It is probably safe to say that all Christians believe in the eternal nature of God, but what about the eternal nature of men and women? Even prior to Christ’s resurrection, his followers understood that there would be a resurrection day for them as well. In John 11:23-24 Martha affirms her belief that her dead brother, Lazarus, would live again in some future day:

Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.

Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

When Christ appeared to his disciples as a resurrected being, he had a glorified body. His disciples could physically handle him and feel the scars on his hands and on his feet. Christ ate fish and honey in their presence (see Luke 24:36-43). His new resurrected body would never sicken or die. He was immortal, perfected. Because of Christ, every man and woman that has ever lived on the earth may anticipate a glorious resurrection.

But what came before the first man and first woman, Adam and Eve, were put on the earth? Did each man and woman first come to exist at birth, or did they exist before being born in the flesh? Christ indicated that he dwelt with God before he was born to the virgin Mary:

And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
(John 17:5, 24)

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (nicknamed the Mormons) has additional scripture that explains the eternal nature of men and women. God showed Abraham in a vision how he, God, had organized the spirits who were to be born on the earth. Among them were those who were especially suited to be righteous leaders on earth, like the prophet Abraham. The following is from The Pearl of Great Price:

Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones;

And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born. (Abraham 3:22-23)

None of us, unfortunately, remember life before we were born on earth. It does not mean, however, that it did not occur. Part of the challenge of this life is learning to live by faith. It is important to understand that when we hear God’s truth on earth, we are not hearing it for the first time. We dwelt with God as his spirit children in a premortal world. God held a premortal council wherein he presented a plan for his children to come to earth and learn to live by faith. Those that choose to follow God will be blessed not only in life, but will be allowed to return to God’s presence after they died, never again to be separated from his presence.

I love to crochet beautiful little baby things. Not long ago I couldn’t even make a decent looking chain of stitches but I was determined to learn, so I practiced a lot. Time and again I crocheted a square, only to discard it or pull it out. I was trying to make something without a pattern but every attempt I made, failed.

Finally, I got a pattern book that included the instructions for basic crochet stitches. I chose a simple pattern to start with and carefully began again. I still needed to pull out the stitches a few times before I started to get the hang of it. Eventually the tiny baby dress began to take shape and I was encouraged. As I saw my efforts beginning to bear fruit, my desire to become better grew. I practiced harder and marveled at the wondrous things my hands made.

My success in learning to crochet was not because I have some innate gift that made me unique or special. My success came from finding a good pattern to follow, acquiring the right tools for the job and then working hard at accomplishing my goal.

The same basic principles can be applied to life and our quest for happiness. I’m sure you, like me, have tried many different ways to find happiness. Satan’s ways are readily available and tied up with fancy bows and packaging so as to appear the most desirable. However, rarely do his ways provide any lasting happiness, and most often we are left with frustration and even despair as our best efforts are torn down and we are left to start all over again.

What a happy discovery, though, to find that the Lord has prepared a pattern that if we follow it carefully, we can achieve true happiness. He says, “I will give unto you a pattern in all things, that ye may not be deceived; for Satan is abroad in the land, and he goeth forth deceiving (D&C 52:14.)

The late Marvin J. Ashton, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (or Mormon Church as it is commonly known) wrote:

“The gospel of Jesus Christ is God’s pattern for righteous living and eternal life. It makes possible goal-setting and lofty priorities. Satan and his advocates will constantly try to deceive and entice us into following their patterns. If we are to achieve daily safety, exaltation, and eternal happiness, we need to live by the light and truth of our Savior’s plan. All salvation revolves around our Savior” (“A Pattern in All Things,” Ensign, Nov 1990, 20.)

Once we have the pattern for happiness, we find it’s simplicity belies it’s beautiful outcome. Not all patterns need be difficult for us to accomplish something we can be proud of. We have a pattern for prayer, as taught in the Book of Mormon, and directions for living by the word of God which can also be found in the scriptures. Daily following this simple pattern of prayer and scripture study can lead us to repent, to live worthy of the Comforter, to have faith in Jesus Christ to choose the right and with practice, to have joy in Christ.

The old adage that anything worth doing is worth doing well, is true. “And behold, it must be done according to the pattern which I have given unto you” (D&C 94:2.) His is the pattern for success and the finished product is one you can be proud of – a truly happy you.

One day my husband asked our energetic four-year-old daughter, "Are you a peacemaker or a troublemaker?" She paused, then decisively pronounced, "I'm a piece of trouble!"

In a world full of pieces of trouble and conflict at every turn, we are challenged to teach our children differently. We have the obligation as parents to teach peace. If we fail to teach peace in the home, it is unlikely that our children will learn the principles of peace in the world.

We have daily opportunity to teach peace. Who gets the bigger cookie? How will chores be fairly divided? What should you do when brother hits? What if sister borrows your shoes without permission or brother breaks your best toy? From toddler to teenager, we have small but frequent opportunities in the home to teach peace. Knowing peace brings joy and happiness. "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God." (Matthew 5:9)

Much contention comes from the fact that each of us has free will. It is not in simply having the will that is the problem, but the wise or poor use of it. Choices that stem from selfishness have bad consequences for the child and usually for the entire family. Wise choices based on love and understanding for others bring peace.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is the foundation for these wise choices. In the midst of World War I, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Joseph F. Smith declared:

“There is only one thing that can bring peace into the world. It is the adoption of the gospel of Jesus Christ, rightly understood, obeyed and practiced by rulers and people alike.” (Improvement Era, Sept. 1914, pp. 1074–75.)

His life and His words give us instructions of teaching peace to our children.

First, pray for peace. We need help beyond our own abilities in a world full of conflict. When we pray both individually and as a family for peace and for one another, we can foster greater understanding and greater love for each other.

Second, learn of peace. The life of the Savior, the Prince of Peace, can effectively teach us. He understood perfectly the need for all of us to have free will, or agency. He fully respected this greatest gift of choice. His life, filled with patience and self-mastery, showed us how we should be and keeps the standard for our behavior high. He commanded us to obey but invites us to choose and does not employ force when teaching gospel truths. His own obedience to the will of the Father shows us we should strive to keep His commandments. His willingness to forgive others and his encouragement of repentance shows us what to do when we make mistakes.

Third, listen for peace. In the book of the Doctrine and Covenants, revelation received by the prophet Joseph Smith, we learn to listen to the Holy Ghost.

“…and you shall receive my Spirit, the Holy Ghost, even the Comforter, which shall teach you the peaceable things of the kingdom.” (D&C 36:2)

Listening to one another also promotes peace. When we begin to have learning conversations with family members instead of blaming or accusing conversations, we can clear up misunderstandings, understand true intentions and show greater love.

Fourth, practice peace. In our families, we have daily opportunity to practice peace. We can teach our children to serve one another and to love one another. Peace is found where righteousness and concern for others comes first. Also found in the Doctrine and Covenants is this counsel:

“But learn that he who doeth the works of righteousness shall receive his reward, even peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come.” (D&C 59:23)

As parents, we can teach our children to follow the Savior Jesus Christ. Dallin H. Oaks, LDS church leader and apostle, noted in an address entitled World Peace:

The Savior and his Apostles had no program for world peace other than individual righteousness. They mounted no opposition to the rule of Rome or to the regime of its local tyrants. They preached individual righteousness and taught that the children of God should love their enemies and “live peaceably with all men.”

May our children gain the everyday help of mothers and fathers in the quest for peace.

I do not know if it is an accident of history, or if there was divine intervention involved, but have you noticed that the words “son” and “sun” are homophones? For Christians that involves a fun word play. We believe that Christ is the Son of God and also that He is our light, much like the sun is our light.

In the New Testament, Jesus makes it very clear that He is more than a carpenter and more than an itinerant Jewish gadfly:

"Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." (John 8:12)

In the Book of Mormon, which members of the Mormon Church believe to be scripture, this teaching is amplified. After His resurrection, Jesus Christ appeared to the ancient inhabitants of America and taught them His gospel. There He reaffirmed His role as the light of the world:

"Behold, I am the law, and the light. Look unto me, and endure to the end, and ye shall live; for unto him that endureth to the end will I give eternal life." (3 Nephi 15:9)

Teachers repeat things for emphasis. For example, President Howard W. Hunter, the fourteenth president of the Mormon Church confirmed Christ’s teachings about being light and being an example.

In 1994, shortly after becoming president of the church, he said:

"Several months ago an invitation was given to members of the Church as we strive to keep the commandments of God and receive the full measure of his blessings. The invitation was for all members of the Church to live with ever more attention to the life and example of the Lord Jesus Christ, emulating the love and hope and compassion he displayed."

"We were asked to treat each other with more kindness, more courtesy, more humility and patience and forgiveness. We do have high expectations of one another, and all can improve. Our world cries out for more disciplined living of the commandments of God. But the way we are to encourage that, as the Lord told the Prophet Joseph in the wintry depths of Liberty Jail, is “by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned; … without hypocrisy, and without guile” (D&C 121:41–42). We may feast at the table laid before us in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and strive to follow the Good Shepherd who has provided it. ..."

"The great standard! The only sure way! The light and the life of the world! ..."

"Let us follow the Son of God in all ways and in all walks of life. Let us make him our exemplar and our guide. We should at every opportunity ask ourselves, “What would Jesus do?” and then be more courageous to act upon the answer. We must follow Christ, in the best sense of that word. We must be about his work as he was about his Father’s. We should try to be like him, even as the Primary children sing, “Try, try, try.” To the extent that our mortal powers permit, we should make every effort to become like Christ—the one perfect and sinless example this world has ever seen. ..."

"We must know Christ better than we know him; we must remember him more often than we remember him; we must serve him more valiantly than we serve him. Then will we drink water springing up unto eternal life and will eat the bread of life."

"What manner of men and women ought we to be? Even as he is." (Howard W. Hunter, “He Invites Us to Follow Him,” Ensign, Sep 1994, 2)

A revelation from Joseph Smith, the first president of the Mormon Church, added to our understanding:

“For intelligence cleaveth unto intelligence; wisdom receiveth wisdom; truth embraceth truth; virtue loveth virtue; light cleaveth unto light; mercy hath compassion on mercy and claimeth her own; justice continueth its course and claimeth its own; judgment goeth before the face of him who sitteth upon the throne and governeth and executeth all things.” (D&C 88:40)

I appreciate Joseph Smith’s teachings on light. He takes this small sentence from Jesus Christ, and then expounds it in a way that both clarifies and illuminates the point being made. Light is not an isolated attribute, but part of a constellation of characteristics. Intelligence, wisdom, truth, virtue, light, mercy, justice, judgment—all of these are God’s attributes. Therefore the need to be our attributes, too.

By taking all of these teachings together—from Christ, Joseph Smith, and Howard W. Hunter— we see that light is not merely atomic quantum activity. Light is a way of life. It touches upon all we do.

Christ is the light, or the example for us. Since we are supposed to follow Him, we are also supposed to be lights:

"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 5:14-16)

Once again the Book of Mormon adds to this teaching:

"Therefore, hold up your light that it may shine unto the world. Behold I am the light which ye shall hold up—that which ye have seen me do. Behold ye see that I have prayed unto the Father, and ye all have witnessed." (3 Nephi 18:24)

This clarifies the question, “If we are to be examples, what are we to exemplify?” The answer is simply "Christ."

We can read about Christ in the Bible. Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon, which is another testament of Jesus Christ. Joseph Smith also established a church that is centered in Christ. I think that is why understanding Joseph Smith as a witness of Christ is so key. If Christ is the center of all we do, then Christ must be the center of what Joseph Smith did, and Christ must be the center of what His church does nowadays.

And I am glad that He is.

Friends are a precious commodity, especially when you, as teenagers, begin to pull away from your family. Finding friends who uplift, strengthen, fortify and encourage you is vital if you are to be truly happy.

In the booklet For the Strength of Youth, put out by leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly referred to as the Mormon Church), teens are cautioned to pick good friends.

“Choose your friends carefully. They will greatly influence how you think and act, and even help determine the person you will become. Choose friends who share your values so you can strengthen and encourage each other in living high standards. A true friend will encourage you to be your best self” (“For the Strength of Youth,” p. 12).

I had a remarkable group of friends during my junior high and high school years. Several of them stayed with me through those six years while others came and went. The one thing I looked for in my friends was a common value system. None of us were tempted to use drugs, drink alcohol, or try smoking. We all firmly believed in keeping ourselves pure by not having sex before marriage. All of us felt it important to attend our weekly Sunday meetings as well as attending Seminary Monday through Friday along with our regular school studies. Our group of young women and men helped one another to stay on the path of righteousness, and we’ve come out better for it.

I have had other friends who chose a different way. I won’t go into details, but I will say the repentance process was so incredibly difficult and every single one of them said if they could undo what had been done, they would go back in time and change things.

This brings me to the next focus of friendship: being a good friend.

“To have good friends, be a good friend yourself. Show interest in others and let them know you care about them. Treat everyone with kindness and respect. Go out of your way to be a friend to those who are shy or do not feel included” (“For the Strength of Youth,” p. 12).

For years after you have left your high school years behind, you will be remembered. Melissa Watkins was one of my favorite people in high school. She had curly, blonde hair and the most extraordinary smile. We didn’t run in the same social circles, but it didn’t matter to her. Every day as I would walk into our choir class she made me feel as though I was the most important person to her at that time. I can say the same of Emily Cowley. She had the most willing heart when it came to serving others. She was dedicated to her church and her beliefs, and had an exceptional testimony.

These two young ladies and others besides will be remembered as good, kind, and inspirational. The impact they had on friends and acquaintances was truly profound.

There are, of course, others who will not be remembered so kindly due to choices they make that negatively impacted my life or the lives of my friends. I realize they may be wonderful members of their communities now. Unfortunately I cannot think of them in this way. The things we do in this life, no matter how seemingly insignificant, will make lasting impressions on those we meet in this life. Not only will our actions be remembered by those we come in contact with here on earth, they will also be recorded in heaven as well.

“Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” (Matthew 25:40).

We need to make a special effort with our friends. We need to make a special effort with those who may not be our friends…yet. You never know when even a little kindness from you may be the only kindness someone receives.