I read this article yesterday:
http://www.ksl.com/?sid=38103067&nid=151&fm=most_popular&s_cid=popular-4
This is something we hear a lot these days. The future is uncertain, except that hard times will surely come. With the military and terrorist activities in Asia and the Middle East, economic trouble all over the world (just what are the Middle East countries going to do with such a diminished revenue source, what with oil being ~$30/barrel?), and what are we doing about the climate, disease, and other natural and man-made calamities?... All of these concerns and questions can lead to a feeling of anxiety and fear. But I was reminded recently of the famous words from FDR - the only thing we have to fear is fear itself. We are not victims. We do not have to passively accept our situation, either personally or globally. We can take steps to right the ship. And to a certain extent, we are.
President Obama in the SOTU address last night said this:
America has been through big changes before – wars and depression, the influx of immigrants, workers fighting for a fair deal, and movements to expand civil rights. Each time, there have been those who told us to fear the future; who claimed we could slam the brakes on change, promising to restore past glory if we just got some group or idea that was threatening America under control. And each time, we overcame those fears. We did not, in the words of Lincoln, adhere to the "dogmas of the quiet past." Instead we thought anew, and acted anew. We made change work for us, always extending America's promise outward, to the next frontier, to more and more people. And because we did – because we saw opportunity where others saw only peril – we emerged stronger and better than before.
What was true then can be true now. Our unique strengths as a nation – our optimism and work ethic, our spirit of discovery and innovation, our diversity and commitment to the rule of law – these things give us everything we need to ensure prosperity and security for generations to come.
I was also reminded recently of a talk I heard President Hunter give in 1993. He started out the talk with this:
So I hope you won’t believe all the world’s difficulties have been wedged into your decade, or that things have never been worse than they are for you personally, or that they will never get better. I reassure you that things have been worse and they will always get better. They always do—especially when we live and love the gospel of Jesus Christ and give it a chance to flourish in our lives.
...
Contrary to what some might say, you have every reason in this world to be happy and to be optimistic and to be confident. Every generation since time began has had some things to overcome and some problems to work out. Furthermore, every individual person has a particular set of challenges which sometimes seem to be earmarked for us individually. We understood that in our premortal existence.
...
When these experiences humble us and refine us and teach us and bless us, they can be powerful instruments in the hands of God to make us better people, to make us more grateful, more loving, and more considerate of other people in their own times of difficulty.
The rest of the talk is amazing - have a look.
The truth is, we have much to be grateful for, and our lives are actually (for the most part) exceedingly blessed and easy. We are largely free from want or disease or fear. We have such freedom and personal liberty that our ancestors could only dream of... In fact, we are the living result of their hard work in our behalf, living the dream of countless generations. And there is much to be thankful for.
To go back to President Obama:
It won't be easy. Our brand of democracy is hard. But I can promise that a year from now, when I no longer hold this office, I'll be right there with you as a citizen – inspired by those voices of fairness and vision, of grit and good humor and kindness that have helped America travel so far. Voices that help us see ourselves not first and foremost as black or white or Asian or Latino, not as gay or straight, immigrant or native born; not as Democrats or Republicans, but as Americans first, bound by a common creed. Voices Dr. King believed would have the final word – voices of unarmed truth and unconditional love.
...
That's the America I know. That's the country we love. Clear-eyed. Big-hearted. Optimistic that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word. That's what makes me so hopeful about our future. Because of you. I believe in you. That's why I stand here confident that the State of our Union is strong.
Thank you, God bless you, and God bless the United States of America.
http://www.ksl.com/?sid=38103067&nid=151&fm=most_popular&s_cid=popular-4
This is something we hear a lot these days. The future is uncertain, except that hard times will surely come. With the military and terrorist activities in Asia and the Middle East, economic trouble all over the world (just what are the Middle East countries going to do with such a diminished revenue source, what with oil being ~$30/barrel?), and what are we doing about the climate, disease, and other natural and man-made calamities?... All of these concerns and questions can lead to a feeling of anxiety and fear. But I was reminded recently of the famous words from FDR - the only thing we have to fear is fear itself. We are not victims. We do not have to passively accept our situation, either personally or globally. We can take steps to right the ship. And to a certain extent, we are.
President Obama in the SOTU address last night said this:
America has been through big changes before – wars and depression, the influx of immigrants, workers fighting for a fair deal, and movements to expand civil rights. Each time, there have been those who told us to fear the future; who claimed we could slam the brakes on change, promising to restore past glory if we just got some group or idea that was threatening America under control. And each time, we overcame those fears. We did not, in the words of Lincoln, adhere to the "dogmas of the quiet past." Instead we thought anew, and acted anew. We made change work for us, always extending America's promise outward, to the next frontier, to more and more people. And because we did – because we saw opportunity where others saw only peril – we emerged stronger and better than before.
What was true then can be true now. Our unique strengths as a nation – our optimism and work ethic, our spirit of discovery and innovation, our diversity and commitment to the rule of law – these things give us everything we need to ensure prosperity and security for generations to come.
I was also reminded recently of a talk I heard President Hunter give in 1993. He started out the talk with this:
So I hope you won’t believe all the world’s difficulties have been wedged into your decade, or that things have never been worse than they are for you personally, or that they will never get better. I reassure you that things have been worse and they will always get better. They always do—especially when we live and love the gospel of Jesus Christ and give it a chance to flourish in our lives.
...
Contrary to what some might say, you have every reason in this world to be happy and to be optimistic and to be confident. Every generation since time began has had some things to overcome and some problems to work out. Furthermore, every individual person has a particular set of challenges which sometimes seem to be earmarked for us individually. We understood that in our premortal existence.
...
When these experiences humble us and refine us and teach us and bless us, they can be powerful instruments in the hands of God to make us better people, to make us more grateful, more loving, and more considerate of other people in their own times of difficulty.
The rest of the talk is amazing - have a look.
The truth is, we have much to be grateful for, and our lives are actually (for the most part) exceedingly blessed and easy. We are largely free from want or disease or fear. We have such freedom and personal liberty that our ancestors could only dream of... In fact, we are the living result of their hard work in our behalf, living the dream of countless generations. And there is much to be thankful for.
To go back to President Obama:
It won't be easy. Our brand of democracy is hard. But I can promise that a year from now, when I no longer hold this office, I'll be right there with you as a citizen – inspired by those voices of fairness and vision, of grit and good humor and kindness that have helped America travel so far. Voices that help us see ourselves not first and foremost as black or white or Asian or Latino, not as gay or straight, immigrant or native born; not as Democrats or Republicans, but as Americans first, bound by a common creed. Voices Dr. King believed would have the final word – voices of unarmed truth and unconditional love.
...
That's the America I know. That's the country we love. Clear-eyed. Big-hearted. Optimistic that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word. That's what makes me so hopeful about our future. Because of you. I believe in you. That's why I stand here confident that the State of our Union is strong.
Thank you, God bless you, and God bless the United States of America.
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