Three years ago, President Russell M. Nelson began General Conference with these profound words: βPure revelation for the questions in your heart will make this conference rewarding and unforgettable.β He continued, βIf you have not yet sought for the ministering of the Holy Ghost to help you hear what the Lord would have you hear during these two days, I invite you to do so now.β He urged everyone to make the conference a time of feasting on the messages from the Lord through His servants.
The scriptures link three powerful words together: faith, hope, and charity. The gift of hope is described as a priceless endowment from God. Often, the word hope is used in the context of things we simply wish to happen, such as, βI hope it wonβt rainβ or βI hope our team wins.β But President Nelsonβs focus was on sacred and eternal hopesβthose centered in Jesus Christ, the restored gospel, and the confident expectations of the promised blessings of righteousness.
Our hope of eternal life is assured through the grace of Christ, as well as through our own choices. This combination allows us the remarkable blessing of returning to our heavenly home, where we can live forever in peace and happiness with our Heavenly Father, His beloved Son, our faithful family, and precious friends. It also includes the righteous men and women from every continent and century on Earth.
We will experience both joy and sorrow as we are tested and proven in this life. However, our ultimate victory comes through faith in Jesus Christ as we triumph over sins, difficulties, temptations, and unfairness.
βThere is no pain, no sickness, no injustice, no suffering, nothing that can darken our hope as we believe and hold tightly to our covenants with God in the house of the Lord. It is a house of light, a house of hope.β β Elder @AndersenNeilL #GeneralConference pic.twitter.com/IpmHux9ehk
β The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (@Ch_JesusChrist) October 5, 2024
Five Quotes To Consider:
- βPure revelation for the questions in your heart will make this conference rewarding and unforgettable.β
- βPlease make this conference a time of feasting on messages from the Lord through His servants.β
- βThe gift of hope is a priceless endowment from God.β
- βOur hope of eternal life is assured through the grace of Christ and our own choices.β
- βOur victory comes through faith in Jesus Christ, as we triumph over our sins, difficulties, temptations, and unfairness.β
Ten Introspective Questions To Consider:
- How often do I seek pure revelation to answer the questions in my heart?
- Am I fully open to the ministering of the Holy Ghost during moments of spiritual significance?
- What does it mean to me to βfeastβ on the messages from God through His servants?
- How do I personally understand and apply the interconnectedness of faith, hope, and charity in my life?
- What are my sacred and eternal hopes, and how do they shape my daily decisions?
- In what ways can I strengthen my confidence in the promised blessings of righteousness?
- How do I actively align my choices with the grace of Christ to ensure my hope of eternal life?
- How do I find peace in knowing that eternal life is available through both grace and my own decisions?
- How can I better accept lifeβs tests and sorrows while maintaining my faith in Christβs ultimate victory?
- What specific challenges in my life can I overcome through faith in Jesus Christ?