Real people. Everyday stories and once-in-a-lifetime stories. Finding hope through our Savior Jesus Christ. These are all things you can find in the new season of the online series Hope Works.
“We recognize that these are difficult times for people around the world,” said Chris Twitty, product manager of the Saints Channel. “Hope Works looks to extend the message of President Russell M. Nelson — that Jesus Christ stands ready to help every one of us.”
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The series, which started in 2016, aims to provide hope, inspiration and encouragement to people of all faiths through transparent, honest messages. The speakers are selected through recommendations of people familiar with the show and national casting calls.
Each episode features someone sharing their story, with topics ranging from losing family members to suicide to Olympic success. Subjects speak authentically about their life experiences to demonstrate how the Savior works in everyone’s lives.
Due to coronavirus restrictions, this season was not filmed in front of a live audience. Like the 2020 season, subjects either recorded their own videos or were recorded sharing their stories from their homes.
According to Hope Works producer Devan Butler, the audience can expect “eight new stories with different perspectives, all giving inspirational messages and messages of hope. … These stories have to do with a lot of different experiences people have had in life and experiences that maybe we don’t usually talk about. They are things people are going through, but they don't know other people are going through.”
He further explained how the goal of the series is to show people there is always hope through Christ. The stories provide audiences with real-life examples of applying gospel principles in their lives, whether it is in times of failure or times of success. “We want to bring these stories to life, to see the application of hope in people’s life that we talk so much about,” he said. “People need to hear these stories and see people talk about how they use gospel principles in their life. To hope really reflects what we teach, but we are demonstrating it in a more authentic and transparent and real way.”
One episode will be released each week for eight weeks beginning April 20. You can access Hope Works on the Church’s YouTube channel, on the Latter-day Saints Channel website or on the Latter-day Saints Channel app, which is compatible with mobile devices and connected TV devices like Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV and Android TV.