...With Happiness

Do you want to be happy? Of course you do! And I found the secret equation for happiness! Are you ready to be happy?

Family + Commandments + Scriptures + Temples + Work + Priesthood = Happiness

How do I know this? And where is the proof? Take a look in the Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 5:

1. Family. Nephi's older brothers don't really like him. In fact, they want to kill him. So what does Nephi do? He "flees into the wilderness" (verse 5) and the first thing he says he takes with him is his family (see v. 6). 

2. Keep the Commandments. Nephi tells of the first thing his family does as they settle in the wilderness: "...we did observe to keep the judgements, and the statutes, and the commandments of the Lord in all things..." (v. 10)

3. Study the Scriptures.  Another thing Nephi mentions bringing as he fled into the wilderness were the "plates of brass" (v. 12), or their current scriptures. Nephi and his family read and prayed about this record often. 

4. Temple Attendance. Once Nephi and his family settled down what was the first thing he speaks of building? Temples! "...after the manner of the temple of Solomon..." (v. 16) they built and worshiped in temples.

5. Work. Work fixes that which doesn't work anymore. Nephi taught his people that they needed to "labor with their hands" (v. 17) or to learn to work for themselves. A valuable trait we all need to learn.

6. Priesthood and Following the Prophet. The last thing Nephi mentions doing is ordaining his younger brothers to "be priests and teachers" (v. 26) so that the people would have the blessings of the priesthood to lead and direct them.

So how does this equal happiness? After describing the pattern that Nephi and his people live, he tells us of their standard of living. He says "And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness." (v. 27) If we follow this pattern, set by a prophet of God, we too will find that we are living "after the manner of happiness." Now go be happy! 

...With Rest

Not too long ago I was feeling overwhelmed with the burdens of life. I felt like life was just an endless list of work to do. Then, after life I've always learned that we will continue working. I could see no end. It all seemed too hard for me. I continued to feel worse and worse. How was all this work possible, or even worth it? Then a scripture reference popped into my head: Alma 40:12. As I looked up the scripture my soul was filled with peace. It reads:

"And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow."


 I knew what I read was true. There is an end, and as I continue to endure faithfully I will be able to join my Father in Heaven in a "state of peace, where [I can]...rest from all...troubles and from all care, and sorrow." The Lord has provided a way. This life is short, and at times it may seem hard, but as we endure faithfully our reward will exceed all that we could imagine.

...With The Better Part

Recently I've been doing a study of the New Testament. As I have worked my way through the four gospels, I continue to think back to the story of Martha and Mary. It consists of simply 5 verses:

 "Now it came to pass, as they went, that he [Jesus] entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her."

The more I think on this short story the more powerful it becomes to me. Anyone who knows me will attest that I tend to be a workaholic. As I place myself in this scene I know which person I would be: Martha.

There is nothing wrong with working, serving, and being mindful of others, but the issue here is that Martha was putting work above God. There are many good things we can do, but there is also much better. We may not all put work before God, like Martha, but we may put other things like friends, social status, money, or even ourselves. How often do we take a moment to sit down and read the word of God? How often do we ponder on Christ's sacrafice and ressurection? These are the things of eternal value -- the better part. God's love and guidance is that "which shall not be taken away" from us.