Draw Nearer

Hello Kiddos...My sweet little bear cubs. This weekend we were able to watch General Conference together. I noticed that you guys especially enjoyed the music. Whenever the choir sang, you would grab your blankies and climb up on the couch to cuddle with me or Daddy. Tonight I wanted to tell you about one of my favorite talks.

Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, gave one of the most powerful talks on "Hope" that I have ever heard.

And by the way.....he is very handsome for a 68 year old man :)

He told a story about when he was 3 years old, living in Germany during WWII. His father was away and his mother took him and his three siblings and fled Germany on a refugee train as foreign forces approached. The train stopped to reload supplies - and his mother left the four of them on the train while she hurried to look for food for them to eat. When she came back the train was gone.

Just hearing this story retold gave me the sickest pit in my stomach....wondering what must have run through his poor mother's mind. She knew that if she did not find the train, she would never see her children again.

He said that "Her faith overcame her fear" and her "hope overcame despair". She pleaded with God for help and later found the train, which had been moved to a remote area of the train yard. She had been reunited with her children! (but I still cried through the rest of conference wondering what she would have done if she hadn't......that's a mama for you!)

You are too small to notice - but one day you will read about what has been happening in our world these past few weeks. With the potential collapse of the US economy, uncertainty in the political arena, and an unprecedented bailout bill.....mama has been a little stressed. I lived through a recession once....but I was little like you - and didn't even know what was going on. The game has totally changed as an adult....as your caregiver......as your guardian. In the words of Daddy.....sometimes Mama "tends to get worked up into an unnecessary lather". My fears of tomorrow sometimes threaten the joys of today.

President Uchtdorf stated that hope through the Atonement of Jesus Christ is a commandment. We have to overcome the temptation to lose hope. Despair exists because there must be an opposition in all things.....but sometimes we can end up being "bound in suffocating darkness".

"What is hope?" The Hope of Israel, Jesus Christ .

It is "Not knowledge....but TRUST that the Lord will keep his promise.......confidence that we will be blessed......and believing and EXPECTING our prayers to be answered."

It is "patient perseverance".

It makes me sad to think about - but some day you will be old enough to be aware of the happenings of our world.....you will have worries and fears and doubts. He counseled us to "look beyond the horizon of mortality". We have nothing to fear because we have the ability to be cleansed from sin and live forever, through Jesus Christ.

We have to "hope that things will work together for our good" and pray that He will "refresh us with courage". As we hope more - it leads to good works.

Of the virtues Faith, Hope, and Charity .......As one increases, the others grow, as well.

"When faith is eroded, hope is there to uphold us.

" The brighter our hope - the greater our faith.

The stronger our hope - the purer our charity."

So, instead of climbing back into bed tomorrow and hiding under the covers with you.......it's time to "move forward and put faith and hope into action."

Darn......no cartoon hour tomorrow!

I love you, little love bugs.

Keep those chins up.......and keep hoping.

Mama