Brothers and sisters, I am grateful for the weekly opportunity to attend devotional and feel the Spirit that you help bring to the BYU-Idaho Center. I have felt humbled by the opportunity to speak to you and pray that the Holy Ghost will abide with each of us as we learn together today.
Throughout the last few weeks, I have participated in several conversations that have included the phrase “I hope.” A friend said, “I hope that mortgage interest rates decline.” A colleague told me, “I hope that I will be able to quickly finish grading these projects.” And I have heard students say, “I hope that I have chosen the right major,” and, “I hope that this will not be on the final.”
As these examples demonstrate, the word hope can be a common part of our day-to-day language, but it can also have far more significant meaning. The word appears 50 times in the Book of Mormon, 83 times within the last year of BYU-Idaho devotional addresses, and 41 times during the April 2024 general conference.
Let’s review Alma 32:21 together to examine how the word’s use there differs from that in the case of hoping to finish a project before the deadline: “And now as I said concerning faith—faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true.” [1]
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the contemporary definition of hope is “expressing little more than a desire that the event may happen.” [2] This means that a desire for something not to appear on a final examination is little more than a wish or a feeling that if the desired outcome occurs, it is simply a matter of serendipity. However, matters of faith are not mere wishes, and exaltation is not a matter of chance or luck.
The etymology—or historical development and meaning—of the word hope provides us with another definition that seems to work well for the word’s appearance in gospel settings. In Middle English, used between 1150 and 1470, the definition provided by the Middle English Compendium of hope was “trust, confidence, or state of expectancy.” [3] Perhaps this is how President Russell M. Nelson used the word when he said the following at the April 2024 General Conference: “I hope you will repeatedly study the messages of this conference throughout the coming months.” [4]
I believe that rather than simply wishing for us to review the messages of conference, the prophet was expressing his confidence that we will study them multiple times. What effect does this sense of trust and expectation have in our lives? How have we responded to the invitation? Such hope can strengthen our resolve and help us to establish ourselves firmly on the foundation of restored gospel truths. Having place in such a setting can help us both endure and overcome the challenges we face in mortality.
Elder Neal A. Maxwell, who served as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from 1981 to 2004, taught, “Those with true hope often see their personal circumstances shaken, like kaleidoscopes, again and again. Yet with the ‘eye of faith,’ they still see divine pattern and purpose.” [5]
As we reflect on times that our lives have felt “like kaleidoscopes,” we might recall how relatively small twists have changed our views. Having hope facilitates our looking beyond the problems of the moment and trusting with the “eye of faith” that better days will come. While hope might not dull the pain of a serious personal challenge, dry the tears shed following the death of a loved one, or soothe the heart when a promising relationship ends, it can help us endure as we trust in the Lord’s plan, provide comfort that the resurrection will reunite us, and instill joy about a future that will be a richer experience than our past.
In this week’s Come, Follow Me lesson, we read in Alma 30:44, “All things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator.” [6] Living in Rexburg provides us with the opportunity to see many things that denote our Supreme Creator, including the four distinct seasons—sometimes all on the same day. The return of songbirds, the glory of a summer sunset, a crisp September morning, or the peace of the first snow of winter can provide us with hope in our Heavenly Father's plan and love.
Elder M. Russell Ballard, who served as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from 1985 to 2023, taught, “All the marvels of nature are glimpses of the Lord’s divine power and expressions of His love. Yet the greatest of all miracles awaits us. It will occur when, by His power, we will come forth from death and the grave to a new world that will not pass away, where, if we are worthy, we will be with Him and our Father in Heaven forever and ever.” [7]
Finding reminders of the Creator’s love and work around us will help us focus on our Savior and the gift of His life and Atonement. This will provide peace, reassurance, and hope for the future. Today I would like to share three lessons of hope that I have learned both as a student and as a faculty member at BYU-Idaho.
Lesson 1: Chemical and Physical Erosion
Chemical and physical erosion is a process of changing either the chemical composition or physical characteristics of rock. Some common examples include the rusting of iron or rocks becoming smooth as a stream washes over them.
In Southeast Idaho, we have a front-row seat to the effects of erosion forces both at the sand dunes and via the Grand Tetons. Erosion creates change through gusts of wind, raindrops, and snowflakes. Cascade Canyon near Jenny Lake in Grand Teton National Park is a prime example of how physical forces smooth rock and mountains over time. While this matter teaches geological principles, it also teaches a fundamental lesson of hope in the eternal truth that we can all change.
As natural men and women who King Benjamin describes in Mosiah 3:19 as “enem[ies] to God,” [8] we are much like the majestic Tetons that stand proud, feature rough edges, and seem unyielding. But our natures can be changed through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, just as glaciers have craved Cascade Canyon over long periods of time. We can access the power of Christ’s Atonement through repenting daily. Doing so will help us replace pride with meekness and humility, rough edges with saintly virtues, and unyielding negative characteristics within our personalities with submissiveness, patience, and love.
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught in the April 2021 general conference, “The Savior’s infinite Atonement completely changes the way we may view our transgressions and imperfections. Instead of dwelling on them and feeling irredeemable or hopeless, we can learn from them and feel hopeful. The cleansing gift of repentance allows us to leave our sins behind and emerge a new creature.” [9]
When I see a mountain, dune, streambed, or rock, I am reminded that there is hope for all of us to become better people because of the “gift of repentance.” Just as the cycles of geology typically occur over longer periods of time, the changes in our natures often require time and consistency in daily looking to the Savior in our lives.
Lesson 2: Pointillism
I’d next like to share lessons of hope that I’ve learned through pointillism, a painting technique in which small dots of color visually blend when viewed at a distance. The technique was popular in the late 19th century, driven by scientific research into color and optical phenomena. The painting A Sunday Afternoon on La Grande Jatte by Georges Seurat is a classic example. If we examined this work from only a step or two away, the dots would be the most prominent element of the painting. When we stand several feet from the canvas, however, we can see the image as the dots seem to blend.
From time to time, our lives might feel like canvasses on which we are applying small dots of paint. While we don’t consistently see the artwork or feel a sense of broader purpose in the process, from additional perspectives we can see the Lord's hand in our lives. To illustrate, I’d like to share one of the most significant dots of my life: attending Ricks College.
I began attending school in Rexburg during a summer term in 2000. I intended to earn an associate’s degree before serving a mission and then transfer to a four-year college. Those plans changed on June 21 of that year, when President Gordon B. Hinckley, the 15th president of the Church, announced that Ricks College would become Brigham Young University-Idaho. I remember the impression I had that I would attend BYU-Idaho following missionary service.
Countless dots of paint have since been applied to the canvas of my life via lessons that I’ve learned from roommates, friends, faculty mentors, supervisors, and ecclesiastical leaders. They would not, however, exist in the same ways or forms had I not followed the prompting to attend BYU-Idaho.
To see how the Lord is helping us place and connect the dots in our lives requires the following:
First, faith that Heavenly Father loves and blesses us.
Second, knowledge that His love can be seen in personal revelation, answers to prayers, moments of inspiration, feelings of reassurance, or quiet promptings. At times, the hand of the Lord may be difficult to recognize in our lives while at others, it is clearer. Reflecting each day on how the Lord has blessed us will help us better recognize His influence in our lives.
President Henry B. Eyring has suggested that as we pray and ponder, we ask the following questions: “Did God send a message that was just for me? Did I see His hand in my life or the lives of my children?” Then he said, “I will find a way to preserve that memory for the day that I, and those that I love, will need to remember how much God loves us and how much we need Him. I testify that He loves us and blesses us, more than most of us have yet recognized. I know that is true, and it brings me joy to remember Him.” [10]
As C.S. Lewis suggests in Mere Christianity, hope is both looking forward to eternity and acting to make our current world better. [11] Hope that a plant will grow requires us to sow seeds. Hope that we can hear the whispering of the Spirit requires us to listen. Hope that we will achieve exaltation requires us to make and keep sacred covenants.
Hope is a catalyst that can enhance faith. Lectures on Faith teaches that faith is a principle of action. Elder David A Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has taught that “faith in Christ leads to righteous action, which increases our spiritual capacity and power. Understanding that faith is a principle of action and of power inspires us to exercise our moral agency in compliance with gospel truth, invites the redeeming and strengthening powers of the Savior’s Atonement into our lives, and enlarges the power within us whereby we are agents unto ourselves.” [12]
Embracing the future with faith requires hope and confidence that as we continue to move forward with the Lord and apply dots of paint to our canvases, He will help us prepare a better future than we might have imagined for ourselves. President Ezra Taft Benson, the 13th President of the Church, taught, “Christ changes men [and women], who then change their environment. The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature.” [13] To protect our moral agency, the Lord will not paint for us, but only with us as we act. Just as developing other skills requires learning, trying—and often, continuing to try—developing and refining spiritual capacity requires a lifetime of faith, living the gospel, and relying on the redeeming and enabling powers of the Savior’s Atonement. [14]
While I can now see more clearly how previous life experiences and following promptings have blessed my life, I anticipate that as I continue to make efforts in this pattern that, one day, I will be able to connect more of the dots in my life and see how the lessons I am learning now as a disciple, child of God, husband, parent, friend, faculty member, and countless other roles will combine to add to the composition of my life. I am confident that the same is true for each of us.
Lesson 3: Inflection Points
The final lesson that I’ve learned at BYU-Idaho that has taught me about hope that I’d like to share with you today is about inflection points. In mathematics, they are particular spots on a curve when a change in direction occurs. A downward trend is called a concave curve, and an upward trend is a convex one. In business applications, inflection points are also known as turning points, when decisions change an organization's trajectory.
For many, attending BYU-Idaho is an inflection point in their lives. As a student, I saw this in myself because I gained confidence in my abilities, not only as a student but also—and perhaps more importantly—as a disciple of the Savior, Jesus Christ. Having opportunities to observe such experiences in students’ lives is, to me, among the most meaningful aspects of working at the university. Elder Bednar taught the following in a devotional address he delivered at BYU-Idaho in 2004: “May each of us use to the fullest the opportunities we have at this Disciple Preparation Center to learn of Him, to learn from Him, and to follow Him. The supernal promise contained in section 19 of the Doctrine and Covenants, verse 23, is ever before us: ‘Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me.’” [15]
Increasing hope in God and His plan for our lives is a small change that can have a profound influence on the curves of our lives. Those who feel trapped by feelings of discouragement or despair caused by overwhelming life changes, losses, and mental or physical health conditions might benefit from the help of a friend, family member, ecclesiastical leader, or trained professional to feel hopeful again, and each of us can experience peace, reassurance, protection, and confidence from the influence of the Holy Ghost. President Nelson has taught that “in coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost. My beloved brothers and sisters, I plead with you to increase your spiritual capacity to receive revelation.” [16]
Since becoming the prophet, President Nelson has issued approximately 380 invitations in his public addresses and social media posts; in them, he has asked, commended, counseled, exhorted, taught, urged, and otherwise invited us to do many things to draw closer to Christ and increase our spiritual capacity. Each of us will forge our own paths, face specific challenges, and bless others’ lives in ways we may not become aware of in this lifetime. Aligning our lives with gospel truths and standards will help us qualify for personal revelation and the ability to receive, recognize, and act on it; and it can help us with our most profound questions, concerns, and trials.
If revelation from the Lord can help Nephi build a ship, place Esther in a position to save the Israelites, protect Alma from the effects of King Noah’s anger, command Naaman to wash in the Jordan River to recover from leprosy, and direct Captain Moroni to fortify cities to prepare against the Lamanite armies, I am confident that it can place us in positions to serve others, protect us from danger, and direct us in paths to strengthen our faith.
Brothers and sisters, a word of caution: while the curve of our life should move on an upward trajectory, that doesn’t mean we will not have occasional dips or plateaus. Working with the Lord through these setbacks, declines, or drops can help us learn meaningful lessons and prepare us for future upward growth. Having hope, trust, and confidence in the plan of salvation and the Savior, Jesus Christ, will help us move forward.
Perhaps among the most meaningful lessons that I have learned about inflection points in my life is that I can repent, rededicate myself, renew my convents, and try again. I would suggest that the curve of our lives is less about achieving extraordinary heights and more about enduring with hope and faith along the journey.
In conclusion, we can all live in a world made better by hope, confidence, and trust in our Heavenly Father and the Savior, Jesus Christ. Hope can help us overcome the effects of being a natural man or woman, develop confidence that we can achieve more when we trust in God’s plan and timing, and comfort us when we struggle or stumble on the covenant path.
President Jeffery R. Holland has taught, “Because the Restoration reaffirmed the foundational truth that God does work in this world, we can hope, we should hope, even when facing the most insurmountable odds. That is what the scripture meant when Abraham was able to hope against hope—that is, he was able to believe in spite of every reason not to believe.” [17]
My prayer and invitation to you is that we will each continue to develop the kind of hope in Christ, His gospel, and His Atonement that will facilitate our hope, trust, and “belief in spite of every reason not to believe.” In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Notes
[1] Alma 32:21.
[2] Oxford English Dictionary, s.v. “hope (v.),” accessed Apr. 19, 2024, Oxford English Dictionary - Hope.
[3] John W. Price-Wilkin and Frances K. McSparran, eds. Middle English Compendium (Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press, 1998).
[4] Russell M. Nelson, Rejoice in the Gift of Priesthood Keys, Liahona, May 2024, Rejoice in the Gift of Priesthood Keys By President Russell M. Nelson.
[5] Neil A. Maxwell, “Brightness of Hope,” Ensign, Nov. 1994, Brightness of Hope By Elder Neal A. Maxwell.
[6] Alma 30:40.
[7] M. Russell Ballard, “The Handiwork of God,” New Era, Mar. 2006, The Handiwork of God By Elder M. Russell Ballard.
[8] Mosiah 3:19.
[9] Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “God among Us,” Liahona, May 2021, God among Us By Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf.
[10] Henry B. Eyring, “O Remember, Remember,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2007, O Remember, Remember By President Henry B. Eyring.
[11] C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (San Francisco, CA: Harper, 2001).
[12] David A. Bednar, “Ask in Faith,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2008, Ask in Faith By Elder David A. Bednar.
[13] Ezra Taft Benson, “Born of God,” Ensign, Nov. 1985, Born of God By President Ezra Taft Benson.
[14] David A. Bednar, “In the Strength of the Lord,” BYU Speeches, Oct. 23, 2001, In the Strength of the Lord By David A. Bednar.
[15] David A. Bednar, “Brigham Young University-Idaho: Disciple Preparation Center,” BYU-Idaho Speeches, Aug. 31, 2004, Brigham Young University-Idaho: A Disciple Preparation Center David A Bednar.
[16] Russell M. Nelson, “Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2018, Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives By President Russell M. Nelson.
[17] Jeffrey R. Holland, “A Perfect Brightness of Hope,” Ensign or Liahona, Apr. 2020, A Perfect Brightness of Hope By Elder Jeffrey R. Holland.