Doing good, doing right, brings happiness. Conversely, doing evil, doing wrong, sweeps us down into the pit of despair. Even people who don’t know about Jesus and His teachings would likely agree to the truthfulness of these statements. When have you been on a path of self-destruction that you have felt contentment and joy? When have you tried to bring others down with you, that you weren’t secretly hoping someone would come and lift you up?
For thousands of years now the formula has been available to all of us, if we would only read it, and apply it in our lives. In the New Testament Jesus taught:
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
“For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matt. 11:28-30)
I love the part where He says “… learn of me; … and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” That is lovely and really, so easy to do. The first and best way to come unto Christ is to learn the commandments of God which can be found in the Old Testament in the twentieth chapter of Exodus:
(1) “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”
(2) “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.”
(3) “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.”
(4) “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.”
(5) “Honour thy father and thy mother.”
(6) “Thou shalt not kill.”
(7) “Thou shalt not commit adultery.”
(8) “Thou shalt not steal.”
(9) “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.”
(10) “Thou shalt not covet.”
I invite you to take a step closer to obtaining the happiness you desire: Study and learn these commandments and then apply them to your life. Joseph Smith, Jr., first Prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (or Mormon Church, as it is commonly known) said: “Happiness, is the object and design of our existence; and will be the end thereof, ” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 255–56.)
I am confident that keeping the commandments will draw you nearer to Christ and in doing so, your burdens will be eased and your heart softened. When you seek to do good, you will find happiness is your reward.
