Book of Happiness

Many years ago, I decided to make myself a Book of Happiness, a book I could look at when I was down that would remind me that there is hope in this world and that there's a reason to live. Scriptures and words of living prophets are great for my usual scripture study, but I wanted something that would speak immediately to my personal needs and challenges. I needed words which had been proven, in times past, to lift my spirits.

My Book of Happiness is complete now, or at least I haven't really changed anything in it for years. I pulled it out again this morning, and it still works. Here's what's in it:

• Cover: A picture I took while in England. I love England, so this picture evokes good memories.
• My patriarchal blessing.
• "Do Not Despair," by President Ezra Taft Benson
• "Put Your Trust In God," by President Gordon B. Hinckley
• "The Forces That Will Save Us," by President James E. Faust
• "Suicide: Some Things We Know, and Some We Do Not," by Elder M. Russell Ballard
• "Covenants," by President Boyd K. Packer
• "Missionary Work and the Atonement," by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
• "The Living Christ" by the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve
• The Relief Society Declaration
• "Beware of Pride," by President Ezra Taft Benson
• "Self-Image, Self-Love, and Salvation," by James E. Faulconer
• Three personal letters.

What would you put in your Book of Happiness? What makes you happy?

Memorizing My Blessing

I love my patriarchal blessing. I always have. It has comforted me in moments of great distress, and provided direction when I was lost.

Recently, I decided to commit my patriarchal blessing to memory. I knew I already had portions of it memorized just from reading it so frequently, so I figured it would be pretty easy. I've been committing one sentence to memory each day.

It is not difficult to memorize my blessing, but I am amazed at the difference it makes to me, personally, to hear this blessing as I read it aloud, and as I internalize every single word. Even just noticing that one phrase says "of your life" instead of "in your life" holds meaning.

This memorization has helped in my everyday life, too: on those days when I get discouraged, these new phrases that I've memorized come into my mind and give me hope. They are a powerful combat to those negative voices in my head which whisper discouragement and failure.

Maybe after this I'll keep memorizing scriptures. Like my blessing, there are several scriptures which I already know, simply because I have read them and heard them so frequently. But memorizing will still be beneficial: there's a certain layer of understanding that you can only obtain when you learn things by heart.

T-Mobile and Tithing

One thing I have noticed in my life is that if I pay my tithing, I always have enough money for my bills and other necessities. At times I do not know where my needed money will come from, but it always comes. These are some of the blessings I have received in the past, which have also helped me financially:

• I won a ward cooking contest. The prize was actually money and a gift certificate to the mall, which allowed me to make some needed purchases.
• Sometimes, someone pays me back, either in money or kind acts, for something I've done or given them earlier.
• I often find that many of my meals are provided by others, such as friends, family, church members, church functions, co-workers, or even by my work itself. I do not ask for these meals, but I am very grateful for them.
• I am given clothing from friends or family members, and I also find nice clothing at D.I. Sometimes I find brand new clothing at D.I., and the clothes are actually cute too, not from the 80's. I consider this a blessing.
• I receive a rebate or reward or gift card in the mail or from a friend or family member.
• My friends or family generously help me to accomplish tasks that otherwise would cost more money (or sometimes time), such as allowing me to use their washer and dryer, or mending my pants and shirts.

And so forth.

Most recently, I accidentally answered a phone call from T-Mobile (my phone was in a sandwich bag, so I guess I hit the wrong button when I pulled it out of my pocket). I don't normally care to talk to solicitors, but I went ahead with it this time (I am a T-Mobile customer).

The man was calling to follow up on a text survey I had responded to earlier this year. He asked me about my answers, and I told him why I'd chosen them, and the whole call lasted maybe three or four minutes. At the end of the call, he informed me that he would be placing a $25 credit on my account to thank me for my time.

This is interesting to me. I know there are people out there who would say, "Oh, that's only $25, it doesn't really matter," but my finances are always tighter in the summer--there's less work (and thus less money), plus I have to register my car, plus I still have everything else I normally pay for. Even $25 is incredibly helpful, and I never would have foreseen that source of income. I count it as a blessing.

It makes sense to me that God would provide for those who pay their tithing. Even if I can't see how I can possibly make it through certain months or certain weeks, He has the wealth of the whole earth and universe at His disposal. I've proved this principle over and over again, and it works every time, sometimes to the penny: if I pay my tithing, He will take care of me.

Back From the Dead

Speaking of family history, I decided yesterday that a good place to start might be simply to familiarize myself with what's already been done.

I sometimes think of Family History, and I think that I should be doing something, but I don't actually know what I am supposed to be doing. It will probably be easier to figure out what needs doing once I've figured out what's already been done.

Astounding logic, I know.

Alma 51: "A few particular points of the law"

Alma 51 always cracks me up. It's not so much what happens, because the subject matter is not all that hilarious, but how it is written is rather funny. In verse 2 we learn that:

...there began to be a contention among the people concerning the chief judge Pahoran; for behold, there were a part of the people who desired that a few particular points of the law should be altered.

Ok, there are some people who want to change a few things about the law. That's normal, right? But then you get down to verse 5 and discover:

...they were desirous that the law should be altered in a manner to overthrow the free government and to establish a king over the land.

Just a few particular points, eh? Like the chief judge? And freedom? And the government?

Just a few particular points of the law...

The Spirit Speaks...

I once had a stake choir director who said, "The Spirit speaks through good intonation." I heartily believe that statement. I think the Spirit also speaks through not running over time in meetings (particularly the last meeting) and not cutting verses from hymns.

The Bug

Today I killed a box elder bug... in the temple.

Is that bad?

My Callings

I'm grateful for the callings I have, not only because I enjoy them, but also because in order to fulfill them, I must remain at church for the entire three hours plus some. I'm not saying I wouldn't stay at church if I didn't have those callings, but... sometimes such callings help.

Give to the Homeless

In Sunday School last week we were talking about giving to the needy and homeless. When talking about homeless people, or "houseless," as some prefer to be called, the inevitable statement is made, "I don't ever give money to a homeless person, because you don't know where that money's going."

Sure, it's true you don't know where that money is going. But instead of encouraging people to NOT give money, why don't you encourage them to GIVE something else?

-Give prepackaged food that is sealed so the person knows you didn't poison it or stick needles in it or whatever.

-Take the person out for a meal. A co-worker of mine did this for a man he met on the train. Granted, you should judge the individual circumstances, but it's a possibility.

-If you feel awkward taking a homeless person out for a meal, buy a take-out meal from a restaurant nearby.

-Give gift cards for restaurants or grocery stores near where that person is generally located. If you're worried about the person buying alcohol, you can pick an establishment that doesn't serve it, such as a fast-food restaurant.

-Volunteer to serve homeless dinners at local shelters and outreach programs.

-Give something else, like clothes, sanitary products, camping gear, a gift card to a clothing store, etc.

-Give a bus pass.

-Give medicine (over-the-counter) and first aid products.

Etc. Use your imagination.

And honestly, not every homeless person squanders their alms on liquor and drugs. Use the Spirit to let you know what to give.

What You Want and Do Not Have

When you want something that you cannot have, you must either change what you want or change what you have in order to avoid falling into despair over impossible possibilities.

But what if what you want is something that you should want? What if it's something that you need, even, in order to continue to progress in God's great plan of happiness? What then? You wanting it is supposed to be a good thing, but then it's something that you want but you still don't have, and you want and you still don't have, and you still don't have, and you still don't have and you start to wonder if maybe you should change what you want, because what you have sure isn't going to change anytime soon.

That is why I choose to not think about it at all, most of the time. And thankfully, the gospel is so big and vast that it is possible to ponder many of life's mysteries without contemplating what you want and do not have.

I could write pages more on this subject, but I don't want to. Thus this is the end.

Alma the Younger

Alma the Younger was an amazing man. He's probably my favorite character in the Book of Mormon.

I knew Alma was the high priest and the chief judge in the land (Mosiah 29:42,44), until he gave up the latter post (Alma 4:18), but I never thought of him as a warrior. Well, guess what? He fought in the battle against the Amlicites (Alma 2:16). I can't figure out if he was the head of the armies, or if he just went up with the head of the armies, since he was the chief governor at the time.

Later in the book of Alma we see that Moroni is the captain of the armies (Alma 43:16,17), both while Nephihah is the chief judge (Alma 4:16,17), and also when Nephihah's son Pahoran becomes chief judge (Alma 50:39), so the two positions of chief governor and captain of the armies are not necessarily coincidental.

Also, Pahoran is stated to be the chief judge and governor (Alma 50:39), so I think those two positions are, in fact, one and the same.

Interesting stuff.

Jarom 1: 7-9

Jarom is a little book, and one that I generally don't know very well. However, in rereading it recently, I was most interested in verses 7-9:

7. And it came to pass that they came many times against us, the Nephites, to battle. But our kings and our leaders were mighty men in the faith of the Lord; and they taught the people the ways of the Lord; wherefore, we withstood the Lamanites and swept them away out of our lands, and began to fortify our cities, or whatsoever place of our inheritance.

8. And we multiplied exceedingly, and spread upon the face of the land, and became exceedingly rich in gold, and in silver, and in precious things, and in fine workmanship of wood, in buildings, and in machinery, and also in iron and copper, and brass and steel, making all manner of tools of every kind to till the ground, and weapons of war—yea, the sharp pointed arrow, and the quiver, and the dart, and the javelin, and all preparations for war.

9. And thus being prepared to meet the Lamanites, they did not prosper against us. But the word of the Lord was verified, which he spake unto our fathers, saying that: Inasmuch as ye will keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land.

This is an instance of a people receiving a physical blessing because of their spiritual preparedness. The Nephites had a physical need: they needed to not be killed by the Lamanites. They also, I am sure, had temporal needs, which is where all the stuff in verse 8 comes in.

But to accomplish their physical need, Jarom doesn't mention the training and the drilling and the practices of the Nephites. No. He mentions that they were taught in the ways of the Lord. And in case we can't put two and two together and figure out that it was because of their spiritual preparedness that they were able to physically beat the Lamanites, he reminds us in verse nine: this is what the Lord said, and what the Lord said came true.

Sometimes we think that spiritual things are not the answer. We think that because our needs are temporal or physical, they cannot be addressed by anything spiritual. But this is not the case. All things are connected. Christ suffered physically and spiritually. And the things he says to do are not just for our spiritual well-being. They are for every aspect of our being.

It's a lot to believe sometimes, that spirituality will help in schooling, or in work, or in whatever endeavor we're undertaking. But it's true. The Lord says so, Jarom says so, and I say so.

The end.

1 Nephi 16:10

1 Nephi 16: 10 states:

"And it came to pass that as my father arose in the morning, and went forth to the tent door, to his great astonishment he beheld upon the ground a round ball of curious workmanship; and it was of fine brass. And within the ball were two spindles; and the one pointed the way whither we should go into the wilderness."

I wonder what the other spindle pointed to...

Pinocchio

What, you ask, does Pinocchio have to do with the gospel? Lots.

If you've never read the book by Carlo Collodi, the first thing you must know is that it is different than the Disney movie. For one, Jiminy Cricket shows up in chapter four, and two pages later is smashed by a hammer (thrown by Pinocchio). The cricket does show up a few other times throughout the book (as a ghost), and is one of the voices of warning.

The Blue Fairy is different in the book too. We first meet her as a child with blue hair. Later she is a woman with blue hair, and occasionally she is a goat or other creature with blue hair. She acts as "momma" to Pinocchio, and shows up much more frequently than the cricket (who has no name).

Geppetto is Pinocchio's father and loves him dearly. He is also dirt poor, and sells the coat off his back in order to buy a spelling book for Pinocchio.

One night, towards the beginning of the book, Pinocchio was getting himself into a scrape (it was not the first time either, because he was not a very well-behaved puppet), but just at the moment when all hope would be lost, he calls out for his father.

"Humph!" I thought. "That is so presumptuous of him, to go against all his father's counsel and then call out to his father in his hour of need."

Then I said, "Oh." I do that too.

The book is a wonderful allegory for the plan of salvation, and our time on earth. Pinocchio's goal is to become a "real boy," a human like his father. He messes up a lot, sometimes because he's innocent, sometimes not, and he struggles and repents and makes up for it, and ultimately he is rewarded by becoming a real boy.

I'd go into more detail, but I think you get the idea. You should read the book. I loved it.

Preach My Gospel: 1

I recently read this section in the first chapter of Preach My Gospel, and wanted to share it. I've edited it to apply to members who are not serving full-time missions:



A Successful Missionary

Your success as a missionary [or member, or person, or anything] is measured primarily by your commitment to find, teach, baptize, and confirm people and to help them become faithful members of the Church who enjoy the presence of the Holy Ghost.

Avoid comparing yourself to other [people] and measuring the outward results of your efforts against theirs. Remember that people have agency to choose whether to accept [you or who you are or the things that you do and represent]. Your responsibility is to teach clearly and powerfully so they can make a correct choice. Some may not accept your message [or agree with you] even when they have received a spiritual witness that it is true. You will be saddened because you love them and desire their salvation. You should not, however, become discouraged; discouragement will weaken your faith. If you lower your expectations, your effectiveness will decrease, your desire will weaken, and you will have greater difficulty following the Spirit.

You can know you have been a successful [person] when you:

• Feel the Spirit testify to people through you.

• Love people and desire their salvation.

• Obey with exactness.

• Live so that you can receive and know how to follow the Spirit, who will show you where to go, what to do, and what to say.

• Develop Christlike attributes.

• Work effectively every day, do your very best to bring souls to Christ, and seek earnestly to learn and improve.

• Help build up the Church (the ward) wherever you are assigned to work.

• Warn people of the consequences of sin. Invite them to make and keep commitments. [This is harder when you're not a missionary or a prophet, but can include speaking out to family members, and extending commitments to others you are involved with, such as those you visit/home teach.]

• Teach and serve other missionaries.

• Go about doing good and serving people at every opportunity, whether or not they accept your message [or service].

When you have done your very best, you may still experience disappointments, but you will not be disappointed in yourself. You can feel certain that the Lord is pleased when you feel the Spirit working through you.



Isn't that a great message? I love it. Don't get discouraged. Success is measure by commitment. That applies to so many aspects of my life, not just the gospel.

James 1:3: Patience

James 1:3 is a short verse (in order to form the complete sentence, I've included verse 2 as well):

2. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

3. Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

I find it interesting that James mentions it is the trying of our faith that "worketh patience," and not the trying of our strength, or talents, or intelligence.

As my faith is tried, ultimately I receive the reward for remaining faithful. This helps to increase my faith, so that next time my faith is tried, I know that by patiently remaining faithful, I will see the promised blessings.

A trial of any sort requires patience, but perhaps the best way to gain patience is by exercising faith.

Supreme Being

I sometimes think about whether or not there is a God or whether or not there is life after death, and that sort of thing. This is not because I am doubting, but because I like to try to see things from many points of view, to test out the various theories to discover truth.

I do not understand why anyone would choose to not believe in God.

If I did not believe in God, all I would have to believe in would be myself, and heaven knows that's not very encouraging news at all. I'm not the fastest or the strongest or the smartest or the most brilliant or the most beautiful of anything. I'm weak, if you want to know the truth. If I don't believe in God, I will never be enough. One person is so pitifully small. What can I do? I can never accomplish everything that I want to accomplish in this life. I will always be overwhelmed and overcome.

But if I do believe in God, I have something more than my own strength upon which to rely. If I am weak it does not matter, because Heavenly Father will make me strong enough to meet my challenges. If I am sad there is always hope in Jesus Christ and the Resurrection and eternal life and the love of God. If I am wronged I know there will eventually be a right. Everything balances out. Faith blossoms in the soul. Life is laced with hope.

In the Book of Mormon, when the people forgot God and boasted of their own strength, they were left to their own strength (Helaman 4:13). But the people who remembered God, who believed in God and made him an active part of their lives, those people were strengthened beyond their own capacity.

For me, I must believe in God. Nothing else makes sense. How else could justice prevail and all wrongs be righted? I cannot believe that everything in this earth is just random, that strength and wealth and popularity really are the best ends to strive for, that although I feel and think and love and exist it is all worth nothing because eventually I'll die. No. There must be a point. There is a point. There must be someone in charge, and there is.

Of course there's a God. It only makes sense.

Alma 1 and 2: The Amlicites

I flipped to Alma 1 the other day (v. 19-33), and found it rather interesting:

The Nephites were persecuted for their humility, but some of them were proud and fought back (v. 22). Because of the growing contention, many members were excommunicated or fell away (v. 24). This was a trying time for the steadfast members of the church, but the good news is that the people who bore their trials with patience, and who exercised Christ-like love to their neighbors, were sustained and prospered.

Things got more interesting in chapter 2:

Amlicites versus Nephites: Amlici wants to be king (I wonder how many of the apostate Nephites were Amlicites...), but according to Nephite law, such a step would have to be voted upon.

A vote was taken.

Guess who won? Not Amlici.

The Amlicites were upset. They didn't like the way the vote had turned out. So instead of accepting the vote of the people, they decided to call Amlici their king anyway, and kill anyone who disagreed with them.

There was a battle. A few battles, actually. I'll spoil the ending for you and tell you who won: the Nephites. Even when the Amlicites joined up with the Lamanite armies, the Nephites won.

Why? Because the Nephites were righteous, so "the Lord did strengthen the hand of the Nephites" (v. 18). They were obedient. They didn't fight except to defend their lives and their families. Thousands of Nephites died in the battle, but they did ultimately win, and the Amlicites eventually gave up and ran away.

What can I learn from this? Keep the commandments, be faithful and obedient, love my neighbor. The Lord will take care of the rest.

Faith To Be Healed

When we receive a blessing to be healed from a physical ailment, we are told that it is by our faith that we are healed, in addition to the power of the priesthood and God's will. I wonder if that faith part means not only faith in the fact that we will be healed, but faith in Christ in general. As we are healed, we have to continue exercising faith in Christ to heal all aspects of our lives, not just the one illness we have overcome.

Acts 9

Saul was without sight for three days after he beheld the Lord in a vision (see Acts 9). During this time he did not eat or drink. After Ananias came and restored his sight to him, Saul "received meat" and was strengthened.

Maybe the mention of people eating after such spiritual experiences is just to remind us that we need to look after the physical needs as well as the spiritual. We cannot always be feeding one and starving the other. We have to balance them both.