I don't know about y'all, but for me, life is hard!!! Wow, what a way to being a blog post about hope, right? As a missionary, I meet a lot of people from different backgrounds-- some are very well-off and others are not. But we all have one thing in common: we all have this mortal experience with trials and challenges. There is death, unemployment, arguments, natural disasters, heartache, and pain. Something that I do to relieve stress is to listen to music or to play my cello when I was back home. I love music so much, and it has the power to heal grief and pain. But even more so, the power of Jesus Christ's love has the power to heal all wounds, no matter how deep, whether they be physical or spiritual. And I know this is the University of Utah (YUCK! go BYU!) Singers, but my rivalry doesn't extend beyond sports, so this one is approved to put on my blog. :)
For me, my ultimate source of hope is Jesus Christ. From the Book of Mormon we read, "And what is it ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according ot the promise" (Moroni 7:41). We all have hard times, there is no doubt about that; but when we come to truly know and understand that Jesus Christ has overcome the world for us, we realize that we can make it through the tough times with hope and confidence. Jesus Christ has suffered for everything negative we ever go through, every grief, pain, affliction, sickness, and especially every sin. He knows how it feels, and therefore, He knows exactly how to heal us. Alma, an ancient prophet in the Book of Mormon stated, "And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people. And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities. Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me" (Alma 7:11-12).
It gives me such comfort and hope to know that Jesus Christ will always be there for me, and I know that the power of Christ's atonement can and will heal any of our pain if we only let Him.
