"Hope is the anchor of our souls," and everyone — young or old, strong or weak, rich or poor, is in need of it, said President James E. Faust, second counselor in the First Presidency.

"There are tremendous sources of hope beyond our own ability, learning, strength and capacity," he said Sunday morning. "Among them is the gift of the Holy Ghost. Through the marvelous blessing of this member of the Godhead, we can come to know the truth of all things."

President Faust noted that everyone in this life has challenges and difficulties as part of a mortal test. "The reason for these trials cannot be readily understood except on the basis of faith and hope because there is often a larger purpose which we do not always understand. Peace comes through hope."

An example of this is Elder Orin Voorheis, who was a missionary in Argentina when an assailant shot him in the head. "For days he hovered between life and death, unable to speak, hear, move or even breathe on his own," President Faust said. "Through the faith and prayers of a host of people over a long period of time, he eventually was taken off life support and brought back to the United States," and finally to his own home.

Today, after extensive hospitalization, Elder Voorheis remains nearly paralyzed "but he has a wonderful spirit and he can respond to questions with hand movements. He still wears his missionary badge. His parents do not ask, 'Why did this happen to our noble son, who was serving at the call of the Master?' No one has a certain answer, except that perhaps in circumstances where higher purposes are served. We must walk in faith. . . .

"My purpose in visiting Elder Voorheis was to join his father, his bishop, his home teacher and others in giving him a blessing of hope.

"Some may ask, 'Is there hope for Elder Voorheis in this life?' I believe there is great hope for everyone!" said President Faust. "Sometimes we ask God for miracles, and they often happen, but not always in the manner we expect. The quality of Elder Voorheis' life is less than desirable, but the influence of his life on others is incalculable and everlasting both here and in Argentina."

President Faust described hope as "trust in God's promises, faith that if we act now, the desired blessings will be fulfilled in the future."

He told of Joyce Audrey Evans of Belfast, Northern Ireland, who had a problem pregnancy that eventually ended in a miscarriage.

"I couldn't give up hope until all reason for hope was gone," she said. "It was something I owed my unborn child."

Later, she said, " A profound feeling of peace flowed through me. With the peace came understanding."

"Peace," said President Faust, "in this life is based upon faith and testimony. We can all find hope from our personal prayers and gain comfort from the scriptures. Priesthood blessings lift us and sustain us. Hope also comes from direct personal revelation, to which we are entitled if we are worthy. We also have the security of living in a time when a prophet who holds and exercises all of the keys of God's kingdom is on earth."

He said, "The unfailing source of our hope is that we are sons and daughters of God, and that His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, has saved us from death."

While the reality of the Savior is, in human terms, "almost undefinable," "His presence can be known unequivocally by the Spirit if we continually seek to live under the shadow of His influence," said President Faust.

Knowing the Savior broke the bands of death is "our greatest hope," he said. "His victory came through His excruciating pain, suffering and agony. He atoned for our sins if we repent. In the Garden of Gethsemane came the anguished cry, 'O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.' (Matt. 26:39.)

"Luke describes the intensity of the agony: 'And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling to the ground.' " (Luke 22:34.)

President Faust said that during the events leading to the crucifixion, the apostle Peter denied Christ three times, just as the Savior foretold. Afterwards, "Peter went out, and wept bitterly." (Luke 22:56--62.)

"This experience strengthened Peter to the point that he would never fail again and was known as the rock," said President Faust. "His hope became firmly anchored to an eternal Rock, even our Redeemer, Jesus Christ. As the chief apostle, he carried the work forward faithfully and valiantly.

"As Peter gained hope after a moment of weakness, you, I and everyone can enjoy the hope that comes from the knowledge that God truly lives. Such hope springs from the belief that if we have faith, somehow He will help us get through our challenges — if not in this life, then surely in the life to come. . . . In the eternal scheme of things, wrongs will be righted. In the perfect justice of the Lord, all who live worthily will be compensated for blessings not enjoyed here.

"In my opinion, there has never been in the history of this Church a reason for so much hope for the future of the Church and its members worldwide. I believe and testify that we are moving to a higher level of faith and activity than there ever has been. I pray that each of us will be found holding up our end of the line in this great army of righteousness. Each of us will come before the Holy One of Israel and account for our personal righteousness," he said. "We are told that 'he employeth no servant there.' " (2 Ne. 9:41.)