From the Archives: "The Abundant Life"

In the May 2006 Ensign there is a talk by Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin titled "The Abundant Life." This is an inspiring, hopeful talk. I loved it!

Elder Wirthlin starts with the analogy of horse sold at auction. The horse was a leftover, old and spent. Nothing anyone would want. I won't spoil the story by recounting it here--follow the link and enjoy the full details. It ties in nicely with Elder Wirthlin's point, which is a discussion of "the hidden, untapped potential that lies within each of us."

I have had the opportunity to become acquainted with many wonderful people from many walks of life. I have known rich and poor, famous and modest, wise and otherwise.

Some were burdened with heavy sorrows; others radiated a confident inner peace. Some smoldered with unquenchable bitterness, while others glowed with irrepressible joy. Some appeared defeated, while others—in spite of adversity—overcame discouragement and despair.

I have heard some claim, perhaps only partly in jest, that the only happy people are those who simply don’t have a firm grasp of what is happening around them.

But I believe otherwise.

I have known many who walk in joy and radiate happiness.

I have known many who live lives of abundance.

And I believe I know why.

Today, I want to list a few of the characteristics that the happiest people I know have in common. They are qualities that can transform ordinary existence into a life of excitement and abundance.

The characteristics of these happy people are as follows, according to Elder Wirthlin:

1. They drink deeply of living waters.
2. They fill their hearts with love.
3. They, with the help of their Heavenly Father, create a masterpiece of their lives.

Elder Wirthlin says:

Brothers and sisters, the abundant life does not come to us packaged and ready-made. It’s not something we can order and expect to find delivered with the afternoon mail. It does not come without hardship or sorrow.

It comes through faith, hope, and charity. And it comes to those who, in spite of hardship and sorrow, understand the words of one writer who said, “In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.”

The abundant life isn’t something we arrive at. Rather, it is a magnificent journey that began long, long ages ago and will never, never end.

The abundant life, a life of joy and love and developed potential, is a life that our Heavenly Father wants for each of us. It is a life that we want for ourselves. Close your eyes and picture eternity. How do you want to spend that eternity? I think we would all say that we want happiness, joy, accomplishment, love, peace, and all good things. Elder Wirthlin's talk convinced me that it is possible to have an abundant life and to have it for all eternity. He describes how to reach this goal and says frankly it isn't easy. But it would be so very worth it, don't you think?

Searching for Happiness

In the October 2000 Ensign President James E. Faust wrote a message entitled "Our Search for Happiness". It's a great article filled with quotes and examples and I hope you will read it.

President Faust begins by saying:

I wish to discuss our search for happiness. Having lived quite a few years now, I have concluded that since we don’t always desire that which is good, having all our desires granted to us would not bring us happiness (see Alma 41:3–7). In fact, instant and unrestrained gratification of all our desires would be the shortest and most direct route to unhappiness. The many hours I have spent listening to the tribulations of men and women have persuaded me that both happiness and unhappiness are much of our own making.

We do make a great deal of our own happiness or unhappiness by our choices. It is true that things beyond our control happen to us and around us, but if we do our best to make correct choices, we will have happiness and joy and serenity in the midst of life's ups and downs.

I have lately been learning to be humble and to rely completely on our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It isn't always easy. I am used to not being humble and to not relying on the Lord, thinking that I must work things out on my own all the time--thinking that that is what is required before I can ask the Lord for help. Not true, but difficult for me to learn and incorporate into my life. We need the Lord's power and strength and guidance as we go through life, so we need to humbly rely on Him first.

There is a book available online at Meridian Magazine that is a great help to me. It is an LDS 12-step book based on the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon. It is not just for those struggling with addictions to alcohol, drugs, pornography, etc., although it will certainly help them, too. It is a book for those with such issues as overeating, overspending money, perfectionism, overemphasis on work or career, and other such everyday compulsive/addictive behaviors that many of us experience in our lives. It is also a book for simply seeking to be close to the Lord. It is called He Did Deliver Me from Bondage (I'm linking to the last part because it has links to all the other parts in the righthand sidebar.) and was written by Colleen G. Harrison. You can read it online and, if you like it enough, you can buy it from Deseret Book or LDS bookstores or other places referred to at Meridian Magazine where the book is online.

There are, of course, many sources of help, the chief ones being scriptures and prayer, and also the words of our prophets. The book, though, gathers a lot of help in one place. One lesson I learned from it (a lesson I didn't realize that I needed to learn) is that I cannot "mess up" more than the Lord can fix. Sometimes we get to thinking we are too unworthy to approach the Lord, but that is what Satan wants us to think. We need to go to the Lord always with everything.

Back to President Faust's article, he quotes the Prophet Joseph Smith as follows:

As the Prophet Joseph Smith told us, “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” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith [1976], 255–56).

I am sure that we would all like real peace and happiness and joy in our lives. It is attainable. I sometimes think we try so hard to be good that we forget to enjoy the peace and happiness and joy of the gospel. We can remedy that--with the Lord's help.