Joy

I've grown up in the gospel. I've learned these words all my life: the plan of happiness, men are that they might have joy, and a host of other ones detailing that joy is the end and ultimate purpose of the plan. It is why Heavenly Father had children, and sent us here to earth, to experience trial, that we could experience true happiness. As they say, ignorance is bliss, but bliss is not a fullness of joy.

And I have always gotten that, and understood, you know, that happiness was the endgoal. And so I've always like, found meaning in sorrow, and pain, and affliction, because it seemed like it has such depth, and I liked to kind of dwell down in there, figuring that it would just lead me to greater joy in the end, or something like that.

And then I was reading the scriptures this morning, as part of this past little while which is the happiest I have ever been in my life, and then it just like, suddenly clicked. Joy is the greatest purpose. There is nothing more meaningful or better than experiencing happiness and joy. Joy is the reason for it all. It is the reason we do everything else. It is the reason the Lord did everything else. Joy should not be sacrificed for anything. Pain and sorrow are important aspects of joy, as they are jumping off points for greater experiences of joy. The most compelling insight I came away from this scripture study session, which addresses something that I've always kind of gotten wrong is: "You do not have to have a fullness of hell to have a fullness of joy."

And the Lord has a plan of happiness for each and every one of us, and will put us on the path to finding -daily-, not just eventual, happiness, as soon as we are ready. He has a plan prepared for if we chose 10 years ago, or if we choose so now, or in 1000 years. I've been willful and rebellious in my past, and I, for one, don't want to go down that path again. The Lord has so much more in store for us than we can even imagine. Just a small glimpse of that has pushed me into such amazing joy.

All glory be to the Lord for this beautiful earth, for his wonderful plan, for his son, and the atonement. How glorious his gospel plan, and how immense his love for all of his children. How great his love for me, one of his daughters.