As I have read through The Book of Mormon, I came across a verse that caught my attention more than the usual pondering. As encouraged by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) leaders, we try to read from the Book of Mormon every day. Actually, we are encouraged to read any scripture book any day whether it’s the Bible or Book of Mormon. This week I read 2nd Nephi, chapter five verse twenty-seven which says: “And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness.” Nephi of old who is the one to leave his wealthy home in Jerusalem, build a ship and travel to the new world, then deal with ruthless brothers who wanted to kill him, says that “they lived after the manner of happiness."
What is living “after the manner
of happiness”? At times we can become weary living in our day-to-day routine.
Millions of people have passed through this earth and lived hundreds of hours
doing what they were meant to do in their own life. But were they happy doing
it? I don’t know. I do know that God wants us to be happy. He wants us to live
after the manner of happiness.
Many of us carry heavy burdens
which can spoil or take away our happiness. There are trials and tribulations
just like what Nephi went through but he still managed to live after the manner
of happiness. How can we live after the manner of happiness in our homes with
our families? Dieter F. Uchtdorf,
Elder
Uchtdorf poses the question: “What do you suppose is the greatest happiness
possible?” He says “it’s the same as
God’s happiness” and went on to explain when God creates, He is happy. (See: Uchtdorf,
Dieter F., Happiness, Your Heritage, Ensign,
November 2008)
I
can take those words and apply them in my life and know when I design
something, work on homemade projects, author more writings to share or invent a
meal my family loves, these acts create happiness even through troubled times.
We can create our own happy world around
us. Our world tells us to indulge
ourselves and look within ourselves for happiness but this never works. We are
social beings and in helping others we create our own happiness. When our mood
is sour, nothing helps to lighten our day more than doing a good deed for
someone else.
Find what is positive in your own
life. See the good in others when there
is so much negative and ponder goodness in quiet times. I love this quote by an
unknown author which says “The happiest people don’t have the best of
everything; they just make the best of everything.” So live after the manner of happiness as Nephi
of old has counseled us to do. We can live through troubled times and still be
positive and feel joy in life.
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