“Legacy of Encouragement—Excerpts,” For the Strength of Youth, Nov. 2022.
Legacy of Encouragement
Excerpts
As my mother told me when I complained of how hard something was, “Oh, Hal, of course it’s hard. It’s supposed to be. Life is a test.”
She could say that calmly, even with a smile, because she knew two things. Regardless of the struggle, what would matter most would be to arrive at home to be with her Heavenly Father. And she knew she could do it through faith in her Savior. …
The legacy of encouragement she left for us is best described in Moroni 7, where Mormon encourages his son Moroni and his people. …
He puts Jesus Christ first, as do all who succeed in giving encouragement to those struggling upward on the path to their heavenly home. …
Mormon saw meekness as evidence of the strength of their faith. …
Mormon then encourages them by testifying that they are on the way to receiving the gift of their hearts being filled with the pure love of Christ. …
Looking back, I now see how that gift of charity—the pure love of Christ—strengthened, guided, sustained, and changed my mother in the struggle on her way home. …
… The Savior knows your struggles in detail. He knows your great potential to grow in faith, hope, and charity.
The commandments and covenants He offers you are not tests to control you. They are a gift to lift you toward receiving all the gifts of God and returning home to your Heavenly Father and the Lord, who love you.