Happiness

Well, this week I´ve been learning a lot about happiness and how it is that we can have this wonderful gift in our lives. On Monday we had a wonderful district meeting that treated the subject. A couple of the scriptures Elder Murphy used (he is the son of the baseball player Dale Murphy) were in 2 Nephi 4:15-35 and Alma 24:29. In 2 Nephi, Nephi is feeling real great and riding high and everything and then he thinks about all of his weaknesses and drops into the "pit of despair" and loses sight of his objective, but then remembers that it is the devil that wants us to be sad, and he picks himself back up and keeps on working.
^^^^^^^^^^_______^^^^^^^^^^ (nephi´s happy line)
In Alma, he is talking to his missionary son (which had special significance to us) and he says not to worry about things, or to worry about them just enough to change things for the better. In this case there is the happiness and the pit of despair, but in between in a godly sorrow line that is just low enough for us to repent and then bounce back to our happy line again.
Like this: ^^^^^^^------^^^^^ (instead of ^^--______--^^^)
Anyway, it´s hard to explain in type, but we can´t linger in the valley of sorrow.

I also was studying in 1Nephi 8 and found some great happiness advice/counsel...verse 4 Lehi is in the dark and dreary wilderness (in portuguese it is translated dark and sad) and he´s really bummed out, but then he finds the solution to this sorrow in prayer and in response to his prayer in verse 10 he sees the tree whose fruit is desirable to make one happy. That´s great fruit! So, what is the fruit?? it is the love of God (1 Ne 11:21-22) or in other words charity. There is then a direct link between our happiness and our love for other people, and we notice in Lehi´s dream that his first thought is to share this happiness he has found with those around him (especially his family). Anyway, it is a great study..(other great references, Alma 5:26, moroni 7:45-48, 1 Cor 13) In the end really it seems as if all that we do in this life must have direction in order to be worth anything. The power that gives faith, knowledge, and patience direction is love. In this manner we give without expecting anything in return and our giving is focused by the pure love of Christ that we have in our hearts as a gift from the Father. This type of giving gets in return happiness, which is the perfect reward because we can only receive when we give without expecting anything in return.
As a result of all of this happiness studying, my week really was a lot happier because I remembered what the steps were. It really was a good week, nothing to overly exciting happened, but it was really positive. Sister Scheiber and I are absolutely sure that one of us will be transferred on the 23rd (we don´t know which) because we are getting along so well together and we´ve been here for a while, so in response to your question Mom, I don´t know what my number is to give to you, but I will know next thursday ( it is difficult when transfers fall three days before christmas) I´m thinking a call at 11:00 or noon would be good because it will be 7-8 here, but it also depends on when Samuel gets to call, let me know when his call is and if you want to hear from me before or after...It will all work out Also, thanks so much for the advent calander... Mary and Joseph are having fun going to Bethlehem upside down without Samuel to turn them into their upright position. Also, thanks a whole bunch Martha for the pictures and the package which arrived on the same day. It made me all warm and toasty inside and out. (ha ha ha) So, basically that´s it for today--BE HAPPY (have love) which means I have every right to be the happiest girl on earth because I have so much love for so many people, not the least of which is my HUGE family (in comparison to the one or two children families here). Also a very happy birthday to a very cute boy Caleb! And that´s the end.

ellen

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