In Doctrine & Covenants 97:13 we read that the temple is a "place of thanksgiving for all saints." The new, beautiful Lindon temple became a holy place of thanksgiving for me on September 10. 

I sat in a large sealing room with seats positioned around an altar. My husband was seated across from me. My hand was holding the hand of my 96 year-old mother-in-law who was present at the wedding, representing Logan's four grandparents and Ashley's four grandparents who are all on the other side of the veil, besides her. It was a tender moment. I was remembering my wedding and how I felt that day many years ago.

In walked children and their spouses, and siblings and their spouses, not all, but many of them. The sealer spoke of Jesus Christ and how He has made everything good in our lives possible. We covenant with Him, and we covenant with our spouse. What a magnificent, wonderful triangle of commitment and love! 

Our son Logan waited many years for that day to happen. He prayed and hoped and dated dozens of women. Ashley is such a blessing to him, and to our family. We love her and welcome her to our family.

We have been asked if it was hard for us to come back to the Philippines after being home for a few days. It was not. This is where we belong right now. We are filled with such gratitude to the Lord for our many blessings that we wanted to come back to serve His children and be about our work here.

No matter how much we try to serve Him, we are always in His debt. I love Jesus Christ and praise Him!

Sometimes I have entered the temple heavy with burdens and asking for help. I have sought refuge in the temple from the storms of life, and have found direction and light. On this day, I went to the temple with a heart full of thanksgiving and basked in the light of our Father's house. Joy and gratitude filled my soul.

 

 

Here is another piece from an art show I perused this week. Michael Malm titled his piece "Focus on Joy." Christ's joyful expression is what caught my eye, along with the rich colors and lighting. From a statement next to the painting:

"In this image, Malm emphasizes Christ as the source and exemplar of joy. Radiant light behind the Savior's head illuminates His amiable countenance. The light surrounds Jesus's head in a halo form, a traditional Christian symbol of holiness that here seems to underscore His divine power and an aura of hope. Malm painted this image as a Christmas gift for his family.  He wanted to create a focal point in his home that echoed prophetic counsel to center our lives on Christ."

"The joy in motherhood comes in moments."
M. Russell Ballard, Daughters of God, pg. 9

Elder Ballard, your statement is so true. The joy in motherhood and in life comes in moments. You really have to find joy along the way instead of waiting for it to all happen at once, or in a big way. Yesterday I felt joy...

...In remembering ancestors, especially my mother,

...As I thanked Heavenly Father for the blessing of being a mother,
...When Matthew made pancakes for lunch,

...While listening to the speakers at church,

...While smiling and greeting friends,

...While reading Mother's Day cards,

...While sitting on the back lawn watching grandchildren play,

...Looking at the blue sky, the green grass, and the flowers,

...Taking the sacrament and remembering that everything that is good in my life comes from the Lord (Omni 1:25),

...Reading about the humility of Ammon,

...Reading about the faith of the blind man who knew Christ could heal Him (and He did!),

...Talking with children on the phone,

...Praying,

...Watching a dear man (who made it to the pulpit with great effort) say the opening prayer at church. He is enduring so well!

...Hearing from my brothers (they are so thoughtful),

...Having a discussion about prophets, both in Relief Society, and at home afterwards.

I am so blessed. Yesterday was joyful.

Last Sunday a sister in the ward shared her testimony. She also spoke about her father and how he had taught her joy in living gospel principles.  Fasting for him was joyful, as was paying tithing and attending church meetings. This sister learned to love the gospel from her father. 

Matthew and I have talked a few times since about this principle.  Have we shared with our children and grandchildren how sweet the fruit of the tree tastes? Are we beckoning to them to come and share in the fruit of the tree (the love of God) and enjoy its deliciousness? Are we testifying of how joyful the gospel is to us? Is this something you say, or can people pick it up by the way you act?

I remember once as a child saying something slightly negative about Sunday and my father said simply, "Sunday is my favorite day!" 

I remember my mother's happiness as she served in various callings.

I remember watching my parents feast on General Conference. They listened to every word and lapped it up.

I don't remember hearing complaints or negativity about the church, the doctrines of the church, or the prophet. I am grateful for this. My parents found joy in the gospel and so do I.

"How can anyone walk the covenant path if they have not been shown the way? Should we be surprised that those who have not had the covenant path revealed to them stumble? Can we be loyally devoted to God, to follow in His footsteps if we don't know how to walk or where to walk?"

(Taylor Halerson The Covenant Path in the Bible and the Book of Mormon)

This is a reminder to me to be intentional and teach the covenant path.

Mormonism is an optimistic, forward-looking faith.  Our cheerfulness comes precisely because we are so confident in Christ's redemption.  Hope is emboldening and liberating. Hope orients and anchors us in the midst of chaos.

(Patrick Mason in Planted: Belief and Belonging in an Age of Doubt)

We have every reason to be happy, optimistic, and hopeful.

As I picked up this book and read while at my Dad's house, he took issue with the title.  He guessed that Dr. Brown was suggesting that we forgo goals and dreams and be satisfied with mediocrity.  That is not the message of this book. I would recommend the book as it was full of positive messages, although I like her book Daring Greatly even better.Here are a few great thoughts from this book:

Hope is not an emotion; it’s a way of thinking or a cognitive process.  Hope happens when we have the ability to set realistic goals, we are able to figure out how to achieve those goals, including the ability to stay flexible and develop alternative routes, and we believe in ourselves. (pg. 65)

Joy is as thorny and sharp as any of the dark emotions.  To love someone fiercely, to believe in something with your whole heart, to celebrate a fleeting moment in time, to fully engage in a life that doesn’t come with guarantees—these are risks that involve vulnerability and often pain. (pg. 73)

Somehow we’ve come to equate success with not needing anyone. (pg. 20)

 

Perfectionism is not the same thing as striving to be your best.  Perfectionism is not about healthy achievement and growth.  Perfectionism is the belief that if we live perfect, look perfect, and act perfect, we can minimize or avoid the pain of blame, judgment, and shame.  It’s a shield.  Perfectionism is not self-improvement.  Perfectionism is, at its core, about trying to earn approval and acceptance.  Please. Perform. Perfect.  I am what I accomplish.  Healthy striving is self-focused—How can I improve?  Perfectionism is other-focused—What will they think? Perfectionism hampers success.  It’s often the path to depression, anxiety, addiction, and life-paralysis.  Life-paralysis refers to all of the opportunities we miss because we’re too afraid to put anything out in the world that could be imperfect.  (pgs. 56, 57)

Today in Sunday School the teacher asked what brings us joy.  I have been thinking about the question and how I would respond.  

Joy does not only come on days of big occasions like weddings, graduations, or baby blessings, though those are joyful.  

Joy comes in the moments and simple happenings of life. It has taken me a while to learn this but I firmly believe it. Joy can be felt everyday if my heart is in tune.

One of the times I felt most joyful this week was when my husband and I put on work clothes and tackled a project.  Working together with him for a couple of hours was joyful.  I felt joy when a friend came to church who hasn't been in a long time.  I felt joy talking with another friend today, singing a song at choir practice, eating a small chocolate, and seeing the Christmas lights on a neighbor's house.  If I wait for a grand occasion to feel joy, or for everything to line up perfectly in life, I will be waiting a long, long time.  I have learned to look for joy everyday and I find it.  Joy is tied to gratitude for the vast number of ways I am blessed daily. I see God's hand in my life, I see good things and good people, and my heart swells.

My brother Mark gave a talk on joy in church this month.  

Here are some lines from his talk that I have been thinking about:

Joy is not a state of being that is dropped into our laps with no effort on our part.  We need to live our lives in such a way that we can receive joy.  Joy comes through righteous living.  So, one of the first steps to have joy is to have a clear conscience. (Church News, Feb. 6, 1993)

Joy has less to do with external circumstances and more to do with us, and the principles that we choose to follow.

No matter our circumstances, no matter our challenges or trials, there is something in each day to embrace and cherish. (Elder Uchtdorf, General Conference October, 2012)

Joy is not a casual or shallow feeling, ever.  If we equate fun and pleasure with happiness, we may think pain must always be equated with unhappiness.  But that is not true.  Joy is not a stranger to pain.  We may not feel deeply enough to know joy unless our hearts have been hollowed out by sorrow.  A heart may not be big enough to know real joy until it has been stretched and pulled by trials and hard things.  (Barbara Workman, Ensign July 2005)

Ultimately, joy is in Jesus Christ.

So, how do you find joy?  When do you feel it?  

Is it something you wait weeks to feel or do you feel it daily?  

I have to think for a minute about joy--

when do I feel happiness and when do I feel joy?

I feel joy in my relationship with the Lord.  

I feel joy with my husband.  

I feel joy when I feel the spirit--when I hear someone bear their testimony, when I am in the temple, when I hear beautiful music, when promptings come, when I am reading the scriptures, when I see someone keep a commandment, when I see a friend smile, and when I am serving.

I feel joy when I am with my family.  

I feel joy when I look at the beautiful world around me.  

Joy is lasting.  Joy is deep.  Joy is sustaining.