Happiness

“As we left and our little band who’d done all this work came out onto the street, near silent, they said, ‘Why is it that this will be the best Christmas we’ve ever experienced?” I said, “You remember the final verse of Little Town of Bethlehem?:

No ear may hear his coming, but in this world of sin,

Where meek souls will receive Him yet, the dear Christ enters in.’

He entered into the apartment. He entered into the lives of all who were part of that experience.”~ Thomas S. Monson, On the Lord's Errand

From the Book of Mormon come other precious promises, including promises of peace, freedom, and blessings if we “will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ” (Ether 2:12).From its pages comes the promise of “never-ending happiness” to “those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual” (Mosiah 2:41).From its pages comes the promise of “incomprehensible joy” to those who become “instrument[s] in the hands of God” in rescuing His precious sons and daughters (Alma 28:8; 29:9).~ (Thomas S. Monson, "Precious Promises of the Book of Mormon", Ensign, Oct 2011)

It was hard and happy work. The ministers of the church expressed gratitude. All who worked together that day felt unity and greater love. Some even said that they felt joy as they pulled weeds and trimmed shrubbery.

Words from the Book of Mormon helped them know why they felt that joy. It was King Benjamin who said to his people, “Learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are … in the service of your God.”² And it was Mormon who taught in his words in the Book of Mormon, “Charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.”³

The Lord is keeping His promise to you as you keep yours. As you serve others for Him, He lets you feel His love. And in time, feelings of charity become part of your very nature. (Henry B. Eyring, "A Witness", General Conference, Oct 2011)

In this classic children’s story, people all over the world desperately yearn to find a golden ticket. Some feel that their entire future happiness depends on whether or not a golden ticket falls into their hands. In their anxiousness, people begin to forget the simple joy they used to find in a candy bar. The candy bar itself becomes an utter disappointment if it does not contain a golden ticket...There is nothing wrong with righteous yearnings—we hope and seek after things that are “virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy.”⁴ The problem comes when we put our happiness on hold as we wait for some future event—our golden ticket—to appear. (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "Forget Me Not", General Conference, Oct 2011)

The happiest people I know are not those who find their golden ticket; they are those who, while in pursuit of worthy goals, discover and treasure the beauty and sweetness of the everyday moments. They are the ones who, thread by daily thread, weave a tapestry of gratitude and wonder throughout their lives. These are they who are truly happy. (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "Forget Me Not", General Conference, Oct 2011)

The lesson here is that if we spend our days waiting for fabulous roses, we could miss the beauty and wonder of the tiny forget-me-nots that are all around us. (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "Forget Me Not", General Conference, Oct 2011)

President Thomas S. Monson has said: “To find real happiness, we must seek for it in a focus outside ourselves. No one has learned the meaning of living until he has surrendered his ego to the service of his fellow man. Service to others is akin to duty—the fulfillment of which brings true joy." (Russell M. Nelson, "Celestial Marriage", General Conference, October 2008)

My beloved brethren and sisters, I am deeply grateful for each of you. Together we feel a profound sense of gratitude for the gospel of Jesus Christ. In this world abounding with misery, we are truly thankful for God’s “great plan of happiness.” ¹ His plan declares that men and women are “that they might have joy.” ² That joy comes when we choose to live in harmony with God’s eternal plan. (Russell M. Nelson, "Celestial Marriage", General Conference, October 2008)

As Saints, we also need to avoid the worship of worldly gods. President Hinckley has expressed the desire that “everyone might have some of the good things of life” but has cautioned, “It is the obsession with riches that cankers and destroys." (Quentin L. Cook, "Are You a Saint?,” General Conference, Oct 2003)

I testify that avoiding evil and destructive pursuits and sacrificing in order to serve will qualify us to experience the joy of being committed Latter-day Saints and, as the scriptures promise, bring “peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come.” (Quentin L. Cook, "Are You a Saint?,” General Conference, Oct 2003)

We are unaware of hosts of blessings that we receive from day to day. It is extremely important that we have a spirit of gratitude in our hearts. (Quentin L. Cook, “The Songs They Could Not Sing”, General Conference, Oct 2011)