A Perfect Brightness of Hope
Open talk in Gospel LibraryContents
Before Reading
Before reading or listening to the talk, consider the following questions:
- What were the hopes and spiritual longings of people living in the early 1800s, according to Elder Holland?
- How does Elder Holland describe the fulfillment of these hopes through the Restoration?
- What challenges does Elder Holland highlight in our modern world?
- What role do hope, faith, and charity play in facing these challenges?
Topics
Understanding God's True Nature
Elder Holland discusses how people in the early 1800s might have longed for a truer understanding of God's nature. He emphasizes the hope for a God who is a caring Father rather than a harsh judge or absentee landlord. This understanding of God's nature was restored through the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Such a doctrine would have recognized Deity as a caring Father in Heaven, rather than a harsh judge dispensing stern justice or as an absentee landlord who had once been engaged in earthly matters but was now preoccupied somewhere else in the universe.
Yes, our hopes in 1820 would have been to find God speaking and guiding as openly in the present as He did in the past, a true Father, in the most loving sense of that word.
- How does Elder Holland describe the understanding of God's nature in the early 1800s?
- What was the hope regarding God's nature, according to Elder Holland?
- How was this hope fulfilled through the Restoration?
- How does your understanding of God's nature align with Elder Holland's description?
- How does understanding God as a caring Father influence your relationship with Him?
- How can you deepen your understanding of God's true nature?
Affirming the Reality of Jesus Christ
Elder Holland addresses the doubts about Jesus Christ's life and Resurrection that were growing in the early 19th century. He highlights the hope for additional scriptural evidence to affirm the reality of Jesus Christ, which was fulfilled through the Restoration.
Therefore, we would have hoped for evidence to come to the whole world that would confirm the biblical witness that Jesus is the Christ, the literal Son of God, Alpha and Omega, and the only Savior this world will ever know.
It would have been among our dearest hopes that other scriptural evidence be brought forward, something that could constitute another testament of Jesus Christ, enlarging and enhancing our knowledge of His miraculous birth, wondrous ministry, atoning sacrifice, and glorious Resurrection.
- What doubts about Jesus Christ were growing in the early 19th century, according to Elder Holland?
- What hope did people have regarding the reality of Jesus Christ?
- How was this hope fulfilled through the Restoration?
- How does the additional scriptural evidence provided through the Restoration affirm your belief in Jesus Christ?
- How can you use this evidence to strengthen your testimony of Jesus Christ?
- How can you share this evidence with others to help affirm their belief in Jesus Christ?
Restoration of Priesthood Authority and Temple Ordinances
Elder Holland talks about the hope for the return of true priesthood authority and temple ordinances in the early 1800s. He emphasizes the importance of these blessings in teaching eternal truths, healing personal wounds, and sealing families together forever. These hopes were fulfilled through the Restoration.
Observing the Christian world in that day, we would have hoped to find someone authorized by God with true priesthood authority who could baptize us, bestow the gift of the Holy Ghost, and administer all gospel ordinances necessary for exaltation.
We would have thrilled to see the glory of holy temples established again, with the Spirit, the ordinances, the power, and the authority to teach eternal truths, heal personal wounds, and bind families together forever.
- What hopes did people have regarding priesthood authority and temple ordinances in the early 1800s?
- How were these hopes fulfilled through the Restoration?
- Why are priesthood authority and temple ordinances important, according to Elder Holland?
- How have priesthood authority and temple ordinances blessed your life?
- How can you deepen your understanding and appreciation of these blessings?
- How can you help others to understand and appreciate these blessings?
Facing Modern Challenges with Hope, Faith, and Charity
Elder Holland addresses the modern challenges of diseases, poverty, violence, and prejudice. He emphasizes the importance of hope, faith, and charity in facing these challenges. He encourages us to have hope for a better world and to show kindness, compassion, patience, and forgiveness to all.
Even as we speak, we are waging an “all hands on deck” war with COVID-19, a solemn reminder that a virus 1,000 times smaller than a grain of sand can bring entire populations and global economies to their knees.
Undergirding all of this is our relentless hope for greater devotion to the two greatest of all commandments: to love God by keeping His counsel and to love our neighbors by showing kindness and compassion, patience and forgiveness.
- What modern challenges does Elder Holland highlight?
- How does Elder Holland suggest we face these challenges?
- What role do hope, faith, and charity play in facing these challenges?
- How have you experienced these modern challenges in your own life?
- How can hope, faith, and charity help you to face these challenges?
- What steps can you take to cultivate more hope, faith, and charity in your life?
Pressing Forward with Hope and Faith
Elder Holland encourages us to press forward with hope and faith, even when facing insurmountable odds. He affirms that our righteous desires and Christlike yearnings can be answered by God. He urges us to continue in our devotion to God and love for our neighbors, as these are the only real hope for a better world.
Because the Restoration reaffirmed the foundational truth that God does work in this world, we can hope, we should hope, even when facing the most insurmountable odds.
So, when our backs are to the wall and, as the hymn says, “other helpers fail and comforts flee,” among our most indispensable virtues will be this precious gift of hope linked inextricably to our faith in God and our charity to others.
- How does Elder Holland encourage us to press forward, even when facing insurmountable odds?
- Why is hope linked inextricably to our faith in God and charity to others?
- How does the Restoration reaffirm the foundational truth that God does work in this world?
- How can you press forward with hope and faith in your own life?
- How have you seen God work in your life?
- How can you cultivate more hope, faith, and charity in your life?
