A Have Hope

Towards the end of the Book of Mormon, the Nephite and Lamanite civilizations became very wicked.  The Lamanites hunted down every Nephite who would not deny Christ.  And ended up killing all of them except one, Moroni. 

Moroni would not deny the Christ.  Therefore he ended up literally running for his life.  Always watching his back as he was being hunted by the Lamanites.

Moroni's father, Mormon, wrote some letters to his son before being killed himself.  Moroni included some of them in his last writings in the book of Moroni, the last book in The Book of Mormon. 

One of the letters teaches us the doctrine of Faith, Hope, and Charity. 

Remember, how wicked the people had become at the end of The Book of Mormon.  Dare I say they were more wicked than our society today?  Although we are quickly approaching the Nephite and Lamanite level of wickedness, at the end of The Book of Mormon.

Moroni 9: 3-5

3 And now behold, my son, I fear lest the Lamanites shall destroy this people; for they do not repent, and Satan stirreth them up continually to anger one with another.

4 Behold, I am laboring with them continually; and when I speak the word of God with sharpness they tremble and anger against me; and when I use no sharpness they harden their hearts against it; wherefore, I fear lest the Spirit of the Lord hath ceased striving with them.

5 For so exceedingly do they anger that it seemeth me that they have no fear of death; and they have lost their love, one towards another; and they thirst after blood and revenge continually.

Mormon points out that it didn't take long for a civil and a delightsome people to quickly descend into depravity.

Moroni 9:11-15

11 O my beloved son, how can a people like this, that are without civilization—

12 (And only a few years have passed away, and they were a civil and a delightsome people)

13 But O my son, how can a people like this whose delight is in so much abomination -- 

14 How can we expect that God will stay his hand in judgment against us?

15 Behold, my heart cries: Wo unto this people. ...

Mormon continues his epistle to his son, Moroni, as he laments the wickedness of the Nephites.

Moroni 9:18-20

18 O the depravity of my people! They are without order and without mercy. Behold, I am but a man, and I have but the strength of a man, and I cannot any longer enforce my commands.

19 And they have become strong in their perversion; and they are alike brutal, sparing none, neither old nor young; and they delight in everything save that which is good; and the suffering of our women and our children upon all the face of this land doth exceed everything; yea, tongue cannot tell, neither can it be written.

20 And now, my son, I dwell no longer upon this horrible scene. Behold, thou knowest the wickedness of this people; thou knowest that they are without principle, and past feeling; and their wickedness doth exceed that of the Lamanites. 

I included all of those quotes to show just how wicked the people were.  Yet despite the degeneracy and depravity and sheer wickedness of the Nephite and Lamanite civilizations at that time, the righteous prophet, Mormon, still had hope.

"And yet Mormon still found cause for hope—teaching us that hope does not mean ignoring or being naive about the world’s problems; it means having faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, whose power is greater and more everlasting than those problems. It means “lay[ing] hold upon every good thing” (Moroni 7:19). It means letting the Atonement of Jesus Christ “and the hope of his glory and of eternal life, rest in your mind” (Moroni 9:25). And until the glorious day of Christ’s Second Coming, it means never ceasing the “labor [we have] to perform … [to] conquer the enemy of all righteousness” (Moroni 9:6)."  -- Come Follow Me Manual for Individuals and Families, Moroni 7-9

The point I wanted to make, is one that Mormon wanted to teach us.  Mormon knew that we would be facing similar circumstances to what he faced.  That's why he wrote the letters to his son, Moroni.  Moroni included these letters in his last writings before he died.  It was written for us.  To help us navigate through these perilous times.

A lot of people have lost hope.  Or are losing hope in our country and election process.  They see the corruption and fraud and are watching the election being stolen from the rightful winner, President Trump. People are watching our Democracy or Constitutional Republic, if you prefer, vanish before our eyes.

But Mormon reminds us, that no matter how dire the situation, no matter how grave things look, we should always have hope and trust in the Lord's plan. 

Moroni 9:25

25 My son, be faithful in Christ; and may not the things which I have written grieve thee, to weigh thee down unto death; but may Christ lift thee up, and may his sufferings and death, and the showing his body unto our fathers, and his mercy and long-suffering, and the hope of his glory and of eternal life, rest in your mind forever.

If we are faithful in Christ, then we need not let the wickedness of the world grieve us.   Let Christ lift us up and give us hope.  Hope that everything will work out because Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are more powerful than any problems we may be facing.

A have hope.

That's my two cents.