How to Feel Joy In Life - Russell M. Nelson

"The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives."

~Russell M. Nelson

Choose Joy

"When you CHOOSE JOY you feel good & when you feel good, you do good & when you do good it reminds others of what joy feels like & it just might inspire them to do the same." 

Image source HERE

Divine Gift of Repentance

I'm teaching this lesson tomorrow in RS, and created this handout, it's a 4x6, and have created a free download of it incase it's useful to anyone out there. Click HERE to download (for current free 4x6 deals I know of, click HERE).

“Only repentance leads to the sunlit uplands of a better life... Repentance is a divine gift, and there should be a smile on our faces when we speak of it. It points us to freedom, confidence, and peace. Rather than interrupting the celebration, the gift of repentance is the cause for true celebration.”
 (D. Todd Christofferson, ‘Divine Gift of Repentance’, Ensign, Nov 2011)

5 Aspects of Repentance
1. The invitation to repent is an expression of love.
2. Repentance means striving to change.
3. Repentance means committing to obedience.
4. Repentence requires a willingness to persevere, even through pain.
5. Whatever the cost, repentence is swallowed up in the joy of forgiveness.

Enjoy the Sunlight

"Stop seeking out the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight."

Gordon B. Hinckley

{To order, click HERE}

Flecks of Gold Video

I loved this analogy from last General Conference, from Elder Ballards talks on 'Finding Joy Through Loving Service, so was pleased to find this video on it:)

Comparison & Joy

Images taken from here

As Bright As Your Faith

“My beloved brothers and sisters, fear not. Be of good cheer. The future is as bright as your faith.”

-President Thomas S. Monson

(image taken from MishMashMom's blog:)

Defying Circumstances

"In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world"
(John 16:33)

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'‘You Gotta Keep Dancin' is a book by Tim Hansel, who years ago experienced a near-fatal climbing accident that has left him in constant pain. His book tells how he has learned to deal with this pain by distinguishing between happiness and joy. He says, “There is nothing wrong with happiness, it's wonderful. . . . The only problem is that it is based on circumstances, and circumstances have a tendency to shift. Most people who live with chronic pain [or chronic problems] have a hard time being happy. That is to be expected. Although there are moments of laughter, nothing seems to stay.

Joy on the other hand is something which defies circumstances, and occurs in spite of difficult situations. Whereas happiness is a feeling, joy is an attitude”.

We cannot control some of the circumstances that come into our lives and challenge us. What we can control is how we deal with them. President Kimball summarised this idea beautifully.

“One time or another, we all face adversity's chilling wind. One man flees from it, and like an unresisting kite, falls to the ground. Another yields, not retreating an inch, and the wind that would destroy him lifts him as readily to the heights. We are not measured by the trials we meet, only by those we overcome. It all depends [upon] . . . attitudes”

We will never have to suffer any agony equal to that endured by Christ. As Elder Maxwell so insightfully adds:

"Though our trials are tiny compared to [the Savior's], . . . Jesus was of good cheer because then current conditions did not alter His sources of ultimate joy. Are not our fundamental sources of joy the same as His? . . .
"It remains for us, therefore, to be of good cheer even when . . . current circumstances seem hopeless. .. . The unfolding of God's purposes may require the collapse of other things.
"How often is it necessary for dismantling to occur in order for something better to be put in place? [Even As I Am, pp. 100, 101]
(excerpts from "Selective Attitudes and the Happy Life", REX E. AND JANET G. LEE, BYU Speeches, 12 Jan 1993)

Comparison

"Comparison is the thief of joy! "

- Dwight Edwards

Couresty of Sugardoodle.

The Joy of Trying Again

"Our task is to become our best selves. One of God's greatest gifts to us is the joy of trying again, for no failure ever need be final."

--Thomas S. Monson, "The Will Within," Ensign, May 1987, 67

Resolve to be Happy

"To get up each morning with the resolve to be happy…is to set our own conditions to the events of each day. To do this is to condition circumstances instead of being conditioned by them".

--Ralph Waldo Emerson

Choose Happiness

“So many of us are always waiting to be happy… Don’t wait for the right job, the right house, the right salary, the right dress size. Be happy today. Be happy now.”

Joseph B. Wirthlin, Ensign, Dec 2000, 7

Love

"Our joy now and forever is inextricably tied to our capacity to love."

John H. Groberg - 2004 Oct. Gen. Conf

Happiness - Learning from the Past

In April 2003 conference, President Thomas S. Monson shared ways in which we can gain more happiness. He said:

"Today I have chosen to provide the three pieces of your treasure map to guide you to your eternal

happiness. They are:

1. Learn from the past.

2. Prepare for the future.

3. Live in the present.

Let us consider each segment of the map.

First, learn from the past. Each of us has a heritage—whether from pioneer forebears, later converts, or others who helped to shape our lives. This heritage provides a foundation built of sacrifice and faith. Ours is the privilege and responsibility to build on such firm and stable footings.

A story written by Karen Nolen, which appeared in the New Era in 1974, tells of a Benjamin Landart who, in 1888, was 15 years old and an accomplished violinist. Living on a farm in northern Utah with his mother and seven brothers and sisters was sometimes a challenge to Benjamin, as he had less time than he would have liked to play his violin. Occasionally his mother would lock up the violin until he had his farm chores done, so great was the temptation for Benjamin to play it.

In late 1892 Benjamin was asked to travel to Salt Lake to audition for a place with the territorial o

rchestra. For him, this was a dream come true. After several weeks of practicing and prayers, he went to Salt Lake in March of 1893 for the much anticipated audition. When he heard Benjamin play, the conductor, a Mr. Dean, told Benjamin he was the most accomplished violinist he had heard west of Denver. He was told to report to Denver for rehearsals in the fall and learned that he would be earning enough to keep himself, with some left over to send home.

A week after Benjamin received the good news, however, his bishop called him into his office and asked if he couldn’t put off playing with the orchestra for a couple of years. He told Benjamin that before he started earning money there was something he owed the Lord. He then asked Benjamin to accept a mission call.

Benjamin felt that giving up his chance to play in the territorial orchestra would be almost more than he could bear, but he also knew what his decision should be. He promised the bishop that if there were any way to raise the money for him to serve, he would accept the call.

When Benjamin told his mother about the call, she was overjoyed. She told him that his father had always wanted to serve a mission but had been killed before that opportunity had come to him. However, when they discussed the financing of the mission, her face clouded over. Benjamin told her he would not allow her to sell any more of their land. She studied his face for a moment and then said, “Ben, there is a way we can raise the money. This family [has] one thing that is of great enough value to send you on your mission. You will have to sell your violin.”

Ten days later, on March 23, 1893, Benjamin wrote in his journal: “I awoke this morning and took my violin from its case. All day long I played the music I love. In the evening when the light grew dim and I could see to play no longer, I placed the instrument in its case. It will be enough. Tomorrow I leave [for my mission].”

Forty-five years later, on June 23, 1938, Benjamin wrote in his journal: “The greatest decision I ever made in my life was to give up something I dearly loved to the God I loved even more. He has never forgotten me for it.”

Learn from the past."

Secrets for a Happy Day

2 Nephi 9:52

"Behold, my beloved brethren, remember the words of your God; pray unto him continually by day, and give thanks unto his holy name by night. Let your hearts rejoice."

When the Heat Cometh

Jeremiah 17:7 - 8

“Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.”
“For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.”

When we have hope and trust in the Lord, and not ourselves - with our limited understanding, and perspective - even ‘when heat cometh’ our roots will stretch deep enough that we won’t wither, never ceasing to yield the fruit which will bring us joy amidst trial.

Have a beautiful day

Today

Psalms 118:24

"This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."

I hope you have the best of days:)

Socks in the Dryer

Elaine L. Jack:
"I'm just an ordinary woman with the same joys and frustrations of every other woman. Sometimes the frustrations are great; and sometimes the joys simple, like having an even number of socks come out of the dryer. We all work at feeling joy and finding peace."
(Conference Report, Oct.1996)

Happiness if the Joy of the Soul

"Happiness is one of the aims of the gospel; not pain, not grief, not gloom, not pleasure. There is a difference between pleasure and happiness. Happiness is the joy of the soul, always."

—David O. McKay, Man May Know for Himself-

Sailing Attitudes

** This is based on something that I read sometime, I can't remember the original source, sorry.....

To me, there is a lot of symbolism in the Book of Mormon. One part that I have thought about is when Lehi and his family are travelling on the boat to America. As they begin, the sailing is smooth and they make good progress. The Liahona is working and their spirits are high. Later, as the journey continues, negative attitudes set in while Laman and Lemuel try to make everyone on board the ship likewise negative and unhappy. Nephi is tied to the mast and no pleading on the part of their parents seems to make any difference. A great storm that matches the emotions on board the ship arises. Rain pours down, thunder crashes and the waves rock the boat violently. Determined to hold tight to their negative emotions and feelings, Laman and Lemuel refuse to untie Nephi. For four days they go on like this. Those on board no longer govern the direction of the ship, but rather it is by the cruel waves and wind that they are driven. They did not need to concern themselves with making any progress on their journey at this point because it was all they could do keep from drowning! No reasoning or logic would change the minds of those so determined to cause unhappiness. Finally, the storm becomes so violent that fear causes their hearts to be softened, Nephi is released, and the winds again became calm and the boat is able to progress toward the promised land.

I see this drama of the boat played out often in individual lives; the people on the boat being our families, wards, etc. or even just our own individual lives and the struggles we have within. When we have good moods, positive attitudes, and clear directions as to how to attain our goals, progress is easily made and the sailing is smooth. But when the prevailing attitude is negative, the storm that is created and shuts down much of our ability to progress, or even control our direction, as we just try to keep from drowning. It is amazing to me how many times we like to cling to those negatives thoughts and attitudes just as Laman and Lemuel did for several days.

Recently, I was reading an article about all the effects that our mood alone can have on just our ability to learn and the ability of those around us to learn. When we are in a good mood, we think clearly, have insights, and are optimistic. In this mode, learning is a joy and something we do to further our understanding of the world and improve our lives. But if our mood is negative, we no longer see or think clearly. Learning becomes an obstacle which is difficult to get through. Rather than insights and understanding, we have difficulty seeing logically which causes further frustration. While positive moods can be contagious, it seems that it is only negative moods that are able to spread in epidemic proportions.

Aristotle said: “We are what we consistently do; excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.” It’s the same with our attitudes. The more we choose to be positive in our thinking, the more this will be a constant state of mind for us, and happiness will be much easier to achieve.