Area Leadership Message
Hope in Christ
Our Savior Jesus Christ invites us to follow Him and find peace.”
I am a constant witness of the hand of the Prince of Peace in the details of the lives of those I hold close. As we have followed the counsel of President Russell M. Nelson to transform our homes into sanctuaries of faith, our hope in Christ has grown exponentially. I feel his love, and it brings me great hope.
My daughter Carl Anne wrote to me describing a very difficult time in her life:
“In these lines of the song ‘Peace in Christ’:
‘There is Peace in Christ,
When we walk with Him.
Through the streets of Galilee
To Jerusalem.
Mend the broken hearts,
dry the tear-filled eyes.
When we live the way He lived,
There is peace in Christ,’”
“I have been impacted by these words because they remind me that in one of the most difficult moments I have ever experienced, I was able to recover because Jesus Christ helped me to remember the enabling power of His Atonement. I remember when my heart was broken, and I felt very sad about the loss of my first pregnancy—it feels like it was just yesterday—the day that I poured out my soul in prayer to My Heavenly Father seeking to feel peace and hope that everything would be all right. At that precise moment, I felt an intense warmth as if I were being embraced by my Savior Jesus Christ! Because He had experienced all of my pains and sorrows in the Garden of Gethsemane, I knew He felt my pain now. I knew without a doubt that Heavenly Father had a more perfect plan for me than I expected! Today, a year later, I am grateful to be the mother of a beautiful baby who brings me great joy, and to have the knowledge that it was all done in the Lord’s perfect timing.”
Kelli is very cheerful, but she has also had her challenges:
“Sometimes it can be easy to forget about our Heavenly Father when everything is going well for us. Often it is not until the strong tests come to us that we humbly remember how much we need Him. This past year, we have faced many trials and challenges, but thanks to Heavenly Father, we have been able to overcome each one. Though trials will continue to come to us, I hope that with faith and hope, we will overcome them, no matter how long it takes. Each challenge has strengthened me and helped me to completely trust in God.
“I have great hope in these two scriptures. The first is 2 Nephi 31:20 ‘Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.’
“The second is found in Proverbs 3:5–6 ‘Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
“‘In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths.’
“I love these verses because even though I sometimes get frustrated when I don’t understand the challenges, I find hope in these scriptures.”
For the youngest of the Chucho children, changes are regular part of his life. After experiencing many moves involving different cultures in so few years, he tells me:
“During my youth, I have attended 7 or 8 schools in vastly different enviroments and in very diverse surroundings. It has definitely been a challenge, being exposed to different cultures or just understanding people and making new friends, but what I have learned has been unforgettable”.
One of the most important truths that I have been able to learn is the importance of putting my faith in Jesus Christ as the center of all things. Over the years, I have found peace through the teachings of the Lord and His prophets. Searching the scriptures with an open heart, in addition to always praying, has served as a shield against difficulties. There is so much adversity around us. Sometimes it is our own friends who cause us to doubt or be confused. Having to start over and make new changes can be frustrating and difficult, but developing a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ, as well as sharing it with others, can be a life-changing blessing.
I know that we, as young people in the Church, can be the hope of Israel that our prophet invites us to be. “I firmly believe that if we put the things of the world aside and strive to gain a personal testimony of The Church of Jesus Christ, we will witness miracles in our lives and in the lives of those we want to help. I know that we can always become better, and if we repent and allow the Atonement of Jesus Christ to make us better, He can provide eternal peace.”
My wife, Carl Lu, always says that even when we encounter difficulties and face an uncertain future, we can persevere in good spirits and live a life of peace. She always reminds us of this scripture found in Doctrine & Covenants 90:24: “Search diligently, pray always, and be believing, and all things shall work together for your good, if ye walk uprightly and remember the covenant wherewith ye have covenanted one with another.”
For all of us there is an opportunity to find hope in our Savior who gives us peace, He says “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you” (John 14:27). and then “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
I have found peace in Christ. I know that He lives, He is our source of peace and security, I love him, and in serving him I feel a peace that fills my soul and provides great encouragement and desire to carry His message of peace to the world.
I testify that He is ready to fill your heart with the hope you need. He promises “seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Doctrine & Covenants 88:63).