part, of the electing the right person to office? It is because we have been told that hope is something that it is not. Elder Uchtdorf says “Hope is a gift of the Spirit….that it transcends the trivial and centers on the Hope of Israel, the great hope of mankind, even our Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Hope is not knowledge, but rather the abiding trust that the Lord will fulfill His promise to us….this hope is sure, unwavering, and active…With hope comes joy and happiness. With hope, we can “have patience, and bear our afflictions.” God never said to the Israelites “Have hope in Moses”, or to the early latter-day saints “have hope in Joseph”, and he certainly never said “have hope in an elected government official.”
Why is the faith of many people in our day waning? I believe that in part it is because of the hijacking of the language once again. I would venture to say, that from my own experience out in world that most people don’t understand the meaning of faith, and there are very few that actually take the time to study the true meaning of faith. The world teaches that all beliefs are valid. There is not one absolute truth, and that if we have enough “faith”, and close our eyes really tight, and believe enough, whatever we are praying for will come true. By allowing this belief to go unchallenged, we are allowing the world to equate faith with wishing on a star, or tossing a penny into a well, or blowing out birthday candles.
In the lectures on faith, Joseph taught “faith is the assurance which men have of the existence of things which they have not seen, and the principle of action in all intelligent beings”. Faith has to be rooted in truth and leads to action on our part, it is not based on the whim of man.
We are taught, in the world that Charity is an action, a specific action of writing a check to a non-profit organization, and getting a tax deduction for contributing. Whether it is contributing to save an “endangered snail darter” or to save humans from a deadly disease, it is all seen as charity to the world. Some people would go so far as to say that the government is involved in charity through the social programs it has put in place. But as latter-day saints we know better than to believe this. We know that charity is the pure love of Christ, and is something that has to be possessed by each individual. If we have charity we will love all of our brothers and sisters and seek for their well being freely. There is no compulsion that can force charity into the hearts of people. The bishop, or the prophet cant force us to have charity, how is it possible to believe that the government can force charity into our hearts, and if the government replaces all truly charitable acts with a welfare program, where does it leave each of us in our quest for the pure love of Christ? This is not to say that charity can only be expressed in money, food, and houses, for these are the things the scriptures speak of as having the moth and rust corrupt, but there are opportunities that are being lost every day to become better, more giving people by having the government replace family, neighbors, friends, and church as the place someone turns to in times of need.
In one of the most recent and contentious battles for language, the world has gone so far as to seek to change the definition of a word through the force of government. From the beginning of time we know that God married Adam and Eve. From that time to the present, in all civilizations, marriage has always been used to describe a committed relationship between a man and a woman, and we are being asked now to change the definition. Thanks to the inspired and strong leadership of the church we have won a small battle.
Our battle for the language is a part of a larger war, a war for our freedom and agency. Every day there is an assault on our individual liberties, an assault that was begun by Satan when the plan of salvation was presented to us in the council of heaven, and continues through this day. President Benson said
“The War that began in heaven is not yet over. The conflict continues on
the battlefield of mortality. And one of Lucifer's primary strategies
has been to restrict our agency through the power of earthly
governments. . . .
. . . We must appreciate that we live in one of history's most
exceptional moments-in a nation and a time of unprecedented freedom.
He also said:
The coming forth of the Constitution is of such transcendent importance
in the Lord's plan that ancient prophets foresaw this event and
prophesied of it. In the dedicatory prayer for the Idaho Falls Temple,
President George Albert Smith indicated that the Constitution fulfilled
the ancient prophecy of Isaiah that "out of Zion shall go forth the law"
Which side of this war are we fighting on? Do we side with God and Christ for greater freedom and agency, or do we side with greater restrictions and force?
I would like to conclude with this quote from Pres. Uchtdorf:
“Hope sustains us through despair. Hope teaches that there is reason to rejoice even when all seems dark around us.
With Jeremiah I proclaim, “Blessed is the man…whose hope the Lord is”
With Joel I testify, “The Lord is the hope of his people, and the strength of the childdren of Israel”
With Nephi I declare: “Press forward with steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and love 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.”
This is the quality of hope we must cherish and develop. Such a mature hope comes in and through our Savior Jesus Christ, for “every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as the Savior is pure.”
And to all who suffer--to all who feel discouraged, worried, or lonely--I say with love and deep concern for you, NEVER GIVE IN
NEVER SURRENDER.
NEVER ALLOW DESPAIR TO OVERCOME YOUR SPIRIT.
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