"...be of good cheer..." (John 16:33)

My mom, a woman of great strength and good cheer

As thoughts of my mom distill  upon my heart and mind, I hear her voice in my head call out, "Be of good cheer!" She would enthusiastically say it, frequently, as I was leaving her home. Rather than saying good-bye on her answering machine, she ended the message with, "Be of good cheer". Those were words of comfort she afforded me when I was seeking support and understanding. I believe it was her motto, and she truly lived it.

Those same words were spoken by Jesus Christ. He said it while talking to his disciples shortly before the agonies He would suffer in Gethsemane, before being betrayed by Judas, and before He would endure an unjust trial which would lead to His crucifixion and death. He said, "In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). I believe that Christ knew life ahead would be challenging for the twelve apostles as He used the phrase, "ye shall have tribulation".

In modern revelation He offers comfort to us through this same declaration. "And ye cannot bear all things now (again, Christ is letting us know we will have trials and life won't be easy); nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along." (D&C 78:18). I love the word, nevertheless. It means, " in spite of that" (nevertheless). Thus, in spite of the trials. In spite of the worry. In spite of betrayal. In spite of hardship or pain. In spite of the monotony of daily life, which can be its own curious type of pain..."be of good cheer".

Even though my mom got weaker and less independent,
she always chose to be of good cheer.

I have learned over the years that we never know what someone is suffering or going through at any given time. No one gets out of this life without trials, pain, sorrow, or loss. Life for my mom was not easy- she definitely had her fair share of tribulations.

Nevertheless, she was one of the most optimistic, cheerful, and positive persons I have ever known. She quietly lived the gospel, which spoke volumes of lessons for me. She did "submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord" (Mosiah 24:15). She embodied the words of Pres. Thomas S. Monson in which he encourages us to "be of good cheer". He said, "This attitude is what will pull us through whatever comes our way. It will not remove our troubles from us but rather will enable us to face our challenges, to meet them head on, and to emerge victorious." He continues, "I testify to you that our promised blessings are beyond measure. Though the storm clouds may gather, though the rains may pour down upon us, our knowledge of the gospel and our love of our Heavenly Father and of our Savior will comfort and sustain us and bring joy to our hearts as we walk uprightly and keep the commandments. There will be nothing in this world that can defeat us." Pres. Monson ends with, "My beloved brothers and sisters, fear not. Be of good cheer. The future is as bright as your faith" (Be of Good Cheer).

I testify of the power of being of good cheer. It is real- even life changing. I testify that God is with you. He hears and answers your prayers. We have nothing to fear. This I testify.