Shakespear Shuffle

Happiness

I worry a lot.  Like a lot, a lot.  About all sorts of things real or imagined happening to myself or my family or those I don't know.  I feel a lot of sorrow, discouragement & fear when I look at the world around me.  When I see or hear of things (big or small) that people do unfair, wrong or horrible things to one another I get really, really upset.  I don't know why I'm this way.  I don't want to be this way & I try not to let things get to me but it just does.  I've realized lately that this is part of who I am & it's something I have to deal with.  But I also know it's something I need to try & control better so I don't get too down about it.  It's okay to feel a little sorrow & discouragement when horrible things happen but I need to not let it overwhelm me.  (It's really just better if I ignore the news completely!)  I do know there are a lot of good & wonderful things going on out there but sometimes it's hard to see it or focus on it - at least for me.

Well, that said, the other day I was reading my scriptures, in the Book of Mormon.  I was reading Alma chapter 50 & if you're familiar with this book you know it's in the middle of the "war chapters".  So this group of ancient people, the Nephites, were in the middle of these long & awful wars with their enemies the Lamanites.  (And the captain of their armies was a man named Moroni.)  Not only are they dealing with their enemies trying to destroy them but thousands of their own people were basically up to no good.  Verse 21 says they were having "quarreling...contentions...idolatry...whoredoms...and...abominations."  Not a happy list there.  

In verse 22 it says "And those who were faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord were delivered at all times..." I love that, but the main point for me was in verse 23.  "But behold there NEVER was a HAPPIER time among the people of Nephi, since the days of Nephi, than in the days of Moroni..."  When I read that I thought "WHAT, what???  How is that even possible, look at all the awful & hard & terrible things that were going on with those people!!!  There were wars & wickedness surrounding them!"  They could be & were happy because they were trying to do what was right.  They were trying to be faithful to the Lord, His commandments & their covenants with Him.  They had every reason to rejoice & be glad because the gospel of Jesus Christ is the plan of happiness.  To be HAPPY!  Bad, horrible things are going to happen.  They always have & they always will in this life but when we're trying to follow our Savior everything is okay.  It's all about letting go of those fears & trusting & believing & letting His peace enter your heart.

I had an overwhelming feeling that this time, right now for me & my family can be the happiest time in our lives.  And next year & the next & every year - despite what may happen.  Not that we're perfect or even close but we are trying to follow Him in our small & very imperfect ways.  That's what I need to focus on when my worries & fears come.

I can't say how grateful I am that I was taught this lesson.  I really needed it right now in my life & I wanted to share it with whoever may read it :)

And I can't post without a picture so here's one that makes me laugh