Sunday thoughts

These thoughts come from the last speaker we heard at Time Out For Women, Emily Freeman.

From 1 Peter 3:

10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.

Rather than doubt our selves and our abilities, we need to hope.

• Laman and Lemuel came from the same family and had the same experiences as Nephi – but Nephi had a different perspective.
• When we have an eternal perspective, we invite hope into our lives.
• Are our thoughts filled with discouragement or with hope? Optimism is powerful.
• The highest form of perception comes when we discern the good.

List what you love. Lists can be powerful. "This is my joy." (Alma 26:37)

Give your heart great experiences (Ecclesiastes 1:16). An understanding heart makes all the difference.

Remember the good days.

• Moses wanted the people who had seen the mountain burning to remember that special day always.
  
• How do we remember the special days?
• As you contemplate these special experiences, do you not feel motivated to go forward in faith and hope?

Determine a reason for the hope which is in you.

• In times of grief, we seek after the giver of every good gift.
• "There is hope in thine end ..." (Jeremiah 31:17)
• The Savior was anointed with an oil of gladness.
• The Savior is the reason for the hope that is in us.

I am definitely prone to doubting myself and my abilities. I know absolutely that I need to replace discouragement with hope. The idea of giving my heart great experiences really speaks to me. Remembering the good days can only bring an increase of strength. But mostly, I love knowing that, no matter what our troubles and trials, there is always reason to hope because of the Savior. And hope is a beautiful thing!

**Today at church we found out that a woman in our ward suddenly died last week. She had just returned from serving a full-time mission with her husband. We all felt shock and loss. The prayers in all of our meetings asked for peace for her family. Her husband bore his testimony and praised God for his tender mercies. It was so powerful. Even in our deepest grief, there is reason to hope when we know the Savior and the Father's plan of happiness.