What Color Are Your Jellybeans?

I was 14 when I joined the church and back then we had singing practice before Sunday school. I remember the story of Sister Hope Jones, a very pregnant chorister leading the song practice for We Thank Thee Oh God For A Prophet. The members got a good chuckle as they sang...”there is hope smiling brightly before us and we know that deliverance is nigh”.

The scripture I was asked to address is Romans 15:4.
The scriptures are written for our learning that through patience and comfort of the scriptures we might have hope.

I broke this down with a little scripture chain:
In Moroni 7:25 says that God’s words lead us to exercise our faith
(My favorite definition of faith is
having the confidence to go and do what the Lord has commanded)
Moroni 7:42 we read that without faith there cannot be hope
Romans 15:13 states that hope comes through the Holy Ghost
Moroni 8:26 says the Holy Ghost fills us with hope and love (charity)
And Moroni 7:41 says that hope comes through the atonement of Christ

So restating my topic scripture: The scriptures are written that through patience (by reading them to hear God’s will for us and then “going and doing” the things he commands) we might have hope.

Faith, hope and charity have been compared to a 3-legged stool with charity being the perfect manifestation of our faith and hope.
Neal Maxwell said, “Faith and hope are constantly interactive. In the geometry of restored theology, hope has a greater circumference than faith. If faith increases, the perimeter of hope stretches correspondingly.”


An object lesson Sister Brimhall shared when we were teaching seminary teaches about hope that is born of faith.

WHAT COLOR ARE YOUR JELLYBEANS?

The green jellybeans represent the faith or good works of an individual (because without faith there can not be hope). The red jellybeans represent our sins and transgressions. (Elder Oaks points out the difference: a sin is inherently wrong - like murder or adultery; a transgression is not morally wrong but something that is prohibited – like violation of the word of wisdom or Sabbath)

I will use the life of my father but just about everything could be applied to my mom as well. Since our good works are like the ripple effect in a pond (we can’t measure the far-reaching effects of each good work) imagine a handful of green jellybeans going into a very large glass container for each of the following:

At work:
· My dad has been an excellent provider, taking jobs as janitor to supplement his income in the early years of television.
· He is hard-working, punctual, thorough
· He is admired for his skill and talent (a producer once told me, “Jack is like a skilled surgeon; he gets in, gets the job done beautifully and gets out, which saves me a lot of money.”)
· He is well liked by the cast and crew of every show he has done. From Nashville to New York to Bronson he and my mom are welcomed in the homes of the stars with whom he has worked. He continues to socialize and keep in touch with crewmembers. (Last year dad received a warm email of appreciation from Merrill Osmond for the role he played in making the Osmond Brothers more that just a barbershop quartet)
· I have had the privilege of working with my dad (nepotism at its finest). He has been a remarkable example of a true Christian in his professional life.
Family Life:
· I had an idyllic childhood. Somehow without the benefit of a father of his own, my dad has been a model father.
· We can toss in a handful of red jellybeans for some loss of control and temper in his parenting.
· He taught free dance lessons in our garage to the neighborhood kids.
· He taught by example the value of a clean home. He has always helped my mom with housework.
· He sewed me clothes. At BYU my roommates were so excited when I received a big box of dresses he had sewn. (Some red jelly beans for the smell of smoke that permeated the dresses)
· He has exhibited unconditional love for his daughters no matter what life-choices they made
· He loves the grandchildren and great grandchildren even as babies; always wanting to hold, feed and change them.
· He is not an avid follower of any sports but he attended countless grandchildren’s little league and volleyball games, piano recitals, band concerts and parades always videotaping them in creative ways.
· He saw needs and met them without recognition. Gave 87% of the down payment for our first home. Put food in our pantry when he discovered I was going through the dumpster at Ralphs for discarded milk and vegetables. Bought us a brand new minivan when the old station wagon radiator exploded and poured scalding water on my feet. Sewed Sunday clothes for my sons. Made house payments for us. Gave money so my kids would have Christmases.
· He has been very generous to all of his posterity: taking everyone to Hawaii, taking each grandchild on a high school graduation trip; making Christmas and other holidays special.
· He has been a devoted companion and family man for 65 years

Church:
· He is an excellent example of living a consecrated life and a cheerful giver
· How can his influence be measured when you consider all the roadshows, 5 Dance Festivals, 2 Showtimes? The ripple effect on youth and adults in the tens of thousands is staggering because of the consecration of one man’s talent.
· He gives 110% in every calling whether it is Executive Secretary, clerk, building cleaning or Primary teacher.
· He is a 99.9% home teacher, always going with a well-prepared message, game/activity and handouts.
· He is the kind of man whose first impulse is to say “yes” when asked to help out.
· He has been a temple ordinance worker and temple attendee.
· He accepts everyone; is everyone’s friend and is loved by all who know him because of his actions.
· Toss in a handful of red jellybeans for his personal transgressions.


Now we have a huge jar filled with green and red jellybeans.
Because of the atonement of Jesus Christ, when we confess and forsake our sins and transgressions, we can be forgiven and all the red jellybeans are removed from the jar. Remember, Hope comes through the atonement of Christ.

All the green jellybeans that are left are a perfect representation of a faithful life or the oil spoken of in the parable of the 10 virgins. Each good work adds a drop of oil and leads to increased hope. Remember, without faith there can be no hope and hope comes from the Holy Ghost.
We are not just accumulating a pile of good works (which can never exalt us). Each good work (or act of faith) has the potential of actually changing us/ helping us to actually BECOME like Christ because of the Holy Ghost.
The companionship of the Spirit fills us with charity or love. Remember, charity is the perfect manifestation of our faith and hope.
All of that oil we accumulate over a lifetime of faithfulness (going and doing what the Lord commanded) can bring a greater measure of light. Each of the kingdoms is a degree of glory (or light); if you have the oil for celestial glory, you will be comfortable there.


I love the words of God contained in the scriptures that teach us these truths:

1) God’s words lead us to exercise faith (go & do what He has commanded)

2) Without faith there can be no hope. The opposite of hope is despair (which comes from iniquity).

3) The more we study the scriptures, the more ways we will see to be faithful.

4) The more faithful we are, the more we will have the Holy Ghost (which fills us with hope and charity and sanctifies us.)

5) Hope becomes an anchor to our souls and makes us sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works.

6) The final truth I have most recently learned in my life:Hope centered in the life of Christ has power to lift us above any adversity. Like the song says, "When dark clouds of trouble hang over us and threaten our peace to destroy, there is hope smiling brightly before us and we know that deliverance is nigh".


Of these truths I testify with all my heart and in the name of Jesus Christ.