Guest Post: What Makes YOU Happy?

I mean really, truly happy. When do you feel your best? Today we've got another weekly write-in from my little sister, Emma! I love the thought she has to share today on where we can find genuine happiness. This is something I think about a lot. I work with a lot of clients who are decidedly unhappy, and I want SO BADLY at times to point them to the gospel. I know it is the thing that brings us peace of mind, purpose, and joy. Even knowing this, I still need the reminder myself from time to time.

Emma's thought brought to mind a couple of scriptures. This one, in Matthew 11: 28-30, which tells us to "come unto [Him]. . .take [His] yoke upon [us], and [He] shall give rest unto [our] souls." And a line from this verse, which states simply that "wickedness never was happiness." I don't know how to say how true this is.

So maybe I'm not gonna try right this second. I'm always happy to hear your thoughts, though! And of course, here's Emma.

It is easy to spend time doing worldly things that won’t really bring us happiness. It is cool to look through the Book of Mormon and see how when the people are being wicked, things usually go wrong and the people aren’t happy. To me one of the great reminders in Fourth Nephi is that righteousness is what brings us happiness. Fourth Nephi 1: 15-16 says, “And it came to pass that there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people. And there were no envyings, nor strifes, nor tumults, nor whoredoms, nor lyings, nor murders, nor any manner of lasciviousness; and surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God.”

This is a powerful statement to me. By the time this was written, tons of people had already inhabited the earth. Many of those people probably came up with their own philosophies and tried their own ways to be happy but were never as happy as these people in Fourth Nephi, a powerful thing. This scripture reminds me that I don’t need to look very far to learn how to be happy. Living the gospel of Jesus Christ is what can make us most happy if we choose it. I am grateful for this knowledge because things that bring me temporary happiness aren’t going to last forever. My good grades from last semester aren’t going to last, clothes will go out of style, etc. But what was true thousands of years ago about righteousness bringing happiness is still true today and that is great news!