farewell cali

I am a disciple of Jesus Christ and I have fought the good fight. I have labored with all my heart, might, mind, and strength among God's children in Southern California.

My 18 month voluntary mission has come to an end.  In a few days, I'll return to my family and I'll remove the name tag that has rested under my left shoulder (occasionally the right depending on hair flow that day) for the last year and half of my life.  But though it be physically removed, it will ever be on my heart.

This has been the most challenging experience of my entire life.  Tears have been shed, faith has been tested, testimony grown.  My heart has been broken, my limits stretched,  my joy filled. I've never been closer to God, part of a bigger purpose, or nearer to love.

To my old family, I look forward with gladness to the time when we are reunited in a few short days.

To my new family.  I will miss you forever.  You have changed me forever. I cannot put a number on how many times I've contemplated just how I will manage to return quickly and visit frequently!  I will never forget the people so dear to me, the lessons the Lord taught me, or the love I have in my heart for each of you.

This is the closing of a critical chapter in my life, which means it is also a critical new beginning.  My time as a full time teacher, preacher, and minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ is ending, but my sharing of the gospel and God's love in daily, regular life, is only just starting.

I leave my final testimony with you as a set apart representative of the Lord Jesus Christ.

He lives!

He has restored essential truths to our salvation to the earth through an authorized prophet, Joseph Smith. The Book of Mormon is the word of God.

Don't believe me? Read it. See for yourself if my testimony is true.

Any one who believes in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Redeemer will believe in the truthfulness of this book, for surely as He liveth, these words testify of His divinity, lead us to follow Him, and exhort us to repent and live His everlasting gospel.

 The heavens are open and revelation from God is flowing to the earth as in times of old in preparation to His second coming.

These important truths of the gospel have brought me greater happiness than any other earthly thing.

I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. 

 I have been called of Him to testify of these things. 

 My full time mission is ending but my renewed life in Christ is only beginning. I hope you feel God's love in these words.  For truly, a message of a restoration of truth and authority is a message of God's love and awareness of us in this time as His awareness of His children in Biblical times.

Again, God lives! He loves you! He is calling to you to learn of Him and seek after truth and righteousness through investigating the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

I testify of these truths in His sacred name, even the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

don't worry, be happy

Have you ever come to a point in your life, be it a difficult situation or a relationship with someone, when there is literally and completely nothing more you can do about it. You've expended your talents, used your resources, given of every ounce of effort, thought, and soul to the task and cannot complete it because it leaves the boundaries of your control?

It is a difficult feeling, often one of despair, panic, and anxiety. You had hoped with all your heart, worked with all your might, and dedicated your life to accomplishing and overcoming, and for what? To be halted, derailed, or stopped short all because you had reached your utmost capacities, pushed your limitation, and spent more of yourself then you had.

Runner's call it "hitting the wall"

It is in this times, these crucial points of life, where we have two options. 

Sister Longhurst showing us
that sometimes we have too
much on our plate!

See we're gonna get scraped
up in life sometimes

The first option is to become embittered, cumbered, angry, frustrated, vengeful, rageful, beaten, licked, depressed, and filled with regret and misunderstanding. 

The second, is to let go and let God.

Easier said then done, this second path is one of relief, peace, and serenity. It is a path of lighter living and days with soft breezes. We learn to stop fighting the wind and adjust our sails to catch the heaven sent help. It's not always rainbows and butterflies it's compromise and acknowledgment of our own insignificance and lack of control in the universe. Because when it comes down to it, I am only in control of myself. 

 I can only control me, and you can only control you.

When someone makes us mad, when something halts our progress, when all the elements combine to hedge up our way, know that this opposition is a test of the control that we DO we have over our own self.

There is so much I could say on the subject and there are nearly endless directions to take and almost as many lessons to learn, but the focus of what I'm trying to get across isn't about how to make better use of that control, or how to fight the storm. It's not about dealing with consequences or changing how we feel in these wall hitting situations. 

 What I want to get across to myself and to you is to let go, and to let God. 

 And if you don't believe in God, then to let go, and let the natural course of the universe do it's thing. Why worry about what you cannot control? We can go inside ourselves and examine with honesty what we do and do not have power over and when the discernment has been made we can then verbally, mentally, whateverly, say to ourselves, "I'm letting it go."  Doing so will relieve a heavy burden. It allows a breath of fresh air into our lungs! And the wall we just hit evaporates and we are able to move forward with the feelings I previously described.

Don't worry, and be happy. Don't worry about these things any longer.  Let them go, walk them to the door, bid them goodnight, and feel happiness as the unwanted guest of bad feelings of inadequacy, anger, or whatever it may leave your life in that moment. Don't worry and be happy. Let go and let God.

This post was inspired by Bob Marley's "Don't worry, be happy."

"Look I'm not worried.  Be happy!"

My Dear Friend Harold. Part 3

A MONTH!!  A whole month since I've written?!  

Life right now for me is like a rug that's been pulled out from under my feet;
                                like trying to walk after riding those spinning things at the park

                                                like having both hands on the saddle of a galloping horse trying to jump on!!

         Do you get the picture??  

It's been crazy awesome exhaustingly wonderful month of my life but I'VE HAD NO TIME to write and tell you the rest of Harold's story! BUT it's here!  It's finished.  And I hope from this last part of Harold's story you feel the spirit of what I've been trying to share with you.

*By the way this is part three people!!  For the beginning of his story click here!  For meat of the story click here!!*

Harold explained to us that night, "I have lost the faith I once had in God. And I want it back." We testified there was a way!

Invited to church and an appointment made to meet with us, Harold walked away from his meeting with the bishop with a new book in hand and a new hope for his life.

As soon as their car left the church parking lot, my companion and I...celebrated!! We were so excited to help someone who had sincere desires to increase their faith in God. Knowing we had exactly what he needed to do so, we jumped up and down all the way to OUR car, then sang at the top of our lungs all the way home.

Abnormal and way boss

To our surprise, soon after arrival to the apartment we received a text from Harold informing us that he had finished reading the chapter we gave him (2 Nephi 2) loved it, and asked "what else can I read?"
THIS IS NOT NORMAL in the life of a missionary. We frantically flipped through our scriptures to find another chapter that would best continue the faith growing journey he had now begun. We landed on Alma 42, skimmed it, knew it was the right one, and sent it along.

The following morning we awoke to another text from Harold! "Read it! Now what?" I looked up at my companion, back down, back up, and the celebrating began again and so did the frantic, yet joyful, scripture flipping for yet another chapter for him to read.

The first meeting with Harold in his home included us opening up to his first Book of Mormon reading, and asking, "Harold, what did you think and how did you feel?"

"For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things."
2 Nephi 2:11

"Well, I felt that it was true. I think verse 11 really helped me understand a lot what Bishop Potter was explaining to me."

"Do you feel like it helped your faith in God increase?"

He answered in the affirmative.

As we taught him about the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ that beautiful summer morning, something began to happen to Harold. It was like he started to wake up, spiritually. (Although sometimes at our morning lessons he had trouble being awake physically!) He was smiled more and talked more. At the end of the lesson we testified that through baptism by the Priesthood authority we had taught him about he would rebuild his faith, and receive all of God's promised blessings.

"So Harold, will you follow the example of Jesus Christ --" "YES!" "....by being baptized by someone who holds this priesthood authority of God?"

"Oh!...uh..."

He had totally interrupted us and as a result said yes to something he had not seen coming!! We didn't know what to do!! So we just sat there quietly and personally very tensely, unsure what was going to happen, waiting for him to absorb what we had just invited him to do.

He sat and pondered, then said, "Yes. I will!"

We sighed extremely relieved and excited. We extended a specific baptism date for the following month and he accepted. Now it was our turn to walk away from a meeting and I like to imagine that it was Harold's turn to celebrate, jump up and down and sing at the top of HIS lungs!...I've never asked him if that's what went on after we left, so for the sake of the story we'll say it happened, why not?!

A few days later. *ring, ring ring*

My Dear Friend Harold. Part Two

Harold's story continues...

If two seconds ago was the first time you've heard Harold's name, I really suggest you stop, hold your horses, and click right here! So that you can first read Part One of this post series.

Alright, now that is taken care of, roll the second reel of My Dear Friend Harold.

A whole two weeks later, and on another warm California night, the exciting event finally took place of meeting Harold! This night, although another great night in SoCal, had some differences from when we had visited Maxine and first heard about Harold. The differences were that it was a Tuesday instead of a Monday night and instead of this being our fifth back up, it was our number one, top of the rung, first priority, plan!

And the plan was simple. All we had to do was meet Maxine & Harold at the church where bishop was waiting to help. And all they had to do was show up.

A "Mormon" meetinghouse in Provo, Utah

My companion and I tried to make small talk while we waited outside the church for them, but we were so distracted with checking our watches every ten seconds! I was bouncing up and down on my heels praying that they would come and not ditch out or need to cancel. (Which by the way happens all too frequently in the life of a missionary!) Then suddenly, there before us, was our soon to be acquaintance and friend, Harold.

We hugged Maxine and shook Harold's hand. He wasn't what I had expected...

My Dear Friend, Harold. Part One

Me & Sister Hawker exasperated with time!

There are three very simple answers to the question: Why have I not posted in weeks and weeks and weeks??

The first answer: A heavy dose of Writers Block. Similarly to the movie "Stranger than Fiction" I could not think of what I should write next, the difference is that my story doesn't involve death or taxes...at least...not yet...and hopefully not for a while when it comes to the first, and unfortunately inevitable when it comes to the latter.

The second is rather unfortunate: I. Am. A. Procrastinator. 
There I said it! I need to go to Procrastinators version of AA. "Hi I'm Sister Jensen and I'm a procrastinator."  No seriously, ask my mother. I have dealt with
     hardcore
          to the extreme
                stupid frustrating procrastination all of my life!

Thirdly and finally: TIME. Time has not been my friend lately, in fact we are kind of on the outs as of the past two weeks. He keeps slowing up, speeding down, doing cartwheels, laying around, all sorts of ridiculous things, that is making me very irritated with him.

During all this Time of procrastinative writers block, I've done a lot of reflecting.  These ponderings are mostly about the experiences I've had between January 2013 until now. I've thought about the families I've
been able to teach.  These people have changed my life for...forever! I've thought about the good times, the bad times, the door slams, the overwhelming love, the ugly words, the truth, the conversion and the spiritual experiences. But mostly I've thought about Harold.

Harold is who I want to write about; but first I have to preface the rest of this blog post with the source of this idea.  During this time, I came across a blog post about another missionary and his "Harold." Elder Choe inspired me with his story and experience teaching Athena while on his mission somewhere in "Utahland!" So to Elder Choe I say thank you! And to everyone else reading I say, here is the story of my dear friend, Harold.

*This is a true story*
*Names have been changed*

It was a beautiful warm California Monday night when we first heard Harold's name. All the plans we had, totally failed and we. were. frustrated.  We had only one plan left, to go and visit Maxine. We prayed that Maxine would be home and allow us to teach her.  (We plan out our days as missionary's so that we are as effective with our time as we can be.  And it is SO hard when it doesn't work like we think it should...but it ALWAYS works out the way God wants it to.  As evident here because it lead us to Harold.) 

We had been teaching Maxine for quite a while and although Maxine loved us and our visits, we were starting to see that she wasn't interested in acting on the message we were sharing with her.

Alma 56:46-48

This particular summer night, Maxine was very upset, but we had no clue!  This was because when we got there she was her usual upbeat, happy, energetic self.  We shared a story with her from the Book of Mormon about young stalwart warriors and the great faith they had in God, the which they attributed to their mothers. "Maxine" we said, "You are one of these mothers. You have raised your son Larry with so much faith in God." She became very emotional and we learned that her family was really struggling. That they needed help.  They didn't know what to do anymore.

They had recently received into their household a nephew named Don --jk! The nephew was Harold!(dumb joke. I know.)

Course Correction

There's been another real life will of God moment going on this past week. Remember from a few posts ago, "will of God moments" in life are those moments of painful growth, trials we don't understand or difficult course corrections. They are the moments when God prunes us, shapes us, and refines us. Where He says very plainly, "I know what I want you to be and I know what I want you to do and although you don't see it now, this will lead you down the path of happiness." In order to understand this post at all and what I'm talking about, you're gonna need to watch this short video entitled "The Will of God."

Also, in order for me to share this experience and what I have learned from it, we'll need to take a trip down memory lane so that I can fill you in on some events that led to this moment. The best way I can do this is to write it as if I had a journal entry for each of them.  If I had them they would read something like this:

October 5th, 2012
Holy moly!!! You will not believe what happened this morning! The

prophet Thomas S. Monson spoke and...........CHANGED THE AGE FOR MISSIONARY SERVICE!!! I know it was revelation from God and I am so excited for all that will accompany this historic event! Check this: young men can now go at 18 yrs old instead 19 and I am not pulling your leg young women can now go at 19 instead of 21. Oh my goodness!  Am I supposed to go on a mission?? And if I do when?? I feel the spirit saying I should go but I have been working so hard for my
interior design degree!...is it really my turn to go?

Courtesy of Interior Design Facebook

October 16th, 2012
I've still been thinking an awful awful lot about serving a mission.
But it seems like the worst timing ever! I am loving school right
now, IT IS SO HARD but it has been the best semester ever! I am
actually pulling good grades and understanding the classes. My
projects have never looked better, I actually feel slightly
successful. I haven't asked The Lord yet if I should serve....I'm
scared what the answer will be!! But I'm always thinking about it and
weighing my options...

What is all this "Because of Him"?

If you've been on facebook at all this week, or any other type of social media, you may have noticed a new trend happening.

What is all of this #becauseofhim anyways??

Well this is a special week for millions and millions of people around the world.  This is the week set apart to celebrate the life and sacrifice of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  The 'because of Him' inititives purpose is to share the wonderful, glorious, and miraculous message that changed the world, and personally, changed my life. 

Because of Him, I don't have to be afraid. 

Because of Him, I have hope.  Because of Him, there is purpose in my life. 

Because of Him, there is a life for me after this one.  Because of Him, I always have a friend.  Because of Him, there is One who understands what I'm going through. 

Because of Him, I am not alone. 

Because of Him, I know who I am.  Because of Him, I can be clean.  Because of Him, I am free. 

Because of Him, I HAVE JOY!

What do you have/know/feel because of Him?

or even...

Do you want to know what you have, can have, or will have because of Him?

Joy in the Journey

There are many people who would fit under this definition. The pioneers to whom I am referring to in this post, are the pioneers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints; the first members who joined after hearing of The Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! They came from Europe, the East coast, and from the South, and began to settle new towns and build happy communities filled with peace and joy in their new faith. Then a persecution and bitterness could not be contained against them. They were driven from place to place by hatred. Mobs burned homes, killed men, women and children, and destroyed their beloved temple. Since the church had been restored in 1830, leaders felt they needed to move west in order to find peace from the mobs. In 1846, they began a great exodus westward to the Salt Lake Valley.

What Will You Choose?

Life.

Life is a series of choices.

In the world there are so many influences pulling you to choose a certain way. Those influences can be simplified to a pull between good and evil. Sometimes we have a choice placed before us by a group of people, pressuring us to follow their crowd. Sometimes the choice happens when we are alone and no one is watching. Inside us we feel the conflict of choice between right and wrong.

What will you choose?

Who will you listen to?

Listen to the goodness in your own heart. Every person born on this earth has been given a moral compass, often called a "conscience." This "conscience" helps us know which side of the choice before us is right and which one is wrong. In my church, we call it, "the Light of Christ." And instead of me trying to explain what it is, I'm gonna let this incredible video do it for me!

                                                                  Patterns of Light: Part I

                             My choices matter. My choices shape my destiny and my character.

If I listen to that light within me, I will be able to make good choices that take into account my happiness now and will bring about lasting happiness. Choosing good, results in good. Choosing bad, results in bad. God wants us to make good choices because He loves us, and knows that will bring us happiness.  Satan wants us to choose bad because he wants us to be unhappy, because he knows wrong choices will pull us away from God.  Misery loves company and he is the most miserable being in existence and "he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself." He's going to lie to you to get you to choose poorly and say:
                                                                                                 "just once won't hurt,"
                                                                              "it will be fun,"       
                                                                                         "it's no big deal,"
                                                                   "it doesn't matter,"
                                               "everyone is doing it."

ALL LIES!
                Just once WILL hurt,
                                             the consequences WON'T be fun,
                                  our choices DO matter,
                                                                      it IS a big deal,
                                           WHO CARES about everyone?  What do you think?  What does God?

Dark Nights Then Sunrises

There is something we have yet to talk about! Something that I cannot even believe we've missed! It's something beautiful, and moving. I've converted upwards of three people to it. This something that I'm referring to is...the incredible story of Les Miserables! I know right!! How could I have not written about it yet?? In my eyes its just about the most applicable thing ever to a blog about finding happiness. I mean after all the title does translate basically into "the miserable people." But while heartache and tragedy does befall the characters of this story of miserable people, the overall message from Mousier Hugo is that "even the DARKEST night will end and the sun WILL rise!"

For all of you lovely people who read my post about Sister Spence last week, thank you for your kind comments, messages, and wishes of happiness that you sent me via blogger, Facebook, etc. I really felt your love and I want you to know that I am doing very happily. Because of Heavenly Father and a lot of prayer I was able to climb that specific mountain in my life. It was an experience of overcoming sadness that I hoped could help someone in anyway.

Everyone will experience these dark nights and sad mountains in life. It is normal and it is ok. Let me add to that, it is ok because there is an ending to our sorrows and heartaches. Whether in one day, two days, three years, or like many of the characters in Les Mis, in the coming life. The message it shares with me is one of hope, optimism, and trust in God.

Each character faces agonizing and unbearable hardships. Valjean deals with unfair treatment and poor circumstances, the which causes a haunted past that he can never escape. Fantine was an upstanding and virtuous woman who was left to the cruelest of desperation to provide for her child. Eponine experienced one of the hardest friend zone slams in history and dealt with the loneliness accompanied with it. And so on with all the characters of Les Mis, each experiencing their own dark nights of sorrow and unhappiness.

There comes a point for each of them, that they must each decide, will I fight or will I give up? I think of those moments, those epic moments, of these people on the edge of right or wrong, death or life. I can see the moments even now: Enjorlas at the barricade before the final battle. Valjean as he looks upon the man blamed for his crimes. Eponine between Marius and his impending death.

I Feel the Earth Move

Sister Moore and I camping out

So last night, as every single SoCalifornian knows, the earth was really shakin! At 9:10pm while making some mission related phone calls, my companion and I felt a thud against our apartment building that made us jump outta our skin! Then after that we were movin' and a swayin'! Our call was lost and we were able to really let out our exclamations (aka screaming, we are girls ok?!) We were pretty shocked and I personally was excited that we were experiencing a real life California earthquake!!

After the earthquake, waved past, our friend, Michelle, texted us all the information on the earthquake and that we should prepare for a possibly bigger after shock, so "grab your flashlights!" For a split second after I read the text Sister Moore and I just looked at each other and without saying a word we both just jumped up and started epic preparations!

We first grabbed our flashlights as instructed. Then we swung our emergency kits and jugs of water to the front door. We stuffed a backpack of what we felt were essentials (journal, family heirlooms, ipad, glasses, wallet, bread, spam etc.) We then changed our clothes to work clothes in case a HUGE earthquake hit and we would be doing disaster cleanup service. What if it gets hot? It's ok we will put shorts on underneath our sweats just in case. I put on my lucky reindeer socks, next shoes were on, and we were camped out by the door!

We had a few people check up on us to make sure we were ok, we told them we were and that we were prepared! Some might laugh at the level of our prepardess! The people who checked up on us sure did! And we even did a little bit too! After all, we had even decided to eat sandwhiches right then in case a full scale disaster did happen and it meant no real food for a while!

It's Like A Real Life "Will of God" Moment

Sometimes events unfold in your life or suddenly come up that cause unhappiness. Loved ones pass away, jobs are lost, best friends move, any number of unpleasant or heartbreaking events. What can I say? Sometimes the plan we have for our lives, is not the one that Heavenly Father has. But we have His promise that it is for our good and for our experience. I am going through one of these events RIGHT NOW in my life, that has caused me to feel very unhappy. I have however learned many valuable lessons from it already and hope that my explanation of it will help you with any unhappiness you may feel at life right now.

While on a Mormon mission, you always have a companion. The Lord commanded them that they go forth two by two. And I mean you ALWAYS go forth with this companion. Imagine an invisible cord was tied between you and another person that is about 15 feet long...that is missionary companionships for ya!

My mission is 18 months long and every 6 weeks, which is called a transfer, it is possible that I will be paired up with a new companion. I have been on my mission for a year, and during that time I have had many companions. Some I get along with great, others...not so great.

My current companion, I absolutely love!! Her name is Sister Spence, and this is not the first time we have been companions. Turn the clock back one year ago, when I first started my mission, can you guess who my companion was? You nailed it, you genius you, it was Sister Spence! We work hard, laugh, talk, play, and tell stories! It has been the happiest time so far on my mission!

Sister Spence and I were sure and reassured that we would be working together for another 6 weeks...but we found out on Thursday that Heavenly Father had something else in mind. Sister Spence will be leaving this area Anaheim Hills and go into my previous area in Garden Grove. When we received the phone call that informed us of the coming transfer and impending separation, we were...let's just say, unhappy, VERY, unhappy, and we were both heartbroken.

My Own Road to Happiness

This one time in my life, I was so not happy. I tried and tried to be happy, but I just wasn't. I didn't have many friends growing up (and by many I actually mean any!) and like most preteens/teenagers I didn't know where I fit in the world, but it definitely felt like nowhere. I felt so completely and utterly alone. That is not a fun feeling. I didn't even have any sure belief that God was there. It felt like my life was pointless and that nobody wanted me around.

I remember this one time coming home after school, I think it was when I was in 7th grade, and I just started crying to my dad. He has always made me feel wanted and special all of my life. Not that I would always listen to the good advice and kind words he gave me. It was during this time that he was my only friend. Anyways, back to the story! We were in our living room and I was laying on the floor just crying! haha! (Now it's pretty funny to look back on it, in the moment, so not fun, now, pretty funny. I think I can laugh about it because I have overcome it!)

Life After All is a Great Balancing Act

I think there is a very simple way we can bring our lives into harmonious happiness, and the secret is all about bringing our lives into balance.

We have so many things vying for or time and attention. We are pulled, tugged, moved, drawn, plucked, stretched, torn, contended for, hauled and dragged in any and ever direction. Look here! Look there! Buy me! Buy them! Do that! Move this! Be this! Change it all! Want more! Go!

I've gotta get up; kids up; brush teeth; breakfast; off to school; off to work; fix this problem; now this problem; make the boss happy; school calls, someone is sick; leave work; kid; doctor; pharmacy; home; soup; more kids; dinner; dog; spouse; laundry; toys; yelling; bills; tv; homework; mean neighbor; spills; until its bed time again and its quiet in the house but you still have ringing in your ears. And you sit there and feel unhappy or incomplete. That book you wanted to read is still on the shelf. My spouse is unhappy because I don't

even have the energy to talk an eighth of how we used to when it was just us...

Masked Feelings

Masked Feelings by Tyran Schouten

Sometimes I feel like there is this unrealistic standard saying that I have to be happy. Why is happiness so expected? Why is it so desired? And why is it so needed that I am willing to fake it and put on a mask of happiness, so that the world around me is fooled into thinking that I am feeling something I am not?

One By One

"When upon lifes billows you are tempest tossed; When you are discouraged thinking all is lost. Count your many blessings; name them one by one, And it will suprise you what the Lord has done." I believe that everything we are, and everything we have is from God. Last summer I read an article from one of the church leaders of the Mormon faith, one of the twelve apostles by the name of Elder J...effery R. Holland. The article was called, "Lord, I Believe." In it he said, and I am paraphrasing here, "instead of focusing on what you dont' have, focus on what you do have." Around the time I read the article I was going through one of the hardest times in my life. It was trying in every sense of the word. I felt tempest tossed and I felt discouraged. Many times I felt all was lost and that I was very much upon lifes billows. I began thinking why is it this way?? Why can't it be this other way?? I dont' have this, this, OR that!! When I landed on this last inward exclamation, the quote from the article, felt as if it rang through my mind silencing my rantful thinking. "Rather than focus on what you don't have, think about what you do have." I sat quietly for a minute and began to think of things that I DID have. It started very basic and rather broad. It was also difficult at first. "I have a family..." "I have a roof over my head and food in the cupboard..." "I have my health." My whole attitude proceeded to change, and the list grew longer and longer. The next day I came agross the hymn I quoted at the first of this post, and realized that it was the formula that refreshed and awakened me from a spiral of miserable events and thoughts. In truth I felt the song applied so perfectly into my life that I knew that the lesson held within its verses was correct and the obvious outcome of putting into practice the lesson proves it worth and accuracy. My cirumstances hadn't changed. I still was faced with the raging storm, billows and all, but I went from misery to peace; tumult to contentment; lonliness to happiness; and all it took was counting out what I did have, my blessings, ONE BY ONE.

20 Things We Should Say More Often

What can I say this kid is so wise in the ways of happiness!  If you want to increase your happiness in 20 simple ways then watch this video!

https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?v=10152166514207929

It's also a perfect way to brighten your day by giving you a couple of laughs and a smile!  It'll serve as a kick start to today's journey of happiness.

Opposition in All Things Part 3

The last and most important equation, and sometimes the most difficult to understand, our afflictions.  It seems that they are not few or infrequent for any member of the human family.  But it is important to know that our afflictions and trials are not a punishment from an angry or unjust God but part of the plan of a loving God, our Heavenly Father.  He knew--and we knew too, that life would be hard and that we would be faced with trials and sorrow that would cause anguish to our souls.  The light in our dark times is our Savior, Jesus Christ.  He is the opposition to darkness, pain, and affliction.  One of our hymns describes this opposition:

Does the Journey Seem Long?

"Does the journey seem long,

The path rugged and steep?

Are there briars and thorns on the way?

Do sharp stones cut your feet

As you struggle to rise

To the heights thru the heat of the day?

Is your heart faint and sad,

Your soul weary within,

As you toil 'neath your burden of care?

Does the load heavy seem

You are forced now to lift?

Is there no one your burden to share?

Let your heart be not faint

Now the journey's begun;

There is One who still beckons to you.

So look upward in joy

And take hold of his hand;

He will lead you to heights that are new—

A land holy and pure,

Where all trouble doth end,

And your life shall be free from all sin,

Where no tears shall be shed,

For no sorrows remain.

Take his hand and with him enter in."

I have found relief from these pains through Jesus Christ and His restored gospel.  They have been replaced by love, peace and of course, happiness.  I still face difficult and challenging times.  Sometimes I get my priorities mixed up or forget what is truly important, but He is always there to light my way back to the path of happiness--the path that will eventually lead all who walk it "home to that heaven where Father is waiting for me."  The words of Jesus Christ himself clearly distinguish the equation of opposition when facing the afflictions of this life, "These things I have spoken unto you that in me ye might have peace.  In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."  John 16:33.  We all face different circumstances, if you want to be happy and you are not it's time to try something new!  Maybe, it's time to change!  We can change!  We can have fresh starts to be happy!  So what do you change in your life?  Identify what you are doing to be happy and see if it is working, if it is not, try the opposite!

A man acquainted with grief and sorrow turned to the Savior and found the light in the dark afflictions in his life.  Chris Williams' wife, daughter, and son were killed by a drunk teenage driver.  An uplifting and inspirational example to me of how to find peace and happiness in the pit of devastation.

http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?v=911104787001

Opposition in All Things Part 2

I want to look at the causes of unhappiness and their opposites. For starters, pride, the first defined word in this series of posts. If we are prideful, meaning, we do not give freely to others or we treat others below the value we hold ourselves, and the effect of this behavior/attitude is unhappiness, then we can gather, scientifically speaking and using the "opposition equation," that the opposite behavior and attitude will result in the opposite cause. If we rid ourselves of pride, live and act in humility, in kindness to others, then we will obtain happiness where unhappiness was once equated.

A few more of my "equations." Money does not equal happiness. Beauty does not equal happiness. Having either money or beauty isn't wrong or automatically create within a person unhappiness. It is the pursuit and love/lust of them that can spiral us into misery and/or loneliness. I've heard of the wealthiest people being some of the most unhappy.

Here is a lesson I learned from the Disney and Pixar move, "UP." Mr. Fredrickson is a very unhappy and lonely widower. He and his wife always dreamed of going to a place in South America called Paradise Falls, but they never had the chance before she died. Eventually he is able to wrangle up his house with a few hundred balloons and begins a grand journey to float his house to their dream destination.

Along the way Russell, a young and energetic boyscout neighbor, is roped into the adventure along with a few other colorful characters. At the climax of the story, Mr. Fredrickson has made it to Paradise Falls but it has cost him the friendship of his companions because he has selfishly decided not to go to their rescue.  He has acheived his life goal so what should he care of the others? 

As he sits there next to his wife's empty chair, and after finding her last note to him, he realizes that his house and his dream is not what matters; what truly matters is the family he has gained through this journey and who he has the power to help. In this pivotal moment Mr. Fredrickson proceeds to throw out all of the material aspects of the life of he and his wife so that the house can again lift off and go to the rescue.

The lesson that I learn is one of deep value, if what you care about is the possessions of this life, no matter how seemingly nostalgic or important, you will wind up alone in a big empty house. He had learned in that moment of epiphany that what was important were others; not the objects gathered in life but life itself and the life well lived that is full of love.  He had realized where he needed to be and the result was in face a happy ending.

Opposition in All Things Part 1

Some causes of unhappiness:

Pride: Conceit, haughty behavior, ostentatious display. Justifying the ability of only oneself to do or live.
Vanity & Riches: Caring more of worldly items and behaviors than that of true value. ex) The latest iphone, a new car, looking like Kim Kardashian. These things might bring temporary enjoyment or fleeting purpose but it fails to create lasting joy.
Worshipping idols: Setting upon a pedestal that which is of worldly worth until our whole thought, time, and self is devoted to the item, sports team, or person, to name a few examples.
Unbelief: Doubt, uncertainty, discontentment, or unsurety. A negative view of the past, present, or especially the future. Disbelieving that there is more or better that can be found.
Affliction: Pain, distress, torment, torture, hard times, oppression, suffering, persecution, ordeal, tribulation, tyranny, hatred.
Trials: Testing of quality, value. Putting to proof through effort or attempt. Causes of trial and affliction include natural law, the choices of ourselves or others. Every action has a reaction--a consequence; cause and effect.

How can you be happy when there is so much out there causing the opposite?...Opposite...a term also worth an exploration of meaning. What if there was a law, a universal law, as real as gravity that stated, "there must be opposition in all things."

Hot cold. Night Day.

           Pleasure Pain. Dark Light.  Sickness Health.

                  Inside outside. Good evil. Love hate.

  Unhappiness happiness. 

Could we understand, enjoy, or appreciate happiness if we did not know what it was to feel unhappy?  Understanding the law of opposition doesn't take away our unhappiness but it can help us identify why we may be unhappy. This can also teach us where true happiness abides. It grants us peace because it deepens our knowledge and understanding of the principles that govern the universe. For me, it helps me understand God and how central He is to my life, understanding, and happiness.

This video is an example of a woman who has faced a mountain of adversity.  This is her testimony.

http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?v=911161811001

Forget Yourself and Go to Work

"When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of God."  The fastest, quickest, simplest way to be happy....besides smiling....is to do something for someone else.  To forget ourselves in the service of someone else.  Because we are God's children, when we help eachother, we are filled with His Spirit of love and peace. 

When I am unhappy, grumpy, burdened, low, or sad, nothing, and I mean this, NOTHING picks me up faster than performing a small act of kindness.  Holding the door for someone carrying an arm full of packages; doing the dishes for my mom or roommate; listening and being there for someone who is having a rougher time of life than me.  The list could be endless of simple services we can give one another.  Your spirit will lift because it has been made light through thinking of someone elses needs before your own.  Don't believe me? Put it to the test!

The Most Desirable Above All Things

"And it came to pass that while my father tarried in the wilderness he spake unto us, saying: Behold, I have dreamed a dream; or, in other words, I have seen a vision.  And behold, because of the thing which I have seen, I have reason to rejoice in the Lord because of Nephi and also of Sam; for I have reason to suppose that they, and also many of their seed, will be saved.  But behold, Laman and Lemuel; I fear exceedingly because of you; for behold, methought I saw in my dream, a dark and dreary wilderness. 
And it came to pass that I saw a man, and he was dressed in a white robe; and he came and stood before me.  And it came to pass that he spake unto me, and bade me follow him.  And it came to pass that as I followed him I beheld myself that I was in a dark and dreary waste.  And after I had traveled for the space of many hours in darkness, I began to pray unto the Lord that he would have mercy on me, according to the multitude of his tender mercies.  And it came to pass after I had prayed unto the Lord I beheld a large and spacious field. 
And it came to pass that I beheld a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy. 
And it came to pass that I did go forth and partake of the fruit thereof; and I beheld that it was most sweet, above all that I ever before tasted,  Yea, and I beheld that the fruit thereof was white, to exceed all the whiteness that I had ever seen.  And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit. 
And as I cast my eyes round about, that perhaps I might discover my family also, I beheld a river of water; and it ran along, and it was near the tree of which I was partaking of the fruit.  And I looked to behold from whence it came; and I saw the head thereof a little way off; and at the head thereof I beheld your mother Sariah, and Sam, and Nephi; and they stood as if they knew not whither they should go.  And it came to pass that I beckoned unto them; and I also did say unto them with a loud voice that they should come unto me, and partake of the fruit, which was desirable above all other fruit.  And it came to pass that they did come unto me and partake of the fruit also.

Smile!

What am I talking about when I say "happiness"?  What are you talking about when you say something like, "I want to be happy."  What is it that you are really looking for?  What is happiness and where does it come from?

When I am happy it's a feeling of peace and contentment with the place I am in right then.  It's almost a complete arrival into a moment.  My mind isn't wishing to be somewhere else.  There isn't a past, or necessarily a future.  I'm fully encompassed in the now and feeling great about it; pure positivity.  Can you describe how you feel when you are happy?  It isn't the easiest thing to put into words.  But when we know our own personal answer to what it is we are looking for, it will be easier to find.

Think of the times in your life when you were the happiest.  Who were you with?  What were you doing?  Was there a specific reason why you felt happy?  My happiest moments are various events but the most recurring incidents of happiness were with my family.  Like the times when we got together with my aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents and sat around and talked, had jam sessions with our various instruments and levels of talents or best off all our family game of Cut-Throat Solitaire! (Which by the way I am currently the family champion and still have the tournament chart to prove it!)  I find joy in my family because our families here on earth are an extension of God's family that we were a part of before we came here to this mortal life.  Families are a gift from God but it seems especially in todays world, families are becoming more and more of a struggle and less of a beautiful source of joy.  Families, like individuals, are not perfect.  I know mine is not.  But there was a lot of love and unity in my family and we sure knew how to get together and have a good time!  Those times I was telling about when my family was all together, it really did feel like a little piece of heaven.  I know the love and unity in my family stemmed from my grandparents testimonies of Jesus Christ.  As we center our lives and family on His teachings there is greater effort within the family to be kind, patient, forgiving, and full of love which paves the way for happiness.

Too bad those precious moments of happiness that personally I feel in my family and that you feel in your own times of happiness do not last all day long throughout our entire time in this life!  Too bad our families can sometimes be really rotten and full of heartache or drama.  If there is a God and He wants us to be happy why doesn't He just make our lives perfect?? 

Well when you feel down, when your mad at your circumstances in life, or the particular events of the day or week, there is a small little something you can do, right now, this second, that will change your level of happiness....SMILE!

It may be hard in the midst of trial but it is actually a proven fact that smiling will increase your happiness!  It's been proven smiling: Changes our mood, relieves stress, releases endorphins and natural pain killers, makes you look younger and more confident and helps you stay positive.  Smiling test:  Try to think of something negative without losing your smile!  If you are having trouble finding a reason to smile, think of the answer to the question I asked about what makes you happy!  Look around and focus on the positive.  Think of an embarrasing moment you had or a funny joke your friend or co worker told you last week.  Think of that one time the dog pushed your little brother down the stairs!!! See that one got me smiling! 

Not to mention smiling is 100% contagious!!  Here is an adorable poem written by a little girl:

One day I smiled at Heather,

And Heather smiled at Jim;

Jim smiled at Eric,

And Eric smiled at Kim;

Kim smiled at Geoffrey,

And Geoffrey smiled at Jon;

Jon then smiled at someone else,

And so that smile went on—

It went from door to door,

It went across the sea,

It travelled all around the world

And came back home to me!

Click on this link if you need a reason to smile!!  Everything this kid says is exactly what I'm tryin to tell YOU!
http://elitedaily.com/news/world/throughout-the-history-of-mankind-nobody-has-summed-up-life-as-well-as-this-kid-just-did-video/

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