“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.” -Joseph Smith

I don't even know where to start this blog post.
I am officially in love with Utah.
I didn't think it would happen. I thought that part of my heart would always be in Virginia and I would only be able to like Utah. I'm not saying Virginia has replaced Utah. It never will. My experience there was so great.
But there is just something about Utah.
There is just something about this place that brings me such joy.
Actually, there isn't just something. There are so many things.

The Joseph Smith statue I mentioned in a former blog post.

So many wonderful things are going on in my life right now. I guess chronologically is the best way to go... so... here we go!
Harry Potter Seven Part Two. Oh..my...goodness! This was my favorite Harry Potter movie yet by far. I think that previous Harry Potter movies have just been a lot of fun. But this movie was so much more. I think that this movie had overarching themes. It was just so good.

 I absolutely love midnight premieres. Maybe it's the hours of waiting people have to do but everyone is just so excited to see the movie and the energy level is just so high. I love how people clap and cheer during the movie. And then there are also the crazies who just dress up in such funny costumes. My personal favorite:

We found Waldo!

My other personal favorite was this guy...

This is Gilderoy Lockhart. He is holding Magical Me which may or may not be a wrapped version of the Bible...

And he may have been handing out autographed pictures of himself. Moments before out movie started he walked in and proudly announced, "Guys, I just handed out 450 autographed pictures of myself." We may have applauded him.
Well, anyway, we walked into the theater and the only seats left were in the first four rows and the single handicap seats. So there was a handicap seat on each side so Lindsey M. was going to take one and I was going to take the other. But then a lady heard our plan and she offered us her camp chair. So Lindsey M. took it. Hahahaha

Love it.

Anyway, the premiere was absolutely grand. The next day in chemistry I was so exhausted though. I didn't hear a word the professor said. That day I was a zombie.

The next day my ward had a boating trip which was super fun. I have recently discovered a love of being in water. We went tubing and let me just say, it was so much fun. The next day however I had some bruises on my legs... how does that even happen?

I  have to say that the past weekend was the best one in Utah thus far because… AVY CAME DOWN TO VISIT ME!!! It was the happiest day of my life! I am absolutely in love with Utah except for one thing; I don’t have my same roommate relationships that I used to have. I don't have problems with my roommates it's just I really miss Keldonna and Avy. Like I really really do. Not living with them has created a giant hole in my heart. They are my best friends. Having Avy down here was just the greatest. It was like I had absolutely everything I wanted. 

On Friday we just explored campus because there are so many things to explore here and then we came home and climbed up onto the roof with Spencer and Adam and Emily. We made delicious cookies, white chocolate chip with blueberries and cranberries! It was so wonderful. 

View from the roof of the JFSB

Giant children's books in the library

Delicious cookies. :)

Artistic blurry roof picture

And then on Saturday Avy and I just had the best day. Adam Emily Avy and I rented tubes and we rode them down the river! The water was freezing! My Grandpa had warned me that the water was going to be super cold but I don’t think I really took his comments to heart. Hahaha. Anyway, we get into the river and it ended up being fairly dangerous. Hahaha. We had to paddle in order to avoid trees and rocks, but there were several times where we didn’t avoid them at all. Avy was the first to flip out of her tube. She hit the rocks pretty hard and ended up cutting herself in a few places. After that we tried to all hold onto each other’s tubes.  But we were too busy talking to realize there was a rock coming up. Avy and Emily went around the rock but Adam and I ended up crashing into it. Adam barely got over the rock but as he did that his tube hit my tube and totally flipped me. I flipped again at another point and I don’t really know why and then I flipped another time because Avy bumped into my tube. It was so much fun.

After that we went to a giant slip-n-slide, got burgers, and saw Thor at the dollar theater. Then it came time for me to say goodbye to Avy once again. I’m not sure if saying goodbye to her will ever be easy. I don’t really cry a lot but both times I have said goodbye to Avy I have cried afterwards. I just really love her.

            On Sunday I had a talk in church and I still had yet to really start it. Spencer had invited me to go to a bonfire so I ended up locking myself in his car until I wrote it. Then we went outside and played at the bonfire. It was so fun.

            I feel like I could go on forever about all of the fun I’m having here. I mean, I could go into so much more like my recent discovery of my love of croquet or some movie nights...but I’m not going to. Instead I want to talk about my talk. I got the phone call on Sunday that I was going to give a talk on the subject of happiness. I was pretty excited about talking on happiness because I love happiness. I started to research it. I think over the week I ended up reading seven or eight talks on happiness. I had gathered quotes and scriptures but I still felt like it just wasn’t coming together. I locked myself in Spencer’s car at like 9. I had attempted to write things down but it just didn’t flow. I was getting a little frustrated. Typically my talks just kind of come to me. This one wasn’t. Around 10:15 I said a prayer and then it all started to come together. I finished it and went outside and hung out at the bonfire. I am going to insert it here because I have had a few requests from people to read it but it is rather unedited so don't judge it too harshly. But I'm going to wrap up my blog here. It's getting harder for me to write posts because there are just way too many wonderful things happening in my life write now. This post has been procrastinated for about a week... hahaha. So we'll see if I actually keep this blogging thing up. So, until next time.

I am so incredibly grateful for the opportunity I have to speak today. I guess I’m now old enough that I should give everyone a little bit of background on my life. Well, I am from Colorado. Right after graduating high school I went to school in Virginia for a year and now I have decided to transfer to Utah. I’ve been here for about a month now and I am so grateful for all of the wonderful people I have been able to meet thus far. Everyone here has made me so happy so I find it incredibly fitting that I have been asked to speak today on the topic of happiness.

            On Friday and Saturday one of my roommates from Virgina visited me. Yesterday we decided to ride intertubes down the river. We rode a shuttle to the dropoff location. As we rode the driver spoke to us about river safety.  In his remarks, he said, “For any of you who were thinking this would be a lazy river ride you thought wrong. You will have to paddle to avoid rocks, trees, and islands. We have two rules. Be safe and have fun.” I had no idea that floating down a river could be so strenuous. It is quite possible that I flipped out of my tube a few times. There were a few moments when I was a little frightened. I imagine the apostles felt the same fear I felt as they battled the raging seas. Yet, despite their fears, in Matthew chapter 14:27 Jesus commanded his apostles to “Be of good cheer.”

            This is perhaps one of my favorite commandments from the Savior. The Lord wants us to be happy. Yesterday when I was riding the tube down the river I was happy. But I also ran into trees and rocks. Just like our shuttle driver said for those of you expecting to have an easy life where you can just float down the river, you will be highly unprepared when you end up crashing into a rock. We all go through trials. We all have bad days. Yet, these things should not hinder our path to happiness too severely. Elder Richard G. Scott said, “Sadness, disappointment, and severe challenges are events in life, not life itself. . . . They should not be allowed to become the confining center of everything you do.” 

            Sadness is just that. It is just a moment that will soon be overcome. The purpose of this life is to test us but it is not to make us miserable. It is called the plan of happiness for a reason. The prophet Joseph Smith said, “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.”

            I know that keeping the commandments brings happiness. But I must confess that I am guilty of thinking, “Oh if I just had [insert desire here] I would be happy.” Have you ever thought, “Man, if I just had a million dollars I would be happy?” I have. However, President James E. Faust said “In fact, instant and unrestrained gratification of all our desires would be the shortest and most direct route to unhappiness.”

Why would it be that not having all of our desires fulfilled would cause unhappiness? No one likes trials. No one likes tribulation. I think we have all had times in our lives when we have questioned why we have to endure certain trials if God wants us to be happy.  Yet, I would ask you to consider for a moment our Savior’s example. Moments before Gethsemane, the Lord counseled his apostles in John chapter 16 verse 33, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”  Elder Neal A. Maxwell reflected on this scripture. “The unimaginable agony of Gethsemane was about to descend upon Jesus; Judas’ betrayal was imminent. Then would come Jesus’ arrest and arraignment; the scattering of the Twelve like sheep; the awful scourging of the Savior; the unjust trial; the mob’s shrill cry for Barabbas instead of Jesus; and then the awful crucifixion on Calvary. What was there to be cheerful about? Just what Jesus said: He had overcome the world! The atonement was about to be a reality. The resurrection of all mankind was assured. Death was to be done away with—Satan had failed to stop the atonement.”

            Brothers and sisters, we have been given a marvelous gift. We have been given the gift of the Atonement. Our Savior has already taken upon himself our pains, our weaknesses, our sorrows and our fears. We can have happiness in our lives. We do not have to suffer if we simply rely on the Savoir. 

            Our Savior will never leave us alone. In Doctrine and Covenants Section 68 Verse 6 the Lord tells us “Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you.”

My first semester in Virginia I experienced one of the hardest experiences in my life.  I had to make a decision to either do the right thing or betray my best friend. If I did the right thing, I would lose her and she would hate me. I prayed for nights about my decision. I got a priesthood blessing. I fasted multiple times. I made the right choice and she never spoke to me again. I was devastated. For the next while I felt like no one understood how I felt. No one knew the pain I was going through and forget about happiness. I felt more alone than I have ever felt in my entire life.

            I had forgotten that in this journey through life we are never alone. President Gordon B. Hinckley said, “Never assume that you can make it alone. You need the help of the Lord. Never hesitate to get on your knees in some private place and speak with Him. What a marvelous and wonderful thing is prayer. Think of it. We can actually speak with our Father in Heaven. He will hear and respond, but we need to listen to that response. Nothing is too serious and nothing too unimportant to share with Him.” 

 I wasn’t able to forgive myself for losing my best friend until I turned to my Savior. It wasn’t until then that I was able to be happy once again. I think we all go through times when we feel completely alone. But we never are alone. The Savior knows everything about us.

Elder Richard G. Scott said, “The Redeemer will safely lead you over the most difficult obstacles of life. His laws are absolutely secure anchors of protection that dispel fear and assure success in an otherwise dangerous world. Such a life will certainly provide you peace and happiness.” 

If only I would have sooner centered my life on Christ. How much sooner could I have been happier? When we center our lives on Christ and completely rely on him we cannot fail.  Elder Richard G. Scott said, “True, enduring happiness, with the accompanying strength, courage, and capacity to overcome the greatest difficulties, will come as you center your life in Jesus Christ. Obedience to His teachings provides a secure ascent in the journey of life. That takes effort. While there is no guarantee of overnight results, there is the assurance that, in the Lord’s time, solutions will come, peace will prevail, and happiness will be yours.”

            I love how Elder Scott says that we need to use effort in order to find happiness. Happiness is not just something that is achieved instantly.  President Spencer W. Kimball said, “The treasure house of happiness is unlocked to those who live the gospel of Jesus Christ in its purity and simplicity. Like a mariner without stars, like a traveler without a compass, is the person who moves along through life without a plan. The assurance of supreme happiness, the certainty of a successful life here and of exaltation and eternal life hereafter, come to those who plan to live their lives in complete harmony with the gospel of Jesus Christ—and then consistently follow the course they have set.” 

            Yesterday I was contemplating the things in my life that make me happy. I find such joy in this church and in the gospel. My family makes me extraordinarily happy.  I find happiness through my friends. One reason why I have fallen in love with Utah is because of the people I surround myself with. These people make me want to be a better person. I never realized how much influence my friends could have on me until I realized how good of an influence my current friends are. Consider your friends. Are they really making you happy?  President Gordon B. Hinckley said “As you walk the road of life, be careful of your friends. They can make you or break you. Be generous in helping the unfortunate and those in distress. But bind to you friends of your own kind, friends who will encourage you, stand with you, live as you desire to live; who will enjoy the same kind of entertainment; and who will resist the evil that you determine to resist.”

            Our friends can make us happy. Another way we can find happiness in our life is by bringing happiness into the lives of others. James Barrie, the author of Peter Pan, once said “Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.” 

            Sharing sunshine isn’t hard to do. I know we can all think of an experience where someone’s compliment made our day. President Dieter F. Uchtdorf once said, “True words of encouragement require only a loving and caring heart but may have an eternal impact on the life of those around you.”

When we encourage those around us, we will not only affect the happiness of others. Our own happiness will increase. President Uchtdorf continued on to say, “In the end, the number of prayers we say may contribute to our happiness, but the number of prayers we answer may be of even greater importance. Let us open our eyes and see the heavy hearts, notice the loneliness and despair; let us feel the silent prayers of others around us, and let us be an instrument in the hands of the Lord to answer those prayers.”

Another way we can find happiness in our lives is by trusting in the Lord. Since today is Pioneer’s day I have been contemplating the example of the pioneers. The pioneers were some of the happiest people even though they faced so many trials. They had family members and friends die. Yet, as they walked across the plains they sang, “And if we die, before our journeys through, happy day, all is well.” They knew that death was a definite possibility but they had so much trust in the Lord that they were okay with it. That is the type of happiness we can have if we trust in the Lord.

            I pray that we can all find happiness in our lives. If you find yourself discouraged, follow the counsel of Doctrine and Covenants section 136 verse 29. “If thou art sorrowful, call on the Lord thy God with supplication, that your souls may be joyful.” I can testify that the Lord hears these prayers. I can testify that the Lord truly does want us to be happy. I am grateful for the opportunity I have to be happy. I am grateful for the savior in my life so I can rely on him to find happiness. I am grateful for the Atonement so I know I am never alone.