Here is my farewell talk for those of you who weren't able to be there on Sunday! My parents and family will be keeping my blog current while I'm gone. I'll see you in 18 months! I'll miss you all. :)
Plan of Happiness:
My topic for today is on the Plan of Happiness, but before I get started on that I just wanted to share with you what I have learned this past year as I’ve decided to serve a mission.
For those of you who know me well know how much I like to have things planned out and organized in my life. I am a fan of a plan, and like to stick to it for the most part. Well, this past year has required a leap of faith for me as I’ve received pieces of my Heavenly Fathers plan. Trying to follow the promptings I’ve received from Him hasn’t been the easiest thing I’ve done. You see I never planned on serving a mission and to be honest I never really wanted to because I already had other plans. I was going to take my volleyball scholarship, get my degree, and get married after graduating. Although I had opportunities for some of these things I knew that wasn’t my Fathers plan for me at this time.
About a year ago after my grandpa passed away I felt like I needed to start praying for my Saviors will for me. I needed and wanted to be happy and I knew Heavenly Father could help me with this. I never once thought a mission would come up in His plans for me, but after praying, reading my scriptures, fasting, going to the temple, and receiving answers to my prayers through angels in my life I knew that was the right decision. This was about a 6-month process because I am a stubborn girl. The first 4 months consisted of me saying, “Ok I know I asked your will for me, but how about some other option…” or “How about I just serve a mission when I get married and I’m old?” once I agreed to follow His plan the next 2 months were me getting the courage up to tell someone.
One of the many answers I received while trying to decide if I was going to follow this prompting came through my best friend who is serving a mission in Ecuador. I gained a very strong testimony that Heavenly Father places people in our lives at certain times to be answers to our prayers. Spencer W. Kimball stated, "God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs. Therefore, it is vital that we serve each other in the kingdom.” I had been praying so hard everyday to really KNOW and even though he had no idea I had even been thinking about a mission I received letter after letter saying, “Follow every prompting from the spirit whether it be big or small.” (Quote)
Heavenly Father will get what he needs done whether it be through me, you, or someone else. But what better way to show our Heavenly Father that He can trust us if we follow each task or prompting He puts in front of us. Christ has a will for each and every single one of us and our responsibility while we are on earth is to find what that purpose is and to do it to our BEST abilities. He knows we can't do it perfectly and He knows we can’t do it alone, but if we try and do all we can He will fill in the rest. In 1 Nephi 4:6 it reads, "I was led by the spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do." But when Nephi followed the spirit He was led and Christ was with him every step of the way. This scripture has been my motto the past year and will continue to be throughout my mission.
"Our hands are set to the plow, and there is no looking back. Christ explains in the book of Matthew; 'Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.'
We are given tasks but the Lord is with us! And that is why I stand before you all today, I stand before you preparing for my mission because I know without a doubt that the Lord will be with me to help me bring His children back to Him. I couldn’t and wouldn’t go on my mission if I knew I would be without my Savior Jesus Christ.
So what was my point in telling you all this? I wanted to share my experiences with you so you can see that Heavenly Father has a plan for each of us if you haven’t already seen it yourself. I can testify of this to you because of the few pieces of my plan that was set before me this past year. He wants us to be happy. Happiness is the purpose of the gospel and of the Atonement. The Prophet Joseph stated, “Happiness is the object and design of our existence; and will be the end thereof, if we pursue the path that leads to it; and this path is virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments of God.”
Instead of talking about each aspect and step of the Plan of Salvation to you today I wanted to talk about why it is often called the plan of happiness and why we have such great reason to be a joyful people. President Boyd K. Packer said, “If you understand the great plan of happiness and follow it, what goes on in the world will not determine your happiness.” There has been much wickedness and sorrow in our world and it continues to get worse, but as we focus on the Plan our Father has for us we can continue to be happy!
This past month while preparing this talk I’ve thought of several blessings we each have that provide great joy in life. The list is numberless, but here are a few blessings I’ve thought of. As I list this off, think to yourself the blessings in your life that make you happy. Some will probably be the same as what I list…
Atonement, agency, life on earth, resurrection, families, friends, knowledge of the gospel and of the plan of Salvation, opportunity to learn, scriptures, prophets, obedience, eternal life, and the list could go on. All of these make me very happy but I’m just going to talk about a few of them.
The atonement is central to the plan of happiness. Why does the atonement offer us such great happiness? Because Christ has already paid our debts for us to be happy! He has atoned for our sins so that we can be forgiven of our wrongdoings, and He taught us the path that leads to happiness through His example of a selfless life. Sin leads to unhappiness, but the atonement brings us out of our grief as we go to our Savior with humble hearts to repent and forsake our sins.
In a first presidency message titled, Our Search for Happiness, President James E. Faust stated, “Some may have detoured from the road to peace and happiness through transgression. With all my heart I urge you to begin the process of clearing up any problem so that you may again enjoy a quiet and a peaceful conscience. When we truly repent of our sins, the Lord has promised, “I, the Lord, remember them no more” (D&C 58:42).” That is the true blessing of the atonement. When we seek to be better Christ will allow everyone that chance.
After Jesus Christ atoned for our sins he was hung on the cross at galilee. His apostles took His body and placed it in the tomb, and after 3 days He rose again. This great event is what offers me the most hope and happiness in times of losing a loved one. Job asked If a man die, shall He live again? In Mosiah 16 Abinadi answers that question…
Mosiah 16:8-9
The resurrection is a huge blessing and very happy part of Christ’s plan. Without the resurrection the whole purpose of this life is nothing. Everyone has lost someone that they know. It is not something that I would wish upon anyone, but I can say how grateful I am for the knowledge I have of being able to see my loved ones again one day. Death obviously is not something that makes us happy, but it’s the knowledge behind death and having the knowledge of the resurrection that makes us happy. We are able to know there is a light at the end of the dark tunnel. I’m so grateful that we have that truth to get us through those tough times. I am excited to teach all the principles of the gospel, but the resurrection is one that I can’t wait to share with everyone in Houston to let them know that families can be together forever, through our Heavenly Fathers plan.
The last topic I want to speak on today is Love. In the same talk I previously quoted by President Faust he states, “May I suggest a further requisite in the continuing quest to live happily every hour, every day, every month, and every year of our lives. The golden pathway to happiness is the selfless giving of love—the kind of love that has concern and interest and some measure of charity for every living soul. Love is the direct route to the happiness that would enrich and bless our lives and the lives of others. It means that you show love even to your enemies, “bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you” (Matt. 5:44). In so doing you will be fulfilling the greater commandment to love God Himself and to enjoy His love.”
When we were baptized we made the promise to, “mourn with those that mourn; and comfort those that stand in need of comfort.” Christ set the perfect example for us in loving everyone. As we show our Christ-like love to others we will forget our desires, and ourselves and become a happier people while seeking to serve those around us. Do as Ian Arden said in this last general conference, “run to the support of others.”
As we are happy and let it shine on our faces we will be able to reflect our Saviors countenance better throughout our daily lives. People will begin to wonder why we are such a happy people and they will want to have that same happiness in their lives. If we truly have a deep understanding and testimony of the Plan of Salvation we should not fear what this life may bring because in the end the Plan of Salvation brings happiness to those who are faithful.
I can promise each of you that as we seek reasons to be happy daily we will find them through the gospel and through the plan Heavenly Father has given us
