Finding Joy in the Journey
President Monson Oct. 2008
[https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2008/10/finding-joy-in-the-journey?lang=eng]
Change /CHānj/ verb: 1. to make or become different.
Change. One word that can mean so much. One word that has many mixed emotions tied into one. I love President Monson's talk Finding Joy in the Journey because he reminds us to embrace this silly little word.
Graduating, moving thousands of miles from home [1,226 to be exact]has brought one of the biggest changes into my life thus far. I'll be honest, some days I hate it! Some days if I let myself, I can become overwhelmed with feelings of doubt, fear, loneliness & homesickness. I could wallow all day long about it but what would that accomplish? Nothing! I have learned so far this summer that change is not always fun, but it can be as fun as you make it.
President Monson says it best in his talk: "You pile up enough tomorrows & you'll find you have a lot of empty yesterdays." I couldn't have said it better myself. We need to appreciate the moment instead of always waiting for something else to come along. I sure have been guilty of this this summer. "I can't wait for summer sales to be over" or "I just can't wait until my mom comes [okay but this one is still very true], or I just can't wait until I get to visit home again." If we constantly are waiting for time to pass or for an event to come we often miss the joy of the present. "Let us relish life as we live it, find joy in the journey, & share our love with family & friends."
In this talk we are reminded one the greatest lessons we are to learn here on this earth is to distinguish what matters most & what does not. People matter! Our families matter! Our parents, siblings, spouses, and children. And what is most important for them? Letting them know how much we love & care about them. Serving them. Spending time with them. Doing all we can to help them. "Often we assume that they must know how much we love them. But we should never assume; we should let them know. William Shakespeare said: 'they don't love that do not show their love.' We will never regret the kind words spoken or the affection shown. Rather, our regrets will come if such things are omitted from our relationships with those who mean the most to us." How important it is that we show those around us how important they are and how much we love them. I have said this before but one of the biggest blessings this summer is how close Josh & I have become. Every day it's just me & him. After a hard day selling I am who Josh comes home to for comfort & love. After a hard day working & at home Josh is who I turn to. We always have each other & that is what matters most. Josh is my biggest fan & cheerleader as I have started my design business & I wouldn't be where I am without his support. How tragic would it be if I never let him know it?
Despite all the change we go through there are always aspects to be grateful for. There truly always is a silver lining. "Both abundance & lack of abundance exist simultaneously in our lives, as parallel realities. It is always our conscious choice which secret garden we will tend.. when we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that's present - love, health, family, friends, work, the joys of nature, and personal pursuits that bring us happiness - the wasteland of illusion falls away and we experience heaven on earth." We must always choose gratitude.
In this talk President Monson tells the story of the ten lepers where Christ healed them & only one thanked Him. We told this same story to our primary class of 5 year olds yesterday. I was worried they wouldn't understand but they certainly did. I asked them how those who didn't say thank you made Christ feel. They said it made him feel sad inside. Certainly true. We make our Heavenly Father sad when we do not keep gratitude in our hearts for all of the many blessings & tender mercies He gives us each & every day. "In nothing doth man often God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess His hand in all things."
To be happy in this life we must remember that happiness is not a destination it's a journey. It's a road we choose to take each day. It's when we choose to make the best out of our day and stop waiting for tomorrow. "There is no tomorrow to remember if we don't do something today."
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| personal use only please (: |
Such a wonderful talk. One of my favorites. One to read on a day when you are having a hard time choosing happiness. Life is short & every day we choose our own happiness. May we always remember to thank the Lord & see his hand in all things. "Despite the changes which come into our lives with gratitude in our hearts, may we fill our days - as much as we can - with those things that matter most. May we cherish those we hold dear & express our love to them in word & deed.
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