Be of Good Cheer

President Monson quotes a well-known author saying, “Both abundance and lack [of abundance] exist simultaneously in our lives, as parallel realities. It is always our conscious choice which secret garden
we will tend … when we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that’s present—love, health, family, friends, work, the beauty of nature, and personal pursuits (your interests or talents) that bring us [happiness]—the wasteland of illusion falls away and we experience heaven on earth.”

Much of our success in life depends on how we respond to our trials, which shows our true character. We will experience trials and people will disappoint you, BUT we can choose one of two basic responses to trials: the Lord’s way or Satan’s way. So with our agency we get to decide.

President Thomas S. Monson says,  “Though the storm clouds may gather, though the rains may pour down upon us, our knowledge of the gospel and our love of our Heavenly Father and of our Savior will comfort and sustain us and bring joy to our hearts as we walk uprightly and keep the commandments,there will be nothing in this world that can defeat us. My beloved brothers and sisters, fear not. Be of good cheer. The future is as bright as your faith.”

“There will be times when it appears there is no light at the end of our tunnel or no dawn to a night of darkness. We feel surrounded by the pain of broken hearts, the disappointment of shattered dreams, and the despair of vanished hopes.” our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, is our Exemplar and our strength. He is the light that shineth in darkness. He embraces the opportunity to lift burdens, provide hope, mend bodies, and restore life.”

“It would be easy to become discouraged and cynical about the future—or even fearful of what might come—if we allowed ourselves to dwell only on that which is wrong in the world and in our lives. Today, however, I’d like us to turn our thoughts and our attitudes away from the troubles around us and to focus instead on our blessings as members of the Church. The Apostle Paul declared, ‘God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind’” (2 Timothy 1:7).

Lesson given by Brandy Bergeson