Oct 20, 2024

Nephites Listen to Christ

Recently I attended a priesthood lesson focused on Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf’s talk “A Higher Joy.” The teacher began the lesson with this question: “What brings you joy and happiness?” As you can imagine, the participants’ answers were interesting and varied. Some of the responses were being with family, doing hard things, repenting, getting married, landing a decent job, and achieving a goal.

One question to reflect upon is, how are we seeking happiness? One of the promises of Jesus Christ is that as we seek, we can find (Matthew 7:7). Wilford Woodruff had an interesting perspective on this: “Ask any people, nation, kingdom, or generations of men the question and they will tell you they are seeking happiness, but how are they seeking for it?”

Joseph Smith, while translating the Book of Mormon, recorded 2 Nephi 2:25: “Men are that they might have joy.” He later taught, “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.” The “happiness” entries in the Topical Guide and Index to the Triple Combination say to also see the entries for “blessed,” “cheer,” “delight,” “glad,” “joy,” and others. In other words, many qualities relate to this highly sought-after condition of happiness. 

In this week’s Come, Follow Me we get to see firsthand what made the people of Nephi so happy. After the Savior’s tender visit to them, they were changed by His love and immediately showed their willingness to live righteous lives. “Surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God” (4 Nephi 1:15). This is the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Before I joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I thought I was happy—and I was, to some extent. At 18 years old, I started living the commandments better and making and keeping covenants with my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Despite difficulties and challenges, I was internally deeply happy, which continually brought a sincere smile to my face. Compared to before I was baptized, my happiness boosted because of the righteous choices I was striving to make. A peace that surpasses all understanding has made me exclaim, as Ammon, “I cannot say the smallest part I feel” (Alma 26:16; see also Philippians 4:7).

In our quest for finding happiness, let us allow Heavenly Father to guide us. He is there for our happiness and has our best interests at heart. If we live each day with love, grace, and gratitude, we will experience a happiness that surpasses understanding.

Garry Weiss is a retired teacher currently living in Snowflake, Arizona, who loves his family, the Church, his community, and his grandchildren. His hobbies are journal writing, rock collecting, temple and family history work, and anything his grandchildren want to do and learn.