A Perfect Brightness of Hope

2 Nephi 31: 20 Wherefore, ye must press forward with a ^asteadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of ^bhope, and a ^clove of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and ^dendure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have ^eeternal life

In the 13 Articles of Faith of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the 4th article of faith states:

"We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost."

Once we are baptized and confirmed members of Christ's church we are told to "endure to the end". For me, that has always meant: Keep having faith, keep repenting, keep the promises you made at baptism, honor the gift of the Holy Ghost by always being worthy of it and by following His promptings, keep doing all these things continually. Such a simple piece of doctrine it is, really. But how much so is it to apply to our lives? 

Surely, it requires a lot of effort and even sacrifice from our part. But that's why I love 2 Nephi 31:20 so much, because its basic message is "endure to the end", but it comes with a promise: the promise of eternal life. 

It also comes with some helpful advice:

• "press forward with a steadfastness in Christ" - Follow Christ! Follow His example! Strive to be more like Him each day! Remember His infinite atonement! Trust in Him, come to Him with all your troubles and needs! Press forward.
• have "a perfect brightness of hope" - True hope is firm and unwavering. To me, having a perfect brightness of hope is to know that God's promises are true and that He will deliver us from this mortal life unto eternal life if we endure.
• have "a love of God and all men" - In Matthew 22 the Savior teaches that the greatest commandment is to "love the Lord thy God with all they heart, and with all they soul, and with all they mind" (Matt. 22:37). The second greatest commandment is to "love they neighbor as thyself" (Matt. 22:39).
• feast "upon the word of Christ" - We are reminded this often in the scriptures and from our modern-day prophets and apostles. I will sum this up by quoting President Hinckley from a First Presidency Message, "Feasting upon the Scriptures" from Dec 1985: 

"May the Lord bless each of us to feast upon his holy word and to draw from it that strength, that peace, that knowledge “which passeth all understanding” (Philip. 4:7), as he has promised."

"[S]trait is the gate, and narrow is the way" (Matt. 7:14), but it's the only sure way back home to our Heavenly Father. 

I know I want to get there. I made a promise concerning that before I even came to this earth, and I know you did too.