Happiness is a choice

Fun fact... this picture took me a REALLY LONG TIME TO MAKE.. It was testing my ability to be happy even in difficult circumstances... hahaha. (I think I failed...)

God wants for us to be happy in this life. It's no wonder his plan for us is often referred to as

"The Plan of Happiness."

Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.

Heavenly father didn't put us here to wander through life hopelessly alone and miserable. Though life is more often than not..REALLY HARD.. It is possible to find joy in the journey.

Happiness is often based off of temporal matters, things that fade. WHY WE DO THIS TO OURSELVES... I KNOW NOT.

So what brings me true, pure, ever lasting happiness???

Obedience. The first law of heaven.

41 And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

 Mosiah 2

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a way of life. A life patterned after Christs example and centered on obedience is a life of spiritual freedom. When I think back to the times in my life that I have been unhappy the root always comes from spiritual hunger. My spirit has been bound because a carelessness in keeping Gods laws and a lack of living the life he has asked me to lead.

The things of life come and go. Friends come and go.. Boys come and go. But Jesus Christ, and heavenly father.. they will never go.

"2 For God doth not walk in crooked paths, neither doth he turn to the right hand nor to the left, neither doth he vary from that which he hath said, therefore his paths are straight, and his course is one eternal round"

my next source of happiness comes from seeking after and feasting on the words of Christ.
 

"20 Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life."

FEAST ON THE WORDS OF CHRIST. One of my favorite terms. To feast on the words of Christ I think of eating your favorite meal, you savor it, you enjoy it, you can't get enough of it, you digest it, and produce it into energy.

I can't get enough of the words of Christ. GIVE ME MORE. I didn't understand how a book could influence my life before my mission. As we read it and really take in the words we read, they become more than just words, they become part of us. We become as the things we read and watch. Reading the book of Mormon and the Bible is helping me to become something more than I knew I was capable of. As I FEAST on the words and turn them into action in my life I change. I grow and I get closer to God. I get closer to being the woman he needs me to be. It's more than just liking a verse, or a phrase. It's reading the stories and making it apply to our life.

Christ was happy. He was loving. As we become like him and follow his life we see in the scriptures, happiness will follow most naturally.

"God hath called me by a holy calling, to preach the word unto this people, and hath given me much success, in the which my joy is full.

14 But I do not joy in my own success alone, but my joy is more full because of the success of my brethren, who have been up to the land of Nephi."

Serve others, love others, help others to find healing through the atonement, be a source of solace and refuge to friends and family, share testimony of Christ.

Teaching others and helping others find their way home to heavenly father has brought me the greatest joy in my life. If you want to forget yourself, and your trials and truly find joy, reach out to those around you and see that each of us has a story, each of us wants to make it back to God. We aren't here to race home, but to help each other find the way. My joy has been full as I help others come to the understanding of their Savior when I watch their eyes light up as they understand who the Savior is to them, and what they are capable of becoming. Even the hard days become easy to bear because I am lost in the joy of God.

Before acting, think to yourself... In the long run will this make me happy? Or is this something that I will only be happy with for right now?

Let go of the past. Stop living in a place you cant go back to and be hopeful that what your future holds will be better. Don't hold onto negative memories, or wish you could be back when you "were once happy" Be happy with where you are today, be happy with who you are surrounded by. be grateful for the friends you have found, and the friends who have stood by your side. don't always be wishing for the ones who have left you, to return.

Don't wish for the future and always be looking forward to a future date. Be happy with what you have now. Live for today and find joy in the simple things. recognize the lords hand in your life and continually give thanks to him. Ask him to show you his miracles and his blessings that I KNOW ARE SURROUNDING YOU. Maybe you aren't the most popular person ever, I know that I have never been a woman of many friends and I felt like a loser. I always have had just one close friend and a lot of times that friend was Christ. Just me and him, taking on the world together, but guess what... He over came the world so that I wouldn't have to. So I know that as the world was being thrown at me he could help lift me up and carry me through. I am thankful for my small close circle of friends that know me almost as well as I know myself. Find friends who become family, and keep your family close.

Don't fear the future but have faith in it. This one is really hard for me. I am really scared as the time of my missions ending is drawing near.. I have great fear in my heart. Am I strong enough to stand alone? To not have a specific time each day set aside to study the words of Christ? Do I have what it takes to still share the gospel even when I don't wear the name tag? Do I have what it takes to stand firm in my covenants I have made with God? Fear not and know that God is with you. I am strong enough, I do have what it takes, AND I will do what it takes to continually find happiness, even when life is changing, and often difficult. You have what it takes.

Trust that God has your life in his hands, that he wont give you anything beyond what you and him can bear together. When the world is crumbling around you remember the savior has been there before, for you. Pay attention to the little moments that matter most. Look for the sun between the clouds.

In the end. YOU. DETERMINE. YOUR. HAPPINESS.

If the people you are around hurt you... find new friends. If you aren't being treated right find the courage you need to make the necessary changes. Remove yourself from situations that you can control and then move forward with peace.

DO WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY, AND DONT BE AFRAID TO BE DIFFERENT.

follow the commandments. read your scriptures, apply what you read. trust in God. Move forward with Faith. and believe. believe that you are enough, that you have enough and that The future is bright. Happiness is available. It is real, and it can be eternal.

True happiness comes from obedience to God. To be spiritually free, brings PURE JOY. Follow Christ. Live a Christ-like life. You will find peace. 

Maybe you have lost your way and feel it's impossible to return, maybe you have the fear that you will never be... perfect enough. Or the fear of letting those you love down.

Don't be afraid to try. Don't be discouraged if you fall. It doesn't matter how many times we fall. God isn't going to laugh at us while we are down. He will be lifting us back up encouraging us to try again. Don't be afraid of who you could become. Don't be afraid to shine, even if your light has been dimmed from the people around you. Be you and love who you are. God didn't create a generic person. He clearly loves diversity. Look at the world around you. No two snow flakes are the same, no finger print is the same as another. Don't be fearful of yourself. Trust in who you are and love it.

If you have lost your way, you can always come back. Christ is always calling.

"ye that have professed to have known the ways of righteousness nevertheless have gone astray, as sheep having no shepherd, notwithstanding a shepherd hath called after you and is still calling after you, but ye will not hearken unto his voice!

38 Behold, I say unto you, that the good shepherd doth call you; yea, and in his own name he doth call you, which is the name of Christ;"

this scripture seemed harsh to me at first, until I read it in a different way. Christ is always calling. no matter how far you stray he does leave his other sheep for a moment to find you. to seek you out and to bring you home. His arms are always stretched out to help you. to teach you and to guide you.

We aren't a perfect creature. Christ would have had no need to come to earth if we were perfect. He came to save us from our sins, from ourselves, and from the destruction sin causes. To heal the pain that is often the residue of a poor choice we have at some point made. Sin is like soap scum in the bottom of your tub, it seems hopeless to even begin trying to scrub it out, but once you apply the Saviors atonement and really repent and do ALL that you can to allow Christ to help you fix what has been broken and allow him to scrub away the guilt that is left in your heart, you can be delivered to safety and return to his fold. It is not to late to start over. It is not to late to return and take back what is yours. Happiness is free. It is available for you. Return to Christ and give up your sins to know him. To find joy in him. and to have your peace of heart restored.

"18 O God, Aaron hath told me thatthere is a God, and if thou art God, wilt thou make thyself known unto me, and I will give away all my sins to know thee, and that I may be raised from the dead, and be saved at" the last day.

What are you willing to change, and to give to know God? Not to just know of him, but to truly KNOW him..

He loves you. He loves ALLof his children. If coming to know him means a lot of change than do it! It is not worth it to hold onto regret and bitterness. It is not worth it to fear what repentance might take. Repent that he might heal you. Let him heal you.

THAT IS WHERE YOU WILL FIND JOY. true joy can only be found in Christ.