Today’s Reading: 2 Nephi 2:12-25
25 Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.
What comes to your mind when you think of the word “JOY”? For me, I think of eternal happiness, of the feeling I get when I’m with my family, of the feeling I get when I am outside surrounded by God’s beautiful creations. Joy is peace and love and happiness all rolled up into one beautiful package. Elder Oaks defined joy this way:
“Joy is the ultimate sensation of well-being. It comes from being complete and in harmony with our Creator and his eternal laws.” (source)
Isn’t that beautiful? Joy, simply put, is what comes from living the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Nephi told us that, “men are that they might have joy.” JOY. God, our Heavenly Father, wants us to be happy. He wants us to be joyful. And that is why he has created this beautiful plan we sometimes call the Plan of Happiness. In fact, the prophet Joseph Smith stated that,
“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.” (as quoted here)
Joy is a beautiful thing, it is something we should seek after, and hope for. Like I mentioned above, I find joy in simple things in life, and the more I feel that joy, the more I crave it. I can hardly imagine what it will be like to live in the presence of our Heavenly Father and our Savior, to feel joy and peace and love and comfort without end.
Dear friends, let’s strive to live our lives so that when we die, we will return home to be with Them, so that we may have that joy always.
Wife to Kyle, and momma to Abe and Eliza. I’m a stay-at-home momma by day, and a blogger by naptime. I graduated from BYU with a degree in Human Development, and I love to read more than anything. I love my Savior, and sharing His love for others is my greatest passion.