Happiness, Your Heritage

To me it appears that our splendid sisters sometimes undervalue their abilities – they focus on what is lacking or imperfect rather than what has been accomplished and who they really are.

Perhaps you recognize this trait in someone you know really well.

The good news is that this also points to a marvelous quality: the innate desire to please the Lord to the best of your ability. Unfortunately, it can also lead to frustration, exhaustion, and unhappiness.

Today I would like to speak to those who have ever felt inadequate, discouraged, or weary – in short, I would like to speak to all of us. . .

I am not suggesting that we can simply flip a switch and stop the negative feelings that distress us. This isn’t a pep talk or an attempt to encourage those sinking in quicksand to imagine instead they are relaxing on a beach. . .

However, I would like to speak about two principles that may help you find a path to peace, hope, and joy – even during times of trial and distress. I want to speak about God’s happiness and how each one of us can taste of it in spite of the burdens that beset us.

What is our Heavenly Father’s happiness?

. . . Though we cannot understand “the meaning of all things,” we do “know that [God] loveth his children” because He has said, “Behold, this is my work and my glory – to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.”

Heavenly Father is able to accomplish these two great goals – the immortality and eternal life of man – because He is a God of creation and compassion. Creating and being compassionate are two objectives that contribute to our Heavenly Father’s perfect happiness. Creating and being compassionate are two activities that we as His spirit children can and should emulate.

Everyone can create. You don’t need money, position, or influence in order to create something of substance or beauty.

If that is how you feel, think again, and remember that you are spirit daughters of the most creative Being in the universe.

The bounds of creativity extend far beyond the limits of a canvas or a sheet of paper and do not require a brush, a pen, or the keys of a piano. Creation means bringing into existence something that did not exist before – colorful gardens, harmonious homes, family memories, flowing laughter.

What you create doesn’t have to be perfect. So what if the eggs are greasy or the toast is burned? Don’t let fear of failure discourage you. Don’t let the voice of critics paralyze you – whether that voice comes from the outside or the inside.

If you still feel incapable of creating, start small. Try to see how many smiles you can create, write a letter of appreciation, learn a new skill, identify a space and beautify it. . .

The more you trust and rely upon the Spirit, the greater your capacity to create.That is your opportunity in this life and your destiny in the life to come. Sisters, trust and rely on the Spirit. As you take the normal opportunities of your daily life and create something of beauty and helpfulness, you improve not only the world around you but also the world within you.

Being compassionate is another great work of our Heavenly Father and a fundamental characteristic of who we are as a people.

While there are times when it is prudent to look first to our own needs, in the long run it doesn’t lead to lasting happiness.

{Christ} knew that greatness had little to do with outward signs of prosperity or position.

In the end, the number of prayers we say may contribute to our happiness, but the number of prayers we answer may be of even greater importance. Let us open our eyes and see the heavy hearts, notice the loneliness and despair; let us feel the silent prayers of others around us, and let us be an instrument in the hands of the Lord to answer those prayers.

As spirit daughters of our Heavenly Father, happiness is your heritage.