anchor to the soul
This week was our last class, and we covered Ether 12. A little while back, I had a profound experience with verse 4 that has stuck with me ever since. I had watched a presentation by a nurse who volunteered around the world working with refugees. She spoke about the things she had seen working as a nurse in refugee camps and the devastating and life-altering challenges refugees went through. Watching her presentation made my heart ache, and I had no idea what I could do to help. Afterwards, I went down to speak with the presenter and ask about ways to help on a local level. As I opened my mouth to speak, my eyes filled, and I promptly burst into tears. Between wars and disease and suffering, the world just seemed too far gone, and I had no idea what I or anyone could do to make it any better. It was at this point that the presenter shared a scripture with me that I have never forgotten:
"Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God."
Throughout my life, I have seen countless heartbreaking circumstances. I remember on my mission being shocked and my heart almost snapping in two as I witnessed the poverty and horrible circumstances people faced. After returning from my mission and starting my program, I have seen the devastation that comes with disease, illness, and injury. I've helped to to take care of teenagers with traumatic brain injuries, mothers who have lost a child, and little toddlers undergoing chemotherapy to treat leukemia. Each time, I have had to stop myself from becoming swallowed up in grief, and I have learned to do this by relying on hope and on faith.
Hope is an anchor to the soul, and it is what keeps us from giving up. This anchor of hope comes by faith, and that faith is in our Savior Jesus Christ. It is through Him that all things unfair in this world are made right. It is through Him that we find strength and power to overcome whatever we encounter. And it is through Him that we can hope.
That day I burst into tears, I felt the Spirit testify to me that I needed to hope. That I can hope. I can hope through Christ that there will be a better world, and, as I trust in Him, this hope will be an anchor to my soul as I go about doing good works and forever glorifying my God. The world will be better, and, as we believe in God, we can hope.
"Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God."
Throughout my life, I have seen countless heartbreaking circumstances. I remember on my mission being shocked and my heart almost snapping in two as I witnessed the poverty and horrible circumstances people faced. After returning from my mission and starting my program, I have seen the devastation that comes with disease, illness, and injury. I've helped to to take care of teenagers with traumatic brain injuries, mothers who have lost a child, and little toddlers undergoing chemotherapy to treat leukemia. Each time, I have had to stop myself from becoming swallowed up in grief, and I have learned to do this by relying on hope and on faith.
Hope is an anchor to the soul, and it is what keeps us from giving up. This anchor of hope comes by faith, and that faith is in our Savior Jesus Christ. It is through Him that all things unfair in this world are made right. It is through Him that we find strength and power to overcome whatever we encounter. And it is through Him that we can hope.
That day I burst into tears, I felt the Spirit testify to me that I needed to hope. That I can hope. I can hope through Christ that there will be a better world, and, as I trust in Him, this hope will be an anchor to my soul as I go about doing good works and forever glorifying my God. The world will be better, and, as we believe in God, we can hope.
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