We are here on earth because God chose for us to be here and because we agreed to come here on His terms. We’re here because Adam and Eve made the unselfish choice to leave the garden of Eden and start a family. We’re even here because Noah was willing to build an ark.
But now that we’re here…what does God hope for us? He hopes we will find Him, love Him, and keep His commandments so we can return home again. However, although life is a school, it was never meant to be a dreary, boring, “sit at your desk and listen to the teacher droning” sort of school.
It was meant to be wonderful, overall.
25 Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy. (2 Nephi 2)
This is one of my favorite verses in the Book of Mormon. It reminds me to make my life a happy one. I notice, however that it says “might have joy.” This means we have to make a choice to do those things which can bring joy to our lives—we’re not guaranteed joy, only told we can have it if we choose. It’s what God wants for us, but we have agency and can decide if we want it for ourselves.
What is joy and how do we get it?
Many people confuse pleasure with joy. Pleasure might come from a trip to Disneyland or an hour spent playing video games. Some people associate pleasure with sin. These moments of pleasure, however, are fleeting. Joy isn’t caused by material things or outward events. It is something found deep inside, and comes from living well. Living well doesn’t mean being rich. It means living according to the plan God made for us.
It’s often said in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) that you can’t do wrong and feel right. In order to be joyful, you must be keeping the commandments. Beyond that, you must be keeping them for the right reason—because you feel an overwhelming love for Heavenly Father and Jesus, and want to make them happy. When we live out of love for God and the Savior, we have joy that can’t be undone by worldly trials. It’s a peaceful, inner joy that glows quietly even in moments of intense sadness, keeping us going until things are better again.
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, counselor to the prophet tells a story that illustrates how the Restored Gospel can bring joy in the most frightening of times:
“I remember a time when things didn’t look good for our family when I was a child. It was in the winter of 1944, one of the coldest during World War II. The war front was approaching our town, and my mother had to take us four children, leave all our possessions behind, and join the millions of fleeing refugees in a desperate search for a place to survive. Our father was still in the military, but he and Mother had agreed that if they were ever separated during the war, they would try to reunite at the hometown of my grandparents. They felt this place offered the greatest hope for shelter and safety.
With bombing raids during the night and air attacks during the day, it took us many days to reach my grandparents. My memories of those days are of darkness and coldness.
My father returned to us unharmed, but our future looked extremely bleak. We were living in the rubble of postwar Germany with a devastating feeling of hopelessness and darkness about our future.
In the middle of this despair, my family learned about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the healing message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. This message made all the difference; it lifted us above our daily misery. Life was still thorny and the circumstances still horrible, but the gospel brought light, hope, and joy into our lives. The plain and simple truths of the gospel warmed our hearts and enlightened our minds. They helped us look at ourselves and the world around us with different eyes and from an elevated viewpoint.” Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Have We Not Reason to Rejoice?,” Ensign, Nov 2007, 18–21
There are many aspects of the message of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that bring joy to people who are suffering from hardships, poor self-esteem, or sadness. Let’s look at just a few of them.
1. We are children of a Heavenly Father who loves us with all His heart.
Certainly this message, if completely internalized, can bring complete joy. If someone so wonderful can love us, how can we not be filled with joy?
2. We have a Savior, Jesus Christ, who loved us so much He died for us.
That is a powerful love. Through this most perfect of all gifts, we were given the chance not just to live forever, but to live forever with our Heavenly Father and our Savior, in the presence of the two we love more than any other.
3. We are expected to do all we can, but we can be forgiven for our sins, because of the Savior’s gift to us.
4. We can, if we make the right choices, live with our families forever. Who can be happy living forever without being a part of the family they love? Who would want to live forever without their families? Most of us find it a struggle to live a few mortal years without them.
5. We can find peace in knowing where we came from, why we’re here, and what will happen to us after this life.
6. We have a religion that demands our commitment all day, every day—not that we’re in church that often. It means we are Mormons all the time, and live accordingly. This constant focus on who we are helps us stay close to God.
7. We can enrich our lives by serving others.
There are many more aspects of the gospel that bring us joy. Every small piece of information brings us closer to a state of true joy when we focus on the center of the Gospel.
Want to know more about joy? LDSBlogs.com has a blogger who writes on nothing else.
The late Terrie Lynn Bittner—beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend—was the author of two homeschooling books and numerous articles, including several that appeared in Latter-day Saint magazines. She became a member of the Church at the age of 17 and began sharing her faith online in 1992.
