Websters 1828 Dictionary:
"A desire of some good, accompanied with at least a slight expectation of obtaining it, or a belief that it is obtainable. hope differs from wish and desire in this, that it implies some expectation of obtaining the good desired, or the possibility of possessing it. hope therefore always gives pleasure or joy; whereas wish and desire may produce or be accompanied with pain and anxiety."
Quotes:
"Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sing the tune without the words and never at all." -Emily Dickson
"We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope." -Martin Luther King, Jr.
"Because the restoration reaffirmed the foundational truth that God does work in this world, we can hope, we should hope, even when facing the most insurmountable odds." -Jeffery R Holland, April 2020 General Conference
Scriptures:
Job 11:18 "And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety"
Romans 15:13 "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost"
Moroni 7:40-42 "And again, my beloved brethren, I would speak unto you concerning hope. How is it that ye can attain unto faith, save ye shall have hope? And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise.Wherefore, if a man have faith he must needs have hope; for without faith there cannot be any hope."
Songs:
Hope of Israel
Hope of Israel, rise in might! With the sword of truth and right.
Sound the war cry, “Watch and pray!” Vanquish ev’ry foe to day
Hope Was Born
On angel voices from realms of glory a song was borne to man,
A song of hope, a song of joy, confirming the wondrous plan.
The angels sang of redeeming love, the dawn of salvation’s morn.
Yes, hope was born on that Christmas day, when Jesus Christ was born.
How long earth waited to hear the tidings of peace, good will to men.
And to each soul who yields to Him good tidings are borne again.
To hearts prepared to give Him room the blessed child will come.
For, hope is born when each heart receives God’s Only Begotten Son.
Other Words:
Expectation; Faith; and Trust
Personal Definition:
Hope is an emotion and a feeling that can keep us going. When we feel lost, alone or helpless we can choose hope. Hope is knowing that better things are coming. Hope is being excited for the future. Hopefulness can keep us going when we feel like we can't go forward anymore.
When things may seem dark and lost, the one thing we can hold onto is hope. It can motivate us to climb mountains and cross valleys. Without hope, there would be no light. Hope is an essential piece of the universe. To experience trials without any hope would lead to our own destruction. Hope is a divine gift. It is something we should treasure and hold onto to look forward to another day.