Week 3 - Choosing Happiness

Alma 50:21-23

"For it has been their quarrelings and their contentions, yea their murderings, and their plunderings, their idolatry, their whoredoms, and their abominations, which were among themselves, which brought upon them their wars and their destructions. And those who were faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord were delivered at all times, whilst thousands of their wicked brethren have been consigned to bondage, or to perish by the sword, or to dwindle in unbelief, and mingle with the Lamanites. But behold there never was a happier time among the people of Nephi, since the days of Nephi, than in the days of Moroni, yea, even at this time, in the twenty and first year of the reign of the judges."

The Nephites were in the midst of one of the bloodiest wars ever fought. Thousands had been killed; fathers, sons, husbands, and friends who weren't going to return home. If the past has taught us anything about war, it is that we are all excited when it is over and done with. Yet, in this passage we are told that even through all of that, there had never before been a happier time among the people of Nephi since Nephi was alive. So what could have brought them such happiness in such dark times? The gospel did. They were righteous and had incredible testimonies that gave them hope and joy. We may not all have testimonies such as theirs, but the act of coming closer to Christ and strengthening your testimony is enough to have that hope. They also had to choose to be happy. If they had given into the overall feelings of war, they would not have been a joyful people, but when they sought out the good and searched for the joy, then they found the happiness. If we do the same, we will also find that joy. We are all fighting our own wars and if we give in to the battles then we may lose our happiness as well. But by choosing to be happy, that's surely what we will receive.

Paige