Moroni 10; Book of Mormon Title Page; Introduction; Testimony of the Three Witnesses; Testimony of the Eight Witnesses

(July 2, 2014)

                There are few thoughts more powerful, in my opinion, than the idea that without hope we are left only with despair.  This is true regardless of the circumstances in which we find ourselves.  There are times when despair at my current situation threatens to consume me, and yet I manage to hold it at bay through my hope that the Lord has a plan and that all things will work out according to His will – whether that means the results that I want or not.  I sorrow, I hurt, but I do not despair.

                I contrast this with an earlier time in my life.  At this point, I had all of those things that I fear now I had lost.  I had the objective trappings of happiness.  But inwardly, however, I had damaged my testimony by poor decisions that I had made.  The anxiety that I feel now, through the objective causes and the unknown, is miserable but is still nothing compared to the absolute terror involved with that earlier fear which resulted from my iniquity.  There is a qualitative different between the two.

                Given my preference, I would have stability and not have to suffer through either.  But if I had to choose between the pain I am suffering now and the pain I suffered then, I would choose what I am going through now.  Because while there is pain, there is also hope.