Where Can We Find Hope and Joy?

            My Come Follow Me studies for this week took me to Moroni 7-9 in a lesson titled “May Christ Lift Thee Up.” Moroni included these chapters in his book, but they are the words of his father, Mormon. Chapter 7 is a powerful talk that Mormon gave to members of the Church during better times. Whatever the source, Moroni had some notes from his father’s talk on faith, hope, and charity. Chapter’s 8 and 9 are letters that Mormon wrote to Moroni. The lesson was introduced by the following information. 

Before Moroni concluded the record we know today as the Book of Mormon with his own final words, he shared three messages from his father, Mormon: an address to “the peaceable followers of Christ” (Moroni 7:3) and two letters that Mormon had written to Moroni. Perhaps Moroni included these messages in the Book of Mormon because he foresaw similarities between the perils of his day and ours. When these words were written, the Nephite people were turning away from the Savior. Many of them had “lost their love, one towards another” and delighted in “everything save that which is good” (Moroni 9:5, 19). And yet Mormon still found cause for hope, teaching us that hope does not mean ignoring or being naive about the world’s problems. Hope means having faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, whose power is greater and more everlasting than these problems. It means “lay[ing] hold upon every good thing” (Moroni 7:19). It means letting the Atonement of Jesus Christ “and the hope of his glory and of eternal life, rest in your mind” (Moroni 9:25).

As in all lessons, this scripture block taught numerous principles: (1) The light of Christ helps me know truth from error (Moroni 7:12-20), (2) Because of Jesus Christ, I can “lay hold upon every good thing” (Moroni 7:20-48), (3) “Charity is the pure love of Christ” (Moroni 7:44-48), (4) Anger leads to sorrow and suffering (Moroni 9:3-5), and (5) I can have hope in Christ regardless of my circumstances (Moroni 9:25-26).

This essay will discuss the last principle, “I can have hope in Christ regardless of my circumstances” as taught in Moroni 9:25-26. We will first look at the scripture verses.

25 My son, be faithful in Christ; and may not the things which I have written grieve thee, to weigh thee down unto death; but may Christ lift thee up, and may his sufferings and death, and the showing his body unto our fathers, and his mercy and long-suffering, and the hope of his glory and of eternal life, rest in your mind forever.

26 And may the grace of God the Father, whose throne is high in the heavens, and our Lord Jesus Christ, who sitteth on the right hand of his power, until all things shall become subject unto him, be, and abide with you forever. Amen.

After Mormon described the wickedness that he had observed among his people, he told Moroni not to grieve so much that he would be pulled down into depression. He encouraged his son to look to Jesus Christ because He has the power to people up. He also encouraged Moroni to let the attributes of Christ and principles of His gospel “rest in your mind” to give him hope.

In the October 2016 General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, President Russell M. Nelson spoke on the topic of “Joy and Spiritual Survival.” 

My dear brothers and sisters, today I would like to discuss a principle that is key to our spiritual survival. It is a principle that will only become more important as the tragedies and travesties around us increase….

… Saints can be happy under every circumstance. We can feel joy even while having a bad day, a bad week, or even a bad year!

My dear brothers and sisters, the joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives.

When the focus of our lives is on God’s plan of salvation … and Jesus Christ and His gospel, we can feel joy regardless of what is happening – or not happening – in our lives. Joy comes from and because of Him. He is the source of all joy. We feel it at Christmastime when we sing, “Joy to the world, the Lord is come.” And we can feel it all year round. For Latter-day Saints, Jesus Christ is joy!