General Conference Reminded Me to Have Hope for My Future
In my time of need, Heavenly Father knew exactly how to answer my questions.
Every time we get close to general conference, I get so excited. I look forward to hearing from our leaders and feeling the power of God through their words. But most of all, I look forward to hearing messages just for me. Whether that comes straight from the mouth of the speakers or from the Spirit, I love it all the same.
I went into this conference with some very specific questions in mind. I have been going through hard times of sadness and doubt lately, and I wanted to know if I was even going in the right direction in my life. I hoped that some of the desires that had been growing even stronger in my heart would be fulfilled. I desperately wanted to know that Heavenly Father was aware of me and loved me.
The first three sessions passed by without any answers to my questions. I enjoyed the talks and I felt the Spirit, but I didn’t receive any indication that Heavenly Father was speaking directly to my concerns. I had to keep reminding myself that, with two sessions left, there was still plenty of time to hear what I needed to hear. But a little voice of doubt in my mind kept telling me that I wouldn’t hear an answer, not when nearly every talk was about the Restoration and my question didn’t have anything to do with that.
The next morning when Elder Jeffrey R. Holland was speaking, I hadn’t eaten breakfast and my stomach was growling. But for some reason, I felt like I shouldn’t get up and eat breakfast yet. Even when my mom asked if I wanted something, I replied, “Not yet. I don’t want to miss anything.”
It was only a few minutes later when Elder Holland said something that struck me: “We still have hopes that have not yet been fulfilled.”1 His words echoed deep in my soul. I froze, unable to take my eyes off the screen. A warm feeling washed over me and I knew that this was it—Heavenly Father was answering my questions.
I started furiously writing notes as Elder Holland kept speaking. Once again I was struck right to the core when he said, “Because the Restoration reaffirmed the foundational truth that God does work in this world, we can hope, we should hope, even when facing insurmountable odds.”
That’s when the tears started flowing. This was everything I needed to hear and more. It brought me back to a moment not too long ago. I had prayed for Heavenly Father to help me keep going and trusting in His promised blessings, no matter how much I feel like giving up at times.
During this talk, I felt the Spirit affirm that I needed to keep pushing forward with hope, especially in moments of sadness and doubt. If I wouldn’t give up, Heavenly Father would help me through those tough moments. Even if those blessings I so desperately desire aren’t given to me exactly when I want them, I will keep on hoping for the time that they will be. As Elder Holland said, “We have every reason to hope for blessings even greater than those we have already received.”2