OurQuestforHappiness GrandviewWard,April22,2012 ShortTermvs.EternalTermHappiness An American investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a smallboatwithjustonefishermandocked.

.Insidethesmallboatwereseverallargeyellowfin tuna.TheAmericancomplimentedtheMexicanonthequalityofhisfishandaskedhowlongit tooktocatchthem.TheMexicanreplied,"onlyalittlewhile."TheAmericanthenaskedwhy didn'thestayoutlongerandcatchmorefish?TheMexicansaidhehadenoughtosupporthis family'simmediateneeds.TheAmericanthenasked,"butwhatdoyoudowiththerestofyour time?" The Mexican fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siestaswithmywife,Maria,strollintothevillageeacheveningwhereIlaughandplayguitar withmyamigos.Ihaveafullandbusylife." TheAmericanscoffed,"IamaHarvardMBAandcouldhelpyou.Youshouldspendmoretime fishingandwiththeproceeds,buyabiggerboat.Withtheproceedsfromthebiggerboat,you couldbuyseveralboats,eventuallyyouwouldhaveafleetoffishingboats.Insteadofselling yourcatchtoamiddlemanyouwouldselldirectlytotheprocessor,eventuallyopeningyour owncannery.Youwouldcontroltheproduct,processing,anddistribution.Youwouldneedto leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then Los Angeles and eventuallyNewYorkCity,whereyouwillrunyourexpandingenterprise." The Mexican fisherman asked, "But, how long will this all take?" To which the American replied,"1520years.""Butwhatthen?"AskedtheMexican. The American laughed and said, "That's the best part. When the time is right you would announceanIPOandsellyourcompanystocktothepublicandbecomeveryrich,youwould makemillions!""Millionsthenwhat?" TheAmericansaid,"Thenyouwouldretire.Movetoasmallcoastalfishingvillagewhereyou would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siestas with your wife, stroll to the villageintheeveningswhereyoucouldlaughandplayyourguitarwithyouramigos." What a great story with a powerful message. If we are not careful, we may find ourselves allocatingtoomuchtime,effortandthoughtonthosethingsthatmatterleastattheexpense ofthosethingsthatmattermost.
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Aquickwarningaboutseekingafterwealthandthosethingsoftheword:Anunknownauthor said, Money is an article that may be used as a universal passport to everywhere except heaven,andasauniversalproviderofeverythingexcepthappiness.Moneymaybuythehusk of many things, but not the kernel. It brings food, but not the appetite; medicine, but not health;acquaintances,butnotfriends;servants,butnotfaithfulness;daysofjoy,butnotpeace orhappiness. Ithinkitsfairtosaythateveryhumanbeingthathasorwillwalktheearthisonaquestfor happiness.WhenIlookedupthewordquestinthedictionaryIfoundsuchwordsas:search, probe,pursue,seekandchase.BrothersandSisters,howisyourquestgoing?Whatareyou searching for, probing for, seeking for and chasing after? Each source of happiness can be separatedintotwocategories.OneIrefertoasshorttermandtheotheraseternalterm. Short term happiness comes from activities and material items that make us happy for a timebutnotforaneternity.Examplesofsuchareasfollows:attendingtheWorldSeries,being popular,abeautifulhome,acollegedegree,anicecar,abigpromotion,avacationtoEurope, anewwardrobe,masteringavideogameandthelistgoeson. Iforone,reallyenjoyflyfishing.Infact,flyfishingmakesmehappy.Ienjoybeingoutinthe river, listening to the sounds of nature, setting the hook, fighting, landing and releasing the fish.Itsarushofhappinessforme.However,thatsallitreallyis.Soonthelightfalls,thegear ispackedup,thebraggingaboutmybigcatchgetsold(sometimesembellishingjustalittle) andthenthatbigrushoffishinghappinessisgone. As long as our short term happiness actions and activities are in line with the commandments of God, they are good and oft times provide a source of relief from the stressesandhardshipsoflife. Unlike short term happiness, eternal term happiness is happiness that lasts. In fact, it neverends.TheProphetJosephSmithdescribedeternaltermhappinessastheobjectand designofourexistence;andwillbetheendthereof,ifwepursuethepaththatleadstoit;and this path is virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments of God1. KingBenjaminhadthistosayabouteternaltermhappiness:Andmoreover,Iwoulddesire thatyeshouldconsiderontheblessedandhappystateofthosethatkeepthecommandments ofGod.Forbehold,theyareblessedinallthings,bothtemporalandspiritual;andiftheyhold

TeachingsoftheProphetJosephSmith,selectedbyJosephFieldingSmith[1976],25556

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outfaithfultotheendtheyarereceivedintoheaven,thattherebytheymaydwellwithGodina state of neverending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the LordGodhathspokenit.2 Examplesofeternaltermhappinessactivitiesare:spendingqualitytimewithfamily,serving in a soup kitchen, prayer, scripture study, listening to wholesome music, taking care of the elderly, writing an uplifting letter to a struggling friend, repenting, taking the sacrament, attendingchurchandthelistgoeson. Howdowedistinguishifanactivityoractionwillbringshortoreternaltermhappiness? Theanswerissimple.IfsuchactionoractivitywillbringyourclosertoyourFatherinHeaven, itisasourceofeternaltermhappiness. BrotherandSistersletmeaskyoumyopeningquestionagain.Howisyourquestforhappiness going?Doyoufindyourselfsearchingfor,probingfor,seekingforandchasingaftersourcesof short term or eternal term happiness? While there is nothing wrong with short term happinesswithinmoderation,ourquestforhappinessoughttobebuiltaroundthehappiness thatlasts. EternalTermHappinessComesasWeApplytheAtonementofJesusChrist The most essential requirement for one to be eternally happy is in the application of the Atonement.BeforewecanapplytheAtonementofJesusChrist,Ithinkitsimportantforusto reallyunderstandwhattheAtonementdoesforus.Itfreesusfromsin,deathandadversity, hence enabling a safe return to our Father in Heaven. My favorite explanation of the AtonementwasprovidedbyJamesRobinson,theauthorofBelievingChrist: AllthenegativeaspectsofhumanexistencebroughtaboutbytheFall,JesusChristabsorbed intohimself.HeexperiencedvicariouslyinGethsemanealltheprivategriefsandheartaches,all the physical pains and handicaps, all the emotional burdens and depressions of the human family.Heknowsthelonelinessofthosewhodontfitinorwhoarentprettyorhandsome.He knowswhatitisliketochooseupteamsandbethelastonechosen.Heknowstheanguishof parentswhosechildrengowrong.Heknowstheprivatehelloftheabusedchildorspouse.He knows all these things personally and intimately because he lived them in the Gethsemane experience. Having personally lived a perfect life, he then chose to experience our imperfect lives.In that infinite Gethsemane experience, the meridian of time, the center of eternity, he

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lived a billion, billion lifetimes of sin, pain, disease, and sorrow. God uses no magic want to simplywavebadthingsintononexistence.Thesinsthatheremits,heremitsbymakingthem his own and by suffering them. The pain and heartaches that he relieves, he relieves by suffering them himself. These things can be shared and absorbed, but they cannot be simply wished or waved away. They must be suffered. Thus we owe him not only for our spiritual cleansing from sin, but for our physical, mental, and emotional healings as well, for he has bornetheseinfirmitiesforusalso.Allthatthefallputswrong,theSaviorandhisAtonement putsRight.Itisallpartofhisinfinitesacrifice,ofhisinfinitegift.3 IamsogratefulformySaviorJesusChrist.Forhismercyandforhislove.InmyownlifeIhave experiencedtheAtonementofJesusChrist.Thattransferringofsinandadversityfromour shoulderstothoseoftheSaviorsisasrealasmystandingbeforeyoutoday.Thatprocess,by farbringsthemostrelief,themostjoyandthemosthappinessthislifehastooffer. SohowdoweapplytheAtonement?Theanswerissimple.TheAtonementisappliedwhenwe repent.Ourrepentanceisacceptedifitissincereandwetrulychange.Onelastthoughton applyingtheAtonement,letsopenourscripturestoMathew26:3624. AdversityBringsHappinessandisPartofthePlan Iwouldnowliketodiscussonethebestkeptsecretsofeternaltermhappiness.Iapologize upfrontiftherealizationofthisbestkeptsecretruinsyourmorning.Hereitgoes Ifyouareanythinglikeme,fromtimetotimeyouhavethought:ifallmyproblemscouldjust disappear, then I would be happy? There is a great deal of irony in such a thought as our problemsplayanessentialroleinourFatherinHeavensPlanofHappiness.Justashappiness ispartofthePlan,soisadversity. Nephitaught:Foritmustneedsbe,thatthereisanoppositioninallthings.Ifnotso,myfirst borninthewilderness,righteousnesscouldnotbebroughttopass,neitherwickedness,neither holinessnormisery,neithergoodnorbad.4 Nephi teaches us that our trials, our challenges our tribulations are all part of the plan. Without them we would know no happiness. After pondering this for a time I realized something I had not realized before. That is, the greater the adversity, the greater the opportunity for happiness. Let me say that one more time, the greater the adversity, the

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BelievingChrist,JamesERobinson 2Nephi2:11

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greatertheopportunityforhappiness.Wow,isntthatanoxymoron,tosuggestthatadversity providesthemeansforhappiness.Hereareafewexamplesforthosedoubting: 1. Ifweallowit,adversitymakesushumble,thusprovidingawayfortheLordtoteachand moldusintowhathewantsustobecome.IftheLordisteachingandmoldingus,weare happy. 2. Ifweallowit,adversityturnsustomorespiritualthingslikesincereprayerandearnest scripture study. When we are sincerely praying and studying the scriptures, we are happy. 3. Ifweallowit,adversityturnsusawayfromthethingsoftheworldandturnsustothe thingsofGod.WhenweturntoGodinagreaterdegree,wearehappy. 4. Ifweallowit,adversitywillwidenourperspective,allowingustobetterunderstandour selfandothers.Whenwebetterunderstandourselfandothers,wearehappy. 5. If we allow it, adversity will draws us closer to Christ as we rely on his healing Atonement.WhenweapplytheAtonement,wearerelievedofouradversitiesandwe arehappy. Let us always remember, that adversity is part of the Plan. In fact, adversity is evidence of Godsloveforeachofus.ForitwashewhosaidAsmanyasIlove,Irebukeandchasten.5 Dontbesoshockedwhenadversitycomesknockingatyourdoor.PresidentHinckleysaidit best: Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he's been robbed. The fact is that most putts don't drop. Most beef is tough. Most children grow up to be just ordinary people. Most successful marriages require a high degreeofmutualtoleration.Mostjobsaremoreoftendullthanotherwise....Lifeislikean oldtime rail journeydelays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders, and jolts, interspersed only occasionallybybeautifulvistasandthrillingburstsofspeed.ThetrickistothanktheLordfor lettingyouhavetheride. ElderRichardGScottsaid: Apebbleheldclosetotheeyeappearstobeagiganticobstacle.Castontheground,itisseen inperspective.Likewise,problemsortrialsinourlivesneedtobeviewedintheperspectiveof scriptural doctrine. Otherwise they can easily overtake our vision, absorb our energy, and depriveusofthejoyandbeautytheLordintendsustoreceivehereonearth.Somepeopleare

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like rocks thrown into a sea of problems. They are drowned by them. Be a cork. When submergedinaproblem,fighttobefreetobobuptoserveagainwithhappiness. Youragency,therighttomakechoices,isnotgivensothatyoucangetwhatyouwant.This divinegiftisprovidedsothatyouwillchoosewhatyourFatherinHeavenwantsforyou.That wayHecanleadyoutobecomeallthatHeintendsyoutobe.Thatpathleadstogloriousjoy andhappiness. Now,formyfavoritescriptureonadversity: 2Corinthians4:1718 Forourlightaffliction,whichisbutforamoment,workethforusafarmoreexceedingand eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things whicharenotseen:forthethingswhichareseenaretemporal;butthethingswhicharenot seenareeternal. BrotherandSisters,adversitycanbethegreatstumblingblockorthegreatsteppingstone.Its myhopethateachofuscanfaceadversityheadonwiththeunderstandingthatitissimply partoftheplan.Begratefulforadversityasitsthepricewepaytobecomeacquaintedwith God.Remember,theAtonementcoversusforouradversityaswell.ApplytheAtonementand intime,thatadversitywillbepartiallyandonedayfullytransferredoffofyouandontoChrist. Conclusion Inconclusion,itsmyprayerthatwewillbuildourquestforhappinessaroundeternalterm happinessactivities.Thatwewill prayalittleharder.Thatwewillworkalittle less.Thatwe willreadourscripturesmoreoften.Thatwewillrepentwithmoresincerity.Thatwewilllove alittlemore.ThatwewillfollowtheSaviorsadmonitiontolayasidethethingsofthisworld, andseekforthethingsofabetter.6Aswedothesethingswewillremainhappythroughthis life and into eternity. Remember, adversity is part of the plan. The trick is to access the Atonementthroughouradversitiessothatthehappinesscontinuesandcontinueitwill. InthenameofJesusChrist,amen.

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