Tag Archive for: Hope

The Blessing of Waiting…

When a mother is expecting her baby, the anticipation grows with each passing day.

For our daughter Megan, now overdue with her first child, the wait may feel endless.

Much like pregnancy, life itself is full of waiting periods that test our faith and refine our patience – a hot topic in our recent conversations!

The Lord’s Timing

Yet this period of waiting and preparing mirrors a gospel principle we are all called to live by: faith in the Lord’s timing.

Through the gospel of Jesus Christ, we learn that God’s blessings come according to His divine timetable, not ours.

In the scriptures, the word wait means to hope, to anticipate, and to trust.

The scriptures teach us: “For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.” (Hebrews 10:36)

Pregnancy, like life itself, reminds us that much of our joy comes from learning to trust that the Lord knows when blessings should arrive.

Preparation

Just as Megan has prepared her home, her heart, and her body for this new baby, we, too, are asked to prepare spiritually while waiting for answers, blessings, and miracles.

In our home, we have a beautiful painting depicting the Saviour’s parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25:1-13).

Five were wise and made the most of their waiting time, ensuring they had enough oil for their lamps.

Similarly, waiting for a baby – just like waiting for any of God’s blessings – is a time to spiritually “gather oil.”

For Megan, the waiting has certainly allowed her to grow in patience and hope, enduring her final quiet and sometimes uncomfortable moments, before life changes forever.

For us in life, it’s about staying spiritually ready, trusting that the Lord’s promises will be fulfilled in His way and time.

The baby’s arrival—whether today, tomorrow, or in a few days—will happen at the exact moment God has lovingly planned.

The scriptures teach that God’s timing is always perfect: “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

Just as birth happens on God’s timeline, not ours, so do the blessings we seek in life.

And when they finally come, the waiting and preparing make the joy that much sweeter.

In this life, we are all “waiting” for the ultimate promise: to return to our Heavenly Father and be reunited with our eternal family.

When Megan holds the baby in her arms for the first time, I’m sure the waiting will be but a memory, a beautiful reminder of the blessing of trusting in the Lord’s perfect plan.

What blessings have you discovered during your own seasons of waiting?

The Laboratory of Life

Life is a laboratory, much like the scientific lab where our son Kyle works tirelessly to test and refine ideas.
As a PhD student in Chemistry, Kyle’s experiments often lead to setbacks, frustrations, and occasional breakthroughs.
He invests countless hours in refining, testing and validating something over long periods of time, transforming theories into realities.
Sometimes he fails, things don’t go quite as expected and yet every small action he takes, contributes to the bigger picture.
Yet, through his experiments with different strategies, learning from those experiences, continuously pushing forward that ultimately leads to success and sometimes unexpected results.
His insights and knowledge grow through his struggles.

Life Lessons

Like Kyle’s research, life provides opportunities to learn from successes and failures, just as those experiments do for him in his laboratory.
Similarly, life’s challenges and experiences test our character, faith, and resilience, shaping us into who we are meant to become.
Our everyday experiences and situations act like a science lab, where we learn, experiment, and observe how to navigate different challenges and situations.
Like Kyle’s experiments, each of us are in a way, proven in the laboratory of our own life.
Sometimes in life, things don’t go quite as we had hoped or planned.
We experiment with our human experience, and through our struggles, our efforts and hard work, truths are established.
I believe that the purpose of all of our life experiences, or those testing experiments we sometimes endure, help us to grow and become more like our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Personal trials, family difficulties, financial struggles, and health crises, each push our faith to new limits.
By facing each trial, we learn more about ourselves, and more about the gospel principles that can carry us through each test.
In my own laboratory of time, my testimony has been shaped not by one grand moment, but by a thousand small experiments, to trust in God.
“..awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith,… even if ye can no more than desire to believe.” – Alma 32:27
Just like Kyle’s scientific procedures that establish truths, a spiritual experiment produces, conviction, knowledge, light and eternal truths.
Begin your spiritual experiment today.
Act on even the smallest desire to follow Christ, and watch as your faith grows into conviction.

The Source

In my preparations for a forthcoming learning intervention with a large company, I held a 1-1 call with the leader of the organisation.
He shared lots of thoughts, feelings, analysis and views about current issues, yet I felt I needed more.
After some in depth discussion, I suggested that it would be helpful to meet 1 by 1 with each of the Senior Management Team (SMT).
Thus, I travelled south, to be with them this week.
After setting the context, I asked one question and ran a little activity, repeating it several times over two days.
In each of my personal encounters, one by one they spoke openly and passionately about their responsibilities.
The outcomes were insightful, helpful and enlightening.
Spending time with each leader, connecting with them, grasping their perspectives and engaging with them personally helped me to discern the nature of the challenges at hand.
Direct communication, powerful questioning and active listening were key to each of them giving me their personal views.
Reflecting upon this activity, I believe it to have been a successful use of everyone’s time.

Why?

I went to 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞.

In our dialogue, connecting with each member of the SMT was a powerful 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞 of helpful insight, allowing me to foster authentic relationships and avoid any distortion of information.

Since then, I have thought about another 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞 of even greater insight.
Going to 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞, especially in matters of faith and spirituality, carries an unparalleled significance that cannot be replaced by second-hand knowledge, interpretation, or analysis.

Who?

I believe that Jesus Christ is “𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒄𝒆”” of all peace, light, truth and joy.
When we go to Him, we are referring to an intimate, personal encounter with the divine that shapes our spiritual understanding and life in ways that books, sermons, or even conversations with others can never fully achieve.
Encountering Jesus Christ in a personal, direct manner leads to deep, long-lasting change.
𝐇𝐞 is 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒄𝒆 of the living waters, providing an abundance of life, spiritual sustenance and joy.
Speaking to the Samaritan woman as she drew from Jacob’s well, Jesus declared “But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” – John 4:13-14
I hope that we will all choose to drink from the divine 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞 of all living waters and connect with Him, even Jesus Christ.

God-incidence

For those of us who have put our faith and trust in God, there seems to be a lot of “coincidences.”
I believe that God puts people in our way for a reason and He was at work again this week, with my dear friend Derek.
We were talking about recognising “hand of the Lord” moments in our life, when he introduced me to the term “𝑮𝒐𝒅-𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆.”
It was the very first time I’d heard such a phrase.
“𝐆𝐨𝐝-𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞” – A happening exceeding happenstance.
The hand of the Lord, divine design, divine signatures, divine appointment, divinely orchestrated, providential coincidences, or even… strikingly juxtaposed events!
I encourage you to reflect on the sheer ‘coincidences’ in your life.
Could they be ‘God-incidences?

You decide!

Does any of this sound familiar?
“That is simply not possible.”
“Wasn’t that just perfect timing?”
“And you just happened to be in the right place at the right time.”
“I couldn’t have planned that better if I’d tried.”
“It just so happened that in that moment…”
God doesn’t work by coincidence.
I believe in God-incidence.
And this is not a faith specific phenomenon.
It occurs in all faiths and beliefs.
And yet, it baffles believers and sceptics alike.
I also believe all things are crafted by God — including time.
He is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent!
Nothing is random with Him.
If you are devoted to Jesus Christ, I am sure you’ll notice God-incidence, yet many will argue simply human coincidence.
However, I know that Jesus Christ is a loving God and He has intentional plans for each of us.
“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.” – Psalms 37:23
Let’s expect Him to be at work, in our day, every day!
Look very carefully at your own life today.
Watch and see those God-incidences unfold…

Familiar Lessons

We’ve been home in Scotland for 3 weeks.
Already, I have learned some old familiar lessons.
For the last 3 years, our focus on our missionary efforts, meant that our time to stay up to date with news and current affairs was at best, limited.
For certain, content standards and regulations about what can be shown on the news in the Netherlands were far less restrictive than here in the UK.
The images and footage shown were starker, never sanitized or blurred as shown here.
However, regardless of which news channel you watch, it is clear that in our day, we are living through a period of wickedness, tribulation, calamity, peril and great distress.

The Rising Generation

I know for many of the rising generation, their hopes of a bright future are filled with anxiety and despair.
I think we’ve all had times of confusion.
I am a church man and have faith in God, His Son Jesus Christ and the great plan of Salvation.
Much has been written about the calamities that will overtake this generation.
Yet, I find great comfort in this pattern.

There is Hope

Make a serious study of Matthew 24 (include the inspired version).
Then study Doctrine and Covenants 45.
Followed by Sections 101 and 133 of the Doctrine & Covenants.
Finally, review section 38 of The Doctrine & Covenants.
In the first few weeks of our missionary service, we attended a conference in Copenhagen.
At one point in the conference, tensions increased as a difficult topic was discussed.
Elder Massimo De Feo, a General Authority Seventy, who was presiding, asked for a video to be played by Sissel, “Slow Down” from the Pioneer Concert of 2019 in Salt Lake City.
Immediately, the tension dissipated.
The room was filled with a tender, beautiful spirit of love.
I will never forget that moment and will cherish the feelings that pierced my heart – forever.
The words and message of the song are powerful and I used it constantly throughout our missionary service.
“In the midst of my confusion
In the time of desperate need
When I am thinking not too clearly
A gentle voice does intercede.
Slow down…..”
In our final Mission Conference, Emma Holmes and Brigitta Broadbent shared their own beautiful version with us.
I invite you to “Be still and know that I am God” – Psalms 46:10

“Look how far we’ve come…”

After their final departing testimonies, I asked the six missionaries to line up in front of the rostrum.
“Elder Johnson, can you stand the middle of them please.”
“Now take 13 steps away from Elder Johnson, in any direction you like.”
Departing

And off they went.

“Elder Santos, you take another 4 steps, so 17 in total.”
At that point he was in the corridor and then he came back into the chapel.
“Elder Johnson, will you please represent Jesus Christ.”
Some further instruction was given to them all.

Returning

“Take 1 step towards Jesus Christ”.
“Now, take your second step…”
“Third” and so forth until all 13 steps were taken and all of the sisters had returned to stand by Jesus Christ (Elder Johnson).
Elder Santos was still a little distance away, so I asked him to take his final 4 steps towards Jesus Christ.
Tenderly, they embraced one another.
In the analogy, each step represented a 6-week transfer in the mission.
Sisters have 13, and Elders 17.
As they immersed themselves in their purpose, to invite others to come unto Christ through their 18 or 24-month mission, something miraculous happens.
One by One – they 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆.

Faith

Step by step, day by day, week by week, transfer by transfer, they edge closer to Jesus Christ.
“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” – 2 Corinthains 5:7
What did He see in each of them?
As they struggled, with their faults, failings, and human frailties, they too felt of His healing hands and frequent tender embraces.
Like each of them, He sees all of us as souls worth saving.
“As we are made new in Christ, our very natures change, and we no longer want to go back to our old ways.” Elder Robert D. Hales.
We literally become “in Christ… a new creature…” 2 Corinthians 5:17
On your journey through life, how does Jesus Christ give you the strength to change?
Ask the missionaries – they can help!

The Multiplier Effect

I offered a 1 Euro coin to the missionaries on Friday.
“How much is that worth” I asked?
“1 Euro” came the reply.
I inquired further, “Are you sure?”
“Yes” he said.
I responded, “It’s actually worth a lot more than that, let me show you how.”
I purchased a random item from the first missionary with the 1 Euro coin.
Then he purchased an item from the second missionary in line with the same 1 Euro coin.
The second bought something from the third, and the third bought something from the fourth, with the same 1 Euro coin.
As if by magic, the 1 Euro coin had now become worth 4 Euro’s.
Repeating the process, 1 Euro can become worth thousands of Euro’s.

The Multiplier

In economics it’s called the 𝒎𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒊𝒑𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒓 𝒆𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒄𝒕.
Multiplying means to increase or cause to increase greatly in number or quantity.
I’ve learned that there are, earthly economic principles and divine eternal principles of multiplying – it depends on who is doing the work.

Scripturally

For instance, the scriptures are filled with stories of multiplying.
In each of the Gospels, we read about the 𝑮𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕 𝑴𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒊𝒑𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒓, our Saviour Jesus Christ, feeding the 5,000 with five loaves and two fishes.
We understand that after the breaking, came the giving.
In Mark 6:42-43 we read “And they did all eat and were filled. And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fishes.”
The multiplication was a result of His work, not our work.
To meet a great need, He always starts with what we have.
I know that Jesus Christ is an expert at multiplication.
Time and time again, our Saviour takes something small, ordinary, seemingly irrelevant, and multiplies it into something amazing, remarkable and of eternal significance.

Starting Small

I find it interesting that He always starts small.
The loaves and fishes were broken by His hands.
Sometimes we are broken too, before we see the blessings of the Great multiplier.
Tenderly, He will multiply your faith, your hope, your love, your joy and your worth.
He can supply all that you need, in abundance.
Let Him be your 𝑮𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕 𝑴𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒊𝒑𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒓.
Ask the missionaries – they’ll help you understand.

Hope

Recently I was asked “How do you build hope?”
There are many compelling reasons to lose hope at the moment.
We may lose hope because the future for the world in general or for ourselves personally – looks increasingly bleak.
We can lose hope because it seems there are no solutions, there is no way out, or perhaps no escape from the challenges ahead.
Is that your reality?
I believe there is great hope for everyone…
Hope is “the anticipated fulfilment of a desire, to expect with confidence.”
For me, hope is the antidote for despair.
Working with missionaries every day I find that when we have hope, we trust in God’s promises.
Dieter F Uchtdorf said: “Hope is one leg of a 3-legged stool, together with faith and charity. These three stabilize our lives regardless of the rough or uneven surfaces we might encounter at the time. The scriptures are clear and certain about the importance of hope. The Apostle Paul taught that the scriptures were written to the end that we “might have hope.”
In a recent Zone Conference I used a 3-legged stool to reinforce this principle even further.
See Moroni 7:33, 40-43, 47-48 in the Book of Mormon.
Hope will always lighten our load and it strengthens our resolve to succeed.
Here are some ideas to build hope…
– Work on your self-discipline
– Focus on the positive
– Identify and challenge any negative beliefs
– Take care of yourself -physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually
– Surround yourself with hopeful people and environments
– Celebrate even the smallest of victories.
How are faith, hope and charity like a 3-legged stool?
What do you need to do to develop them?

Taught

You cannot teach without learning.
One day in every 6-week period, missionaries gather together to be taught at zone conference.
My experience is that these are times of great learning and understanding for everyone.
The ultimate purpose of everything in zone conference, every question, every scripture, every activity, everything taught, is to invite the Spirit to build faith and to strengthen the testimonies of each missionary as they come to know Jesus Christ even more.

In the scriptures we read, “The Holy Ghost … shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26).

It is only through the Holy Ghost that we can accomplish the ultimate goal of gospel teaching, which is to build faith in Jesus Christ and to help others become more like Him.

𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓐𝓻𝓻𝓸𝔀 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓢𝓸𝓷𝓰

I shot an arrow into the air,
It fell to the earth, I knew not where;
For, so swiftly it flew, the sight
Could not follow it in its flight.
I breathed a song into the air,
It fell to earth I knew not where;
For who has sight so keen and strong
That it can follow the flight of a song?
Long, long afterward, in an oak
I found the arrow, still unbroke;
And the song from beginning to end,
I found again in the heart of a friend.
– 𝓗𝓮𝓷𝓻𝔂 𝓦𝓪𝓭𝓼𝔀𝓸𝓻𝓽𝓱 𝓛𝓸𝓷𝓰𝓯𝓮𝓵𝓵𝓸𝔀.

Hopes and Dreams

For me, these words beautifully express the hopes and dreams of every teacher who has ever taught.
This is however especially true in zone conferences.
Every missionary comes prepared to learn and to be taught.
Each session is filled with such a tender spirit, as learning comes from on High.
All those who teach in such settings provide such sweet, delicate, yet powerful messages that penetrate the hearts of all attending.
My hope, like any other teacher is that the eternal principles taught, will live, not just for a day or two, but just as their own souls, will live forever.
Ultimately my experience is always this – their hearts are filled, and their notepads too.
How was your experience of being taught at a zone conference?

Things of My Soul

Ever since I received my first blank diary on Christmas day, 1977, I have enjoyed journaling.
Recording activities, thoughts and feelings has become a daily habit.
Over the years, my journals have become a constant companion in my life. Like Nephi in the Book of Mormon, he records, “And upon these things I write the things of my soul”. (2 Nephi 4:15)
Recently, I have been very mindful about not only nourishing my soul, but also helping each of the missionaries to nourish their souls.
What is your soul?
The scriptures teach that “the spirit and the body are the soul of man” (D&C 88:15)
Yesterday, whilst attending a funeral service my soul was stirred, comforted, and cheered on through beautiful words, uplifting music, a gentle tearful embrace and by tenderly holding hands.
I felt God’s love, in the depths of my soul.
It was peaceful, elegant, and divine.
I felt safe and secure.
God’s love entered my heart and filled me with hope.
He is anxious for all of us to feel His love, wherever we are.
In a like manner, working so closely with young missionaries from all over the world, teaching moments occur daily for each of them as they discover the things of their souls.
My heart is filled with a great love for each of them, as they come to understand the things of their own souls.

Nourishment

They are eager to learn and hungry for soul stirring nourishment.
They have many questions.
Teaching moments come frequently, as I sit and discuss with them the things of their souls.
Just as we need food and water to nourish our bodies to survive physically, we also need the gospel of Jesus Christ to feed us to survive spiritually.
Where do you record the things of your soul?
Is your soul inquiring after some spiritual nourishment?
Then, why not speak with one of the missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Each one of them know a bit about the things of their souls.
They can help feed, nourish and illuminate yours.