Right now my mother is reading Pollyanna to my youngest sister. They are both enjoying it immensely, just as I did when I first discovered this written story. There are many great lessons that can be gleaned from this children's classic.

For me the most powerful of the lessons taught is how to play "The Glad Game,” and why it is so important that we do so. It is possible to see things as they are and yet at the same time focus on the good side of them. To do so takes a conscious choice on our part, which may not always be easy to do, but it is always possible.

I am reminded of a quote my father has on the wall of his office which says,

"In this life trials and tribulations are mandatory, but misery is optional."-unknown

I know that this is true. It may not be in our power to always control what happens to us in our life, but it is always in our power to decide how we will look at, and thus react to what happens to us. President Gordon B. Hinckley, the fifteenth President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (aka The Mormons) has counseled,

"I am asking that we stop seeking out the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight. I am suggesting that as we go through life we "accentuate the positive." I am asking that we look a little deeper for the good…What I am suggesting is that each of us turn from the negativism that so permeates our society and look for the remarkable good…" The Spirit of Optimism, New Era July 2001, President Gordon B. Hinckley

I look at the lives of my many single adult friends. All of them have their own personal trials which they struggle through day to day. Some of my friends are so weighed down by these trials to the point of bordering on depression, and despondency, or anger; others seem to find an inner peace, strength, and even happiness despite everything. The difference is what they focus on. Or in other words, their attitude.

My friends, who seek to look for the good in their lives and hold that as their focus, are generally happy, where those who focus on all the trials and hardships are not. It is that simple. My Mission President would often remind me that if I looked for the good then I would always find it, but if I focused on the bad then soon that would be all I would be able to see.

In seeking to apply this principle in my life, I have found a strength I did not know that I had, to overcome hardship and find happiness and peace in the midst of the storms of my life. Whenever something bad happens in my life (like how I recently tore all the ligaments in my left ankle), I immediately try to play the "Glad Game" and seek to figure out what I can be grateful for.

In the incident of my ankle, I was grateful that I didn't damage it enough to need surgery. I was grateful to be able to borrow crutches to help me get around. I was grateful for loving friends and family who have taken such good care of me….Really the list can go on and on.

At the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, referred to as the Mormons, 178th Annual General Conference Elder Russell M. Nelson, a living Apostle of our Lord Jesus Christ, stated:

This life is the time to prepare for salvation and exaltation. In God’s eternal plan, salvation is an individual matter; exaltation is a family matter. (Russell M. Nelson, “Salvation and Exaltation,” Ensign, May 2008, 7–10)

Let's take a look at the definition of salvation: "In the doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the terms "saved" and "salvation" have various meanings. As used in Romans 10:9-10, the words "saved" and "salvation" signify a covenant relationship with Jesus Christ. Through this covenant relationship, followers of Christ are assured salvation from the eternal consequences of sin if they are obedient."

Salvation is entirely up to each one of us, individually. A covenant relationship with Jesus Christ is something precious given to us by the Lord. When we left our heavenly home we set forth on this mortal journey with great excitement and energy, determined to accomplish the purposes of our mortal probation. Before leaving we made promises, covenants, with our Savior. Things that we promised to accomplish on His behalf. For example, we may have made promises to:

• Marry and raise a family up unto God, or
• To teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world, or
• To mentor parentless or single parent children, or
• To live our lives in such a way as to emulate Jesus Christ, or
• To be a true and loyal friend, or
• To be a mother, or
• To be a father, or
• To be a scientist who cures disease, or
• To be a doctor who save lives, or

The possibilities are literally endless. The greatest promise we made was to reach the fullest of our potential as children of God. This is where salvation is dependent on us. How badly do we want to return to Jesus Christ?

First and foremost, we must have faith that Jesus Christ really is the Son of God. We must have faith that He is our Savior and Redeemer. Elder Nelson tells us:

The development of faith in the Lord is an individual matter. Repentance is also an individual matter. Only as an individual can one be baptized and receive the Holy Ghost. Each of us is born individually; likewise, each of us is “born again” individually. Salvation is an individual matter. (Ibid Elder Russell M. Nelson)

In other words, it us up to us to make the best of what our Father in Heaven has given us. He gave us His Son, Jesus Christ, to redeem the world . . . all the children of God, no matter when or where they've lived, live or have yet to live. No matter their race, culture, creed or religion, Jesus Christ is the Messiah to us all.

Once we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Redeemer, even accepted Him as real as you or I, then it is our job to become better people.

Once we have become all we can become, individually, it is time to continue the progression on to exaltation, which is indeed, a family matter. We cannot become exalted until we are part of a family, our family. The definition of exaltation is: "Eternal life is the phrase used in scripture to define the quality of life that our Eternal Father lives. The Lord declared, "This is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:39). Immortality is to live forever as a resurrected being. Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, everyone will receive this gift. Eternal life, or exaltation, is to live in God's presence and to continue as families (see D&C 131:1–4). Like immortality, this gift is made possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. However, to inherit eternal life requires our "obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel" (Articles of Faith 1:3)."

Mormons believe deeply and strongly in the eternal family. It is one of the greatest parts of Heavenly Father's plan of salvation. It is the thing that keeps us moving forward through all obstacles, trials and tragedies . . . the thought that we can be with our family forever and do so in the presence of God is truly a goal worth fighting for.

Elder Nelson tell us:

Individual progression is fostered in the family, which is “central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children.” The home is to be God’s laboratory of love and service. There a husband is to love his wife, a wife is to love her husband, and parents and children are to love one another.

Throughout the world, the family is increasingly under attack. If families fail, many of our political, economic, and social systems will also fail. And if families fail, their glorious eternal potential cannot be realized.

Our Heavenly Father wants husbands and wives to be faithful to each other and to esteem and treat their children as an heritage from the Lord. In such a family we study the scriptures and pray together. And we fix our focus on the temple. There we receive the highest blessings that God has in store for His faithful children. (Ibid)

Our family units on earth are patterned after the eternal family we left behind, in heaven. When an apostle of the Lord tells us that the family is central to exaltation, the greatest level a child of God can reach, then it is a very important thing to remember. Through the power of prayer we are able to gain the strength and courage we need to keep moving forward.

Family means love. Family means support. Family means strength. Family means courage. Family means . . . everything.

Resurrection, or immortality, comes to every man and every woman as an unconditional gift.

Eternal life, or celestial glory or exaltation, is a conditional gift. Conditions of this gift have been established by the Lord, who said, “If you keep my commandments and endure to the end you shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God.” Those qualifying conditions include faith in the Lord, repentance, baptism, receiving the Holy Ghost, and remaining faithful to the ordinances and covenants of the temple. (Ibid)

Do not fear if you are alone. The Lord knows the true intent of your heart and although life may seem lonely at this time, you truly have only to live up to the potential of being a child of God and leave the rest in the hands of God. You are descended of a long line of ancestors, going back to Adam and Eve, who will stand with you in the eternities. Your job is simply to do all you can to become the person God needs you to be, keep your heart and mind open to the possibilities He will present to you and trust that you are in His care. Despite all the world presents to you, trust in Jesus Christ. Trust that family is eternal.

If family is not in the future for you, families can be formed through the bonds of friendship as well as through the bonds of church members. Trust that the Lord will place people in your path who will help you to ease the sorrow. On your knees, if you will pour your heart out and listen, I mean really listen, then the Savior will offer that comfort you need until your eternal family bonds are formed.

Simply believe, that through your attained salvation, exaltation can be found if you have not walked away from the opportunities the Lord has placed in your path.

Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love you. They love you more than you can possibly know or ever understand. A way and path has been provided, through Jesus Christ, to find our way back to our heavenly home and that exaltation, and family, awaits.

I still remember my early days as a newcomer to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often inadvertently known as "The 'Mormon' Church"). A former Catholic (Karen Trifiletti Merkley), I raised unanswered questions about the war in heaven, confession of sins, baptism, and many other doctrines, which I found later answered as I investigated the claims of the Church of Jesus Christ as mentioned in anti-Mormon literature written by ex-mormons. The claims of Mormons aligned themselves completely with the doctrines of Jesus Christ as I found them through personal, guided study of the New Testament (See www.mormontestimonies.org).

Following baptism, I was received warmly into a congregation of saints, and I really did feel the message fulfilled that I was no longer a stranger, but a fellow citizen in a new household. Still, there were waves of new understanding to surf, winds to stand up to, and waters to navigate that were not yet familiar. I'm thankful to those in Jarrettown, Pennsylvania, for embracing me as a new member, and to those missionaries who spent two years in the Savior's service, teaching myself and others the way to live a rewarding life here and prepare for one hereafter.

For those new members who have experienced opposition from family, or who have entered a branch or ward still developing and who have desired extra guidance, the following letter may contain some morsel of help.

It was written by Ward Filmore, former counselor in the California San Francisco Presidency.

Dear New Member:

On the occasion of your baptism into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and on behalf of the members of the Church, we congratulate you on your choice and welcome you as a member of our ward. We join our Heavenly Father in rejoicing that another of His children has chosen to come unto Him through His Son, Jesus Christ by entering the waters of baptism.

The last question in your baptismal interview asks if you are willing to covenant with your Heavenly Father to come into the Church of Jesus Christ and serve Him and keep His commandments for the rest of your life. You have answered that question affirmatively by being baptized today. It is our desire and also the purpose of the Church to help you keep that covenant by teaching you, providing opportunities for you to serve, and making sacred ordinances available to you. Here are some milestones new members may use to set goals for themselves as they move forward as members of the Church over the next several months.

1. Receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost and confirmation as a member of the Church which should take place next Sunday. This great gift will bless you always.

2. Join the Gospel Essentials Class where you will continue to learn the basic principles of the gospel as you study the textbook, Gospel Principles.

3. Receive the six new member discussions from the missionaries and members of the church. These discussions help you understand how the gospel blesses our lives.

4. Be interviewed by the Bishop so he can understand how best to help you.

5. Receive the Aaronic Priesthood and become part of the Elders Quorum which will fellowship you and provide you opportunities to serve using the priesthood.

6. Accept a calling to serve in the Church in which you can experience the joys of service to your brothers and sisters in the Church.

7. Be worthy and receive your patriarchal blessing which will be a guide to your life.

8. Attend the temple to do Baptisms for the Dead which will bless the lives of our departed ancestors and brothers and sisters.

9. Be worthy and receive the Melchizedek Priesthood which will allow you to bless. more fully, the lives of those you love.

10. Be worthy to obtain a temple recommend and receiving your endowment in the temple. In the temple you will make sacred covenants and be blessed (endowed) with additional knowledge and receive guidance as you listen to the Spirit in that holy place.

As your brethren, we offer the following counsel as you begin the great adventure of your new life as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ.

1. Be grateful. Thank your Heavenly Father for his marvelous Plan of Happiness, for the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ, and the Atonement available through Him. Express gratitude to those who have helped you in any way. Feeling grateful brings us peace.

2. Be prayerful. Express your gratitude to Heavenly Father in daily prayer. Seek His counsel in all you do. Listen as you pray. Express your love to Him. Ask how you can serve Him. We promise you His guidance, comfort and protection as you do so.

3. Be patient. Be patient with yourself. Move forward steadily. You are on the right path moving in the right direction. Expect to be a learner all the rest of your life. We all are. Be patient with members of the church. They are not perfect. Like you, they all have other commitments. They make mistakes. Don't use their misbehavior or weakness as an excuse for being upset with the Church. Patience brings peace.

4. Be dependable. Accept callings in the church. The church needs everyone to help. There is no paid ministry. The work of the church is divided among all members who are willing to serve. You can help the work of the Lord go forward as you serve with gladness and gratitude. You will feel great satisfaction as your serve dependably.

5. Be self reliant. There are things that only you can do for yourself. Only you can repent for yourself. Only you can gain a personal knowledge of the scriptures. Take responsibility for your own spiritual welfare. Don't wait to be asked before you reach out to help others. You have direct access to Heavenly Father. He loves you and He will answer your prayers.

6. Be faithful. Pay your tithing gladly. When we pay tithing we step onto the Lord's side of the line. We prove we are trustworthy and we open the windows of heaven for ourselves and our families. As you are faithful in keeping the commandments, you will feel cheerful, happy, and at peace.

7. Be a good learner. Love the truth. No other knowledge can substitute for a personal knowledge of the scriptures. Study them regularly. Set goals for yourself, over time, to finish the Book of Mormon and the other scriptures. Read the church magazines. Ask questions, be observant, and you will learn steadily and surely the truths of the Gospel. The Lord expects us to learn with our minds (acquiring knowledge) and our hearts (learning to be good). He wants us to know what is right and to also do what is right. We feel a sense of achievement as we learn and live the Gospel.

8. Be active. There is much good you personally can do; in your family, among your friends, as well as in the church. You can serve and bless the lives of others. The gospel of Jesus Christ is for all people who are assigned to this earth. Missionary work reaches out to those on the earth who are not yet members. The work for the dead helps those who have left this life already. Current members of the church are blessed through their participation in the church. As you bless others, you also bring blessings to yourself.

9. Be comforted. Our Heavenly Father's love for you and each of his children is constant, steady, and unwavering. He will always assure you of His love for you if you seek to feel it. He will always counsel you out of His love and wisdom. No human counsel can match His. You can depend on His love, His wisdom, His goodness, and His availability to you as you seek to do His will.

10. Be worthy. Keep yourself clean from the sins of the world. After you have received your first temple recommend, do everything possible to be worthy to keep it for the rest of your life. Let virtue garnish your thoughts unceasingly. Seek the welfare of those around you. Overcome selfishness and control your passions and your heart will be filled with love.

As the bishopric of the ward, we are called to serve all members of our ward. You will be assigned to a priesthood quorum or group and be visited by home teachers. Pray for your leaders and home teachers and seek their counsel. If you need to counsel privately with the Bishop, seek an appointment through the Executive Secretary. We send our love to you.

For new female converts, the milestones might be as follows:

1. Receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost and confirmation as a member of the Church which should take place next Sunday. This great gift will bless you always.

2. Join the Gospel Essentials Class where you will continue to learn the basic principles of the gospel as you study the textbook, Gospel Principles.

3. Receive the six new member discussions from the missionaries and members of the church. These discussions help you understand how the gospel blesses our lives.

4. Be interviewed by the Bishop so he can understand how best to help you.

5. Join the Relief Society of the ward where you will have an opportunity to serve, learn, and grow.

6. Accept a calling to serve in the Church in which you can experience the joys of service to your brothers and sisters in the Church.

7. Be worthy and receive your patriarchal blessing which will be a guide to your life.

8. Attend the temple to do Baptisms for the Dead which will bless the lives of our departed ancestors and brothers and sisters.

9. Be worthy to obtain a temple recommend and receiving your endowment in the temple. In the temple you will make sacred covenants and be blessed (endowed) with additional knowledge and receive guidance as you listen to the spirit in that holy place.

Br. Filmore writes for http://familyhist.org/meridianjapan/. We wish to thank Br. Filmore for sharing this with us. It is our prayer that new members will feel our love and become actively involved in their wards. May God Bless each one of you as go further on this path of increased closeness to Jesus Christ.

~ Karen Merkley and the More Good Foundation team.

I ran across a beautiful set of scriptures the other day as I was celebrating the return of spring. They’re found in John 15.

1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
John 15:1-11

It goes on with more great counsel and blessings, but I’d like to focus on just these verses for a moment.

I like the imagery of the vine and the fruit. I wonder how much nourishment I’m taking from my Master to bear sweet fruit. He gives us a wealth of council and knowledge which, if heeded will make us something more wonderful than we could ever imagine for ourselves. The less we heed that same counsel and knowledge, the more we shrivel and die on the vine. We can also become weakened and experience insults from outside of the vine. Again, the choice is ours as to whethe r or not we will treat these problems, or let them destroy us and cut us off from the vine. There will be times in our lives when we will find ourselves without so much fruit; times when the Master prunes and picks to allow us to become stronger and experience further growth. We decide how we will respond to these trials, as well.

Note that in all these cases the vine is still there at this point. It is the fruit and the branch that has changed. Eventually, that connection will change. Eventually, the Master will remove the dead fruit and the bare branches, so that those which are still growing can do so unimpeded. That is yet to come. Right now each of us is still on the vine with a choice to make. That choice concerns exactly how much of our Savior’s love we are willing to let into our lives and how much of the world we will keep out.

Let’s talk about the figurative worms and pestilence that can attack us in the world. These can and should be treated. Even when under attack the fruit can still be saved. Especially with the Master as the vine, each of us can be restored no matter how hopeless the situation seems. The choice is still ours; we decide if we can and want to be healed. He reaches out to honor our wishes and love us as much as we will let Him.

Consider the advice of James E. Faust.

“I believe that all of [you] want to be happy and find the peace that the Savior promised. I think many of you try very hard to keep up with all of your responsibilities. I do not wish to offend anyone. I am reluctant to mention a matter but feel it should be said. Sometimes we carry unhappy feelings about past hurts too long. We spend too much energy dwelling on things that have passed and cannot be changed. We struggle to close the door and let go of the hurt. If, after time, we can forgive whatever may have caused the hurt, we will tap “into a life-giving source of comfort” through the Atonement, and the “sweet peace” of forgiveness will be ours. Some injuries are so hurtful and deep that healing comes only with help from a higher power and hope for perfect justice and restitution in the next life. [You] can tap into that higher power and receive precious comfort and sweet peace.”
James E. Faust, “Instruments in the Hands of God,” Ensign, Nov 2005, 114

The Savior’s plea to each of us in these verses is to “Abide in me, and I in you.” He asks us for permission to enter our hearts and lives. He asks that we let Him love us. If we do that, we are called His disciples and our lives are filled with sweetness and peace. How do we invite Him in? How do we receive His greatest blessings? How do we feel His love? The answer is also given, “keep my commandments” and you will have joy. By simply using Christ as our example and living God’s laws, we can be filled with His love. He nourishes us and blesses us. He abides in us when we are trying to abide in Him.

“For the fruit of the gospel to blossom and bless our lives, we must be firmly attached to Him, the Savior of us all, and to this His Church, which bears His holy name. He is the vine that is our true source of strength and the only source of eternal life. In Him we not only will endure but also will prevail and triumph in this holy cause that will never fail us. May we never fail it nor fail Him . . . ” Jeffrey R. Holland, “‘Abide in Me’,” Liahona, May 2004, 30–32