HOPE

I read my friend Kathryn's blog and she talked about a one word movement. I really liked the idea of that and having been thinking since Sunday what would be my word. Well, I just finished my reading of the New Testament and in my supplemental studies came across the word HOPE. Now before this word came into mind I was thinking of words like strength and optimism, but hope sums up about everything. Also along with hope comes faith and charity so how could I go wrong with this word.
Now why is it important for me to have hope? Hope, as I said earlier, goes along with faith. "Faith is the hope in all things which are not seen but true" Alma 32:21. Also in Hebrews 11:1, "...faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen. So everything that I know to be true is done so through faith and hope.
Hope is also a great incentive to repentance. If there were no hope in God, or in returning to him then why would anyone want to repent. I really want it all so I will hang on to hope and the knowledge that if I repent then I am in good standing with my Heavenly Father.
Without hope we become strangers to God and live lives of despair (Moroni 10:22, Hebrew 11:13).
So my word for the year is hope. I know that with the hope that I carry that I need not fear in this scary world that Satan has control over. I know that if I choose the Lord's side that I will be able to carry peace in my hear and in my home and in my life. I know that with hope I will have strength to accomplish anything and everything, (I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me. Phil 4:13). I know that I can be optimistic in all things that I do and say. President Bensen said: "Yet, of all people, we as Latter day Saints should be the most optimistic and least pessimistic. For while we know peace shall be taken from the earth, and the devil shall have power over his own dominion, we are also assured that the Lord shall have power over the saints, and shall reign in their midst. (D&C 1:35-36).
So I choose to have hope in my life and may all the good blessing follow from having it. There you have it! I hope that didn't sound too preachy -- it did come straight from my heart.