The Child of Hope

In an effort to give a little more time to guess who made which gingerbread house, I'll delay revealing the answers until tomorrow. For today, I will share Cooper's last talk as a Primary kid. Yesterday was his last day in Primary. The next time we go to church he'll be one of the Young Men.

He was pleased to get to speak on his last Sunday. He was asked to speak about something he learned during the last two weeks of Come, Follow Me. He reviewed the lessons from the manual and chatted with me about them while I wrote my own talk for church (which I'll probably share on Wednesday). Then he got to work writing. He pointed out that in the past he's dictated while Bryan or I have typed, so this was a different process for him to work so independently.

I think it's the best talk he's ever written.

Jesus, the Child of Hope

What wonderful things can a child do? Run, laugh, play, wonder. Jesus was a child of wonder and hope. He brings us hope and lightens our lives. Even when he was a little newborn baby, he brought us joy. Jesus was sent to Earth for a reason. He was on a mission. He made it possible for us to have exaltation, which is to return to Heavenly Father, and be like Heavenly Father. He came on Earth to teach us. To help us. To serve us. He atoned for our sins so we could live with him again. He loves us.

Mosiah 3:5 says, “For behold, the time cometh, and is not far distant, that with power, the Lord Omnipotent who reigneth, who was, and is from all eternity to all eternity, shall come down from heaven among the children of men, and shall dwell in a tabernacle of clay, and shall go forth amongst men, working mighty miracles, such as healing the sick, raising the dead, causing the lame to walk, the blind to receive their sight, and the deaf to hear, and curing all manner of diseases.”

This is one of the many great things Jesus can do.

John 3:16-17 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

Heavenly Father's plan is for us to live with him again. To do this we must obey the teachings of the Lord, and follow the example that Jesus set. We must grow in wisdom and stature.

Jesus died for us, so we can return to live with him again. We will be judged out of the book of life. We will know our mistakes, and Heavenly Father and Jesus will know our mistakes.

Revelation 20:12 says, “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.”

Jesus has experienced what we have. He has felt what we felt. Whether it is happiness, anger, or distress, he is always there.

We must obey, and repent so we can return to live with him again.

I have a testimony that there is a plan. We will return to live with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ if we strive to learn the teachings of the Lord, and if we have hope. I know this to be true. I say these things, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.