JOYFULLY ENDURE TO THE END/FINDING JOY IN THE JOURNEY
This is the story of Julia:
In my home stake is a young girl. She is 14 years old. She has one younger sister who is 13. She is next to the youngest of 8 or 9 children. Almost 2 years ago her mother was diagnosed with the same leukemia that had taken the life of her older brother a few years previous. Susan was treated with high hopes of combating this disease. When nothing was working she went into surgery for a bone marrow transplant knowing this was her last hope. When this also failed, she knew that her time on earth was limited. Last summer, Julia and her younger sister Eden watched her mother grow progressively weaker. The middle of June, Susan had a daughter that was married. Susan’s doctors were able to give her enough medication so that she would be able to attend the ceremony in the temple. That evening she was too weak to attend the reception but they were able to set up closed captioning at the church so should could watch from home this great event. Girl’s camp was only a couple of weeks away. Susan’s greatest desire was to last long enough so that her two daughters could attend girls camp. I was there. Those girls came to camp and every time I saw them, they had a smile on their face. They participated and enjoyed every activity. We came home the morning of July 3. Susan passed away that evening. I didn’t see Julia again until September when volleyball started. Julia and Eden would come to every game and play with enthusiasm and excitement. Julia’s dad is to be married in December. Only a couple of weeks ago we hosted a multi-stake dance. Julia’s father and step-mother to be came to help chaperone. Julia was at the dance but her father hadn’t arrived yet. She kept asking if we had seen them come. When they finally arrived, Julia happened to come out of the cultural hall at about the same time. She saw them and came RUNNING and about knocked her father’s fiancé over as she gave her a big hug. I was so impressed. Here is a girl that has the right to be sad and discouraged—to think that maybe she has been wronged or treated unfairly. But she isn’t! She is upbeat. She is happy. So I called her and asked her how she can be so happy. She said, “I just look at the positive!” She said she prayed a LOT while her mom was sick and when she passed away. I’ll bet she still prays a lot. She also said that she is very close to her family and they have all helped her through this. She has taken what has been given to her and is making the best of it!! WOW! The things we can learn from a 14 year-old girl.
In 1 Nephi we read about Lehi’s dream. 1 Ne 8: 8-12
8 And after I had traveled for the space of many hours in darkness, I began to pray unto the Lord that he would have mercy on me, according to the multitude of his tender mercies. (Lehi is in a dark and dreary waste—you might say that he is depressed and discouraged and feeling a bit lost. So what does he do? He prays)
9 And it came to pass after I had prayed unto the Lord I beheld a large and spacious field. (He saw the world before him.)
10 And it came to pass that I beheld a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy.
11 And it came to pass that I did go forth and partake of the fruit thereof; and I beheld that it was most sweet, above all that I ever before tasted. Yea, and I beheld that the fruit thereof was white, to exceed all the whiteness that I had ever seen.
12 And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; (He sees a tree that bears fruit that is very desirable and will make you happy. What is the tree and this fruit? It is Jesus Christ and his gospel. And when he partook of the fruit, he was filled with exceeding joy.)
SISTERS, we have each partaken of this fruit. We should be filled with joy. Jesus Christ has done his part to help us have that joy that we were created to have. It is our responsibility to see that we receive joy.
I hope you got to hear Elder Uchtdorf this past Sunday (Nov. 2009). If you didn’t I hope you will go on line and listen to his talk. http://lds.org/ldsorg/lds_servlet/EmailArticleProcess?action=view&cmlId=819428&locale=0&emId=791506478
He said we will all have times when we are discouraged and unhappy. It is natural! But we don’t have to stay in that state.
ASK: What causes you to feel sadness or to be unhappy?
What brings you joy?
My family—every Sunday family comes for Sunday dinner. It is not always calm and peaceful—but I always love having my family home. They bring me great joy.
Working with children—teaching
Working in my yard—planting & taking care of my flower garden
The beauties of God’s creations—full moon on the beach of Mexico
Colored leaves through the mountains on a drive to Colorado
Beautiful sunset
Rainbow after a spring shower
Flowers growing through the neighborhood
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO FIND HAPPINESS?
1. Take time for yourself—Remember who you are
2. Do things that make you happy—read, listen to uplifting music, play the piano, paint, make a craft, exercise, go for a ride, play a game, talk to family or friends
Be actively engaged in a good cause
“It is well for you to laugh, it is well for you to be happy, lift up your voices and praise the Lord with music, with singing, with dancing, and with a prayer of praise and thanksgiving. I can’t imagine a heaven filled only with somber beings who never speak up and don’t enjoy music and visiting with each other. . . . You were created to have joy, so let’s celebrate the merciful blessings of a joyful and a loving Heavenly Father. . . . . Get together as young people… dance together, work together . Serve your fellowman together. Study the gospel together and have fun doing it. It is my earnest prayer that the knowledge of who you are and what you may become will fill your souls with a peaceable love of God and this will ignite within you a happiness worthy of your true heritage for in truth you are queens and princesses. . .” Uchtdorf, CES fireside, 11-2009
Attempt to be creative for the joy it brings. Select something like music, dance, sculpture, or poetry. Being creative will help you enjoy life. It engenders a spirit of gratitude. It develops latent talent, sharpens your capacity to reason, to act, and to find purpose in life. It dispels loneliness and heartache. It gives a renewal, a spark of enthusiasm, and zest for life. Richard G Scott May 1996 Ensign
3. BE PATIENT “The Lord has said, “Be patient in afflictions, for thou shalt have many; but endure them, for, lo, I am with thee, even unto the end of thy days.” D&C 24:8 As you are patient, you will come to understand what the statement “I am with thee” means. God’s love brings peace and joy. Your faith in Jesus Christ gives life-enduring meaning. Remember you are on a journey to exaltation. Sometimes you have experiences that yield more happiness than others, but it all has purpose with the Lord.” Richard G. Scott May 1996 Ensign
4. SERVE OTHERS—Pres. Hinkley told what happened to him on his mission: In the evening of the first day that I arrived in Preston [England], my companion, who was the district president, said we would go down to the marketplace and hold a street meeting. There, Elder Bramwell and I raised our voices in a hymn, offered prayer, and preached the gospel to a gathering crowd……..it seemed that everyone was prejudiced against us.
I was not well when I arrived. Those first few weeks, because of illness and the opposition which we felt, I was discouraged. I wrote a letter home to my good father and said that I felt I was wasting my time and his money. He was my father and my stake president, and he was a wise and inspired man. He wrote a very short letter to me which said, “Dear Gordon, I have your recent letter. I have only one suggestion: forget yourself and go to work.” I got on my knees in that little bedroom … and made a pledge that I would try to give myself unto the Lord.
Earlier that morning in our scripture class my companion and I had read these words of the Lord: “Whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it” (Mark 8:35).
Those words of the Master, followed by my father’s letter with his counsel to forget myself and go to work, went into my very being. The whole world changed. The fog lifted. The sun began to shine in my life. I had a new interest. I saw the beauty of this land. I saw the greatness of the people. … Everything that has happened to me since that’s been good I can trace to that decision made in that little house” (Mike Cannon, “Missionary Theme Was Pervasive during Visit of President Hinckley,” Church News, Sept. 9, 1995, 4). July Ensign 2000
President Hinckley continued by saying: “You want to be happy? Forget yourself and get lost in this great cause, and bend your efforts to helping people.” Church News, Sept. 9, 1995, 4
Willing service to others is a key to enduring happiness. President Kimball said: “God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another mortal that he meets our needs. Therefore, it is vital that we serve each other.”
Just recently the sister that I served with in a YW presidency told how a month or so ago she was taking nectarines around to different women in her neighborhood. As she drove by one sister’s home she had the impression that she should take some to her but she put the idea out of her head because she had taken something there not that long ago and drove on to a different house. But again she felt like she should go back to that sister’s home. So she turned her car around and returned. The sister wasn’t home so she left the nectarines with her daughter and asked her to give them to her mother. A few days later, she received a thank you card in the mail. The note mentioned that she had been feeling very lonely and wondered if Heavenly Father really knew her needs and understood her sadness. She wondered if He really loved her and was pleading with Him in prayer to somehow show her that He cared. That’s when she received the nectarines and through her act of kindness she realized Heavenly Father did hear her prayers and did love her and cared about how she was feeling.
Not only will service to others bring joy and happiness to our own lives, it will help bring the peace and joy into the life of someone else.
5. Count your blessings “Find the compensatory blessings in your life when, in the wisdom of the Lord, He deprives you of something you very much want. To the sightless or hearing impaired, He sharpens the other senses. To the ill, He gives patience, understanding, and increased appreciation for others’ kindness. With the loss of a dear one, He deepens the bonds of love, enriches memories, and kindles hope in a future reunion. You will discover compensatory blessings when you willingly accept the will of the Lord and exercise faith in Him.” Richard G Scott May 1996 Ensign
The hymn says it all (#241)
1. When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings; name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.
2. Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings; ev’ry doubt will fly,
And you will be singing as the days go by.
3. When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you his wealth untold.
Count your many blessings; money cannot buy
Your reward in heaven nor your home on high.
4. So amid the conflict, whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged; God is over all.
Count your many blessings; angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.
6. Do temple work/ genealogy work
“Service in the temple as a proxy for our ancestors is a unique and beautiful opportunity to serve. I learned as a young boy that family history begins with a love for our ancestors. One year when my grandparents were visiting, my mother brought home an old tape recorder. She put me to bed and then in the other room turned on the tape recorder as my grandparents related the events of their own and their ancestors’ lives. I crept to the door leading to the front room, opened it a crack, and listened to the wonderful stories.
I learned of Anders Jensen, my Danish ancestor, who defended a Latter-day Saint boy in the streets of Copenhagen from a gang who wanted to beat him up. Later, when he joined the Church, Anders was cut off from his family. He joined other Danish Saints and left for America. When he learned of the Word of Wisdom, he threw away his plug of tobacco for good, then scrubbed his mouth out with soap to be clean when he entered Zion.
I loved these stories and felt the “welding link” about which the Prophet Joseph Smith wrote in D&C 128:18. I wanted to know all I could about my ancestors. Their lives strengthened mine, completed it, and gave me a sense of belonging—a wholeness that I cannot adequately explain. I wanted to do something for them, give them back in small measure what they had given me.” Michael Wilcox, Joy in the Journey,” Ensign, Jan 2004
7. Keep/Live the commandments
“He has provided the commandments which are the royal road to a life of purpose, peace and joy. All we need to do is follow it. Knowing and living god’s commandments really does lead to fulfillment and to joy. Our destiny is greater than we can imagine. If only we understood who we are and what is in store for us. Our hearts would overflow with such gratitude and happiness that it would enlighten even the darkest stars with a light and love of God, our Heavenly Father.”
With living the commandments, comes repentance. No greater joy can come to anyone that goes through the steps of repenting.
“I know that every difficulty we face in life, even those that come from our own negligence or even transgression, can be turned by the Lord into growth experiences, a virtual ladder upward. I certainly do not recommend transgression as a path to growth. It is painful, difficult, and so totally unnecessary. It is far wiser and so much easier to move forward in righteousness. But through proper repentance, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and obedience to His commandments, even the disappointment that comes from transgression can be converted into a return to happiness.” Richard G Scott May 1996 Ensign
8. Pray fervently—Read scriptures earnestly
Pray earnestly. Talk with him daily. Learn of Him & Walk in His way.
9. Find contentment in the phase of life you are in. Enjoy the phase of life that you are in.
When school is overwhelming—jump in and just move forward one step at a time. Use your time wisely. Take breaks so you don’t get burned out. Don’t procrastinate. Keep moving forward. ONE STEP AT A TIME!!
Be patient with dating and finding a husband. Elder Uchtdorf said you don’t give up looking. Don’t let it get you down. Don’t dwell on it. Take advantage of the time you have now to do things in your life you won’t be able to do once you are married. Katie spent a semester in Nauvoo. She spent a summer working in Yellowstone. She graduated from college, got a job teaching school and bought herself a condo. She was able to do things in her single state that she wouldn’t have been able to do if she had married earlier. If you aren’t happy being single you will not be happy being married. Don’t wait until you find that perfect man to find joy. Find contentment in where you’re at in your life now—don’t always be thinking if only I was done with school, then life would be easier. OR if only I was married I would be so happy. Because guaranteed that if you say that now then when you are done with school or when you are married, it will be something else you’ll wish for. If only I had my ideal job. If only I had children. If only my children were older. There will always be something you will think would make your life better if only you were in those shoes. Find contentment in where you’re at right now!!
10. HAVE FAITH/TRUST IN THE LORD
“Remember where you came from and where you are going—it will bring you gratitude. Feel your soul with hope. Heavenly Father loves you! You are His daughter. He loves you with His infinite love! He wants the best for you!
The righteous desires of your heart will be fulfilled. Sometimes it can be difficult to see anything beyond the path immediately before you. We are impatient and do not want to wait for a future fulfillment of our greatest desires. Nevertheless the brief span of this life is nothing in comparison with eternity. If only we can hope and exercise faith and joyfully endure to the end. There in that great heavenly future w we will have the fulfillment of our righteous desires of our heart ad so very much more than we can scarcely comprehend now.”
“Your joy in life depends upon your trust in Heavenly Father and His holy Son, your conviction that their plan of happiness truly can bring you joy. Pondering their doctrine will let you enjoy the beauties of this earth and enrich your relationships with others. It will lead you to the comforting, strengthening experiences that flow from prayer to Father in Heaven and the answers He gives in return.” Richard G Scott May 1996 Ensign
Mosiah 24:13–15 “I will also ease the burdens … that even you cannot feel them upon your backs … ; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.
“And … the burdens … were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.”
Elder Joseph B Wirthlin, gave a talk in October conference 2008. He said:
“Trust in the Lord! “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son.” John 3:16 The Lord Jesus Christ is our partner, helper, and advocate. He wants us to be happy. He wants us to be successful. If we do our part, He will step in.
“One of our daughters, after giving birth to a baby, became seriously ill. We prayed for her, administered to her, and supported her as best we could. We hoped she would receive a blessing of healing, but days turned into months, and months turned into years. At one point I told her that this affliction might be something she would have to struggle with the rest of her life.
"One morning I remember pulling out a small card and threading it through my typewriter. Among the words that I typed for her were these: “The simple secret is this: put your trust in the Lord, do your best, then leave the rest to Him.”
"She did put her trust in God. But her affliction did not disappear. For years she suffered, but in due course, the Lord blessed her, and eventually she returned to health.”
“You are one of the noblest of God’s creations. His intent is that your life be gloriously beautiful regardless of your circumstances. As you are grateful and obedient, you can become all that God intends you to be.” Richard G Scott May 1996 Ensign
“That inner peace comes more from concentrating on who we are and what we can become than from a change in our status in life. It would be convenient if every single Latter-day Saint could change that status immediately by marriage to a worthy companion. But the happiness and joy we are promised is not in a box somewhere waiting for that to happen. It is here to be enjoyed now.” Mayola Miltenberger March 1988 Ensign
We should be a happy people. We know who we are. We of daughters of our Heavenly Father who loves us!! We know that he has a plan for us. We know what that plan is. It is up to us if we want to be happy. Happiness is not automatic! We have to put the effort into it. Just like everything else that our Heavenly Father would have us have or do—we have to do the DO part.
Elder Wirthlin “Come what may and love it!” “How can we love days that are filled with sorrow? We can’t—at least not in the moment. I don’t think my mother was suggesting that we suppress discouragement or deny the reality of pain. I don’t think she was suggesting that we smother unpleasant truths beneath a cloak of pretended happiness. But I do believe that the way we react to adversity can be a major factor in how happy and successful we can be in life. If we approach adversities wisely, our hardest times can be times of greatest growth, which in turn can lead toward times of greatest happiness.”
Pres. Monson Oct. 2008 Conference
“I plead with you not to let those most important things pass you by as you plan for that illusive and non-existent future when you will have time to do all that you want to do. Instead, find joy in the journey—now.”
Stresses in our lives come regardless of our circumstances. We must deal with them the best we can.
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