To those who struggle to see the light and find hope, there is a promise of "good things to come," Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve testified Saturday afternoon.
"My declaration is that is precisely what the gospel of Jesus Christ offers us, especially in times of need," he said. "There is help. There is happiness. There really is a light at the end of the tunnel. It is the Light of the World, the Bright and Morning Star, the 'light that is endless, that can never be darkened.' It is the very Son of God Himself."
Elder Holland suggested that on difficult days when heaven's help is especially needed, "we would do well to remember one of the titles given the Savior. . . 'an high priest of good things to come.' " (Heb. 8:6, 9:11.)
Everyone has times when "we need to know things will get better," he said. For emotional health and spiritual stamina people need to have something to look forward to, "something pleasant and renewing and hopeful, whether that blessing be near at hand or still some distance ahead."
He said that many are in categories of potential discouragement: newly called missionaries leaving family and friends to face some rejection; young mothers and fathers trying to make ends meet as they hope for a brighter financial future; parents who would give any earthly possession for a wayward child to return; single parents who confronted death or divorce, or alienation or abandonment; those who want to be married but aren't; those who are married and want children and cannot. . . those who suffer from sin who need to know there is a way back. . . .
"It is not without a recognition of life's tempests but fully and directly because of them that I testify of God's love and the Savior's power to calm the storm," he said.
The Savior knows better than any other of the trials of life, continued Elder Holland. In fact, to a casual observer in Judea, the Savior's life must have seemed a failure as His good deeds seemed to be overwhelmed by the surrounding evil.
"In the entire history of the world no one has ever loved so purely or served so selflessly — and been treated so diabolically for His effort," said Elder Holland.
"Yet nothing could break His faith in His Father's plan or His Father's promises. . . ."
Elder Holland told a personal experience of 30 years ago when his young family with few earthly possessions set out to cross the United States to attend graduate school and their car overheated in a distant part of southern Utah. He left his wife and two small children there and walked three miles for help. The car was later driven back to town and thoroughly checked before the journey began again. A second time, at the nearly identical location, the car overheated and he walked back for help a second time.
"Just two weeks ago this weekend, I drove by that exact spot. . . . I imagined I saw a young fellow walking toward Kanarraville. . . . In that imaginary instant, I couldn't help calling out to him, 'Don't give up, boy. Don't you quit. There is help and happiness ahead — a lot of it — 30 years of it now, and still counting.' "
