“Life is to be enjoyed not just endured”. -Gordon B. Hinckley
Watching my parents over the years has taught me that peace and joy are attributes which are built through relying on the Lord with complete trust and then accepting the result with gladness. The world screams that we can never reach the ultimate joy, because we will never have enough money, be fit enough, or look young enough, and therefore we will never be truly happy unless we are constantly striving for more. Satan wants us to believe that through our self-centered pursuits we will find peace at some point, yet all that happens is we find ourselves alone, because we pushed ourselves away from others into the “self” abyss. No matter how many parties we attend, gym classes we participate in, or business ventures we attack, we find ourselves lonely. Because as we focused inwardly, we lost sight of what really brings joy. Joy comes from peace, peace comes from God, God works through others to help us, often that is accomplished by us helping others as well.
“A happy attitude and smiling countenance could boost one over almost any misfortune and that every individual was responsible for his own happiness.” – Gordon B. Hinckley
My parents joy is unshaken by circumstances or by others. When the storms hit, and they do hit, their peace and happiness don’t wash away. It’s absolutely amazing! We grew up on a main 4 lane street in Mesa, AZ. Our home was 1800 square feet, with the front 500 used for a real estate office for my dad. We had one full bathroom with a bath/shower combo, and a bathroom with just a toilet. I will never forget the day that my parents decided to bring my grandparents to live with us. My grandfather was not only bedridden, but he couldn’t speak. My grandmother was in better condition than my grandfather, but not by much. It’s a situation that is difficult even for those with an empty house, and free time. Here we were already busting at the seams, and slammed with schedules. My parents weren’t even phased. Without so much as a word of doubt they prepared for my grandparents. Though the master wasn’t the standards of today, they gave up their “master bedroom”, and prepared their room in the attic. This wasn’t a finished attic. They laid boards down for their bed so they wouldn’t fall through the ceiling, and enough space for a few personal items. The unfinished roof had nails sticking out and if my dad stood straight up ON HIS KNEES, he would come downstairs bleeding. Keep in mind their wasn’t air conditioning, and we lived in Arizona. Without divine help they would have died of heat stroke. However, never once was a complaint voiced by my mother or father. The only thing I remember my mother saying was that it was her little getaway, no one ventured up there to bother her. She would sometimes mention her friends, the mice, who would scamper around at night, sometimes running across her feet. The way my parents talked about their getaway, made me curious, so one day, I climbed the latter to the attic. To my dismay, I didn’t find a luxury hideaway…I found an attic full of storage on all sides and smack in the center, was a mattress where if they were to roll off they would fall into the kitchen. It was blazing hot, my few minutes of examination was enough to suffocate me. It was absolutely nothing that my parents had spoken of. Yet, it left me with an appreciation for my bedroom, and a life-long understanding that I get to choose how I look at situations in life. I saw firsthand that happiness comes from within, and that it was even found in a small mouse-infested attic space, with temps reaching 150+ degrees. I also understood that the Lord is truly at our side, he may not have miraculously made my father a millionaire, but he stood next to them at night and blew cool air so that my parents could not only live through the heat, but enjoy their little resort.
“Millions of people have been displaced, and countless lives have been disrupted by these challenges. Contention in families and communities as well as inner struggles with fear, doubt, and unfulfilled expectations also leave us in turmoil. It can be difficult to feel the joy that Lehi taught is the purpose of life. We have all asked at times: “Where can I turn for peace? Where is my solace … ?” We wonder, how do I find joy despite the difficulties of mortal life?
The answer may seem too simple, but it has proven true from the days of Adam. Lasting joy is found in focusing on our Savior, Jesus Christ, and living the gospel as demonstrated and taught by Him. The more we learn about, have faith in, and emulate Jesus Christ, the more we come to understand that He is the source of all healing, peace, and eternal progress. He invites each of us to come unto Him, an invitation that President Henry B. Eyring has characterized as “the most important invitation anyone could accept.” -Jean B. Bingham
-Sherri Jorgensen
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