Farewell Talk
Good afternoon, everyone. I am honestly so psyched to be here right now. I know people make jokes about speaking in public and how they dread giving talks, but I have been looking forward to this day for literal years.
I always dreamt about what I would speak about and I would listen to missionaries as they gave their farewell talks and think about how one day I was going to be on this stand. And here I am.
My talk is going to be inspired by Elder Uchtdorf's talk, "Happiness, Your Heritage."
I struggled a bit with starting my talk because I had certain people in mind with each new draft I started, and it began to be a little overwhelming. I would write a few paragraphs, get stuck, and start over. Multiple times. And it wasn't until I finally sat down on my living room floor one night and just thought about my life and how I got to this point, when I finally figured out what I needed to talk about. Exactly that. How I got here. Why I am who I am. Why I do what I do.
I came to the same conclusion that Elder Uchtdorf came to in his talk, and it's very simple, really. It's because of everyone around me.
Now, I know a few of you in this ward remember the Lewises. They are a legendary family. But one quote from Chad has been repeated in my home on multiple occasions: "Surround yourself with greatness." He even wrote a whole book on it (I never read it though...).
"Surround yourself with greatness." From a young age, I was taught that the people I associated with would drastically influence my life. But I was young, and didn't particularly care. I just kind of went about my life, and didn't think much about it. However, at the end of elementary school I noticed that I wasn't exactly who I wanted to be. I spent a lot of time around girls who loved drama, and quite frankly I had turned into a bit of a brat. I decided I didn't like who I was, and that I wanted to change. This is when I met my best friend. We helped each other improve ourselves. I remember that we felt bad for saying "Crap" as a fake swear word, and so we would gently chastise each other whenever we caught the other saying it. Throughout junior high, I gradually became a better version of myself, but I was still enough of a jerk to actually be called a "Devil Child" by my crush. That was a bit traumatizing. But the friends I did make were kind, and just crazy enough to want to spend time with me. I honestly loved junior high because I felt so loved by my friends, my family, and even my teachers. I joined marching band and instantly gained a new family. Everyone was so welcoming and willing to help me learn how to survive high school. I made friends with seemingly everyone that talked to me. I watched as they built each other up, and consequently became better and stronger people because of it. I was scared that people would find me annoying because I tend to be rather loud, but nobody cared. We were thick as thieves, and I found people who I could just be myself around. I became closer to my two other best friends because they joined band, too. My whole life existed in the band room and on the football field. I was still quick to judge people, and I had a tendency to dismiss anyone who didn't live up to my standards, but because I was surrounded by people who loved so unconditionally I began to learn how to love others, myself. My teachers throughout my life have inspired me and taught me more about life than they probably realize. Everyone in this ward, too! And even the people who I didn't get along with - they taught me things as well. Granted, sometimes it was what I never wanted to become, but hey, that's still learning! My three best friends and I continued to help each other grow when we decided we wanted to make the temple a priority in our lives; it helped me to put my life into perspective and it made my problems seem so much more manageable. I made more friends and developed a love for everyone around me that I never thought possible. I had another best friend who taught me so much about who I am and who I want to become, and I'm still learning just how much they've affected my life. I have yet another friend who showed me that sometimes it's okay to be snarky and laugh at the world. My friends' families have been so supportive as well! My three best friends each decided to make the choice to serve a mission, my roommate from college just got her mission call, and some of my really good friends are choosing to stay home and help those around them and honestly, every single one of these people has had a good influence on me. As stated in Proverbs, “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.”
I always dreamt about what I would speak about and I would listen to missionaries as they gave their farewell talks and think about how one day I was going to be on this stand. And here I am.
My talk is going to be inspired by Elder Uchtdorf's talk, "Happiness, Your Heritage."
I struggled a bit with starting my talk because I had certain people in mind with each new draft I started, and it began to be a little overwhelming. I would write a few paragraphs, get stuck, and start over. Multiple times. And it wasn't until I finally sat down on my living room floor one night and just thought about my life and how I got to this point, when I finally figured out what I needed to talk about. Exactly that. How I got here. Why I am who I am. Why I do what I do.
I came to the same conclusion that Elder Uchtdorf came to in his talk, and it's very simple, really. It's because of everyone around me.
Now, I know a few of you in this ward remember the Lewises. They are a legendary family. But one quote from Chad has been repeated in my home on multiple occasions: "Surround yourself with greatness." He even wrote a whole book on it (I never read it though...).
"Surround yourself with greatness." From a young age, I was taught that the people I associated with would drastically influence my life. But I was young, and didn't particularly care. I just kind of went about my life, and didn't think much about it. However, at the end of elementary school I noticed that I wasn't exactly who I wanted to be. I spent a lot of time around girls who loved drama, and quite frankly I had turned into a bit of a brat. I decided I didn't like who I was, and that I wanted to change. This is when I met my best friend. We helped each other improve ourselves. I remember that we felt bad for saying "Crap" as a fake swear word, and so we would gently chastise each other whenever we caught the other saying it. Throughout junior high, I gradually became a better version of myself, but I was still enough of a jerk to actually be called a "Devil Child" by my crush. That was a bit traumatizing. But the friends I did make were kind, and just crazy enough to want to spend time with me. I honestly loved junior high because I felt so loved by my friends, my family, and even my teachers. I joined marching band and instantly gained a new family. Everyone was so welcoming and willing to help me learn how to survive high school. I made friends with seemingly everyone that talked to me. I watched as they built each other up, and consequently became better and stronger people because of it. I was scared that people would find me annoying because I tend to be rather loud, but nobody cared. We were thick as thieves, and I found people who I could just be myself around. I became closer to my two other best friends because they joined band, too. My whole life existed in the band room and on the football field. I was still quick to judge people, and I had a tendency to dismiss anyone who didn't live up to my standards, but because I was surrounded by people who loved so unconditionally I began to learn how to love others, myself. My teachers throughout my life have inspired me and taught me more about life than they probably realize. Everyone in this ward, too! And even the people who I didn't get along with - they taught me things as well. Granted, sometimes it was what I never wanted to become, but hey, that's still learning! My three best friends and I continued to help each other grow when we decided we wanted to make the temple a priority in our lives; it helped me to put my life into perspective and it made my problems seem so much more manageable. I made more friends and developed a love for everyone around me that I never thought possible. I had another best friend who taught me so much about who I am and who I want to become, and I'm still learning just how much they've affected my life. I have yet another friend who showed me that sometimes it's okay to be snarky and laugh at the world. My friends' families have been so supportive as well! My three best friends each decided to make the choice to serve a mission, my roommate from college just got her mission call, and some of my really good friends are choosing to stay home and help those around them and honestly, every single one of these people has had a good influence on me. As stated in Proverbs, “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.”
And I haven't even started talking about my family. According to The Family: A Proclamation to the World, “Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ.” I am so grateful to have been raised in a home that was built on this gospel. Because of this, I feel that every single one of my brothers, and their wives, and their children have encouraged me and supported me and helped me to become who I am today. And I can't talk about people molding my life without mentioning my parents. My parents have guided me to become who I am more than any other person I've mentioned. I will never be able to express my gratitude to them for sacrificing so much to ensure that I would have a bright and happy future. Growing up in such a loving home has made my mission possible, so thank you Mom and Dad. You got me here.
And I know that there are people I've forgotten in that list, but my point is: LITERALLY EVERYONE in our lives has a hand in shaping who we are and who we are going to become. Now, maybe this rubbed some of you the wrong way because it sounds a little bit like we don't have our agency because our lives are in everyone else's hands. But that's not at all what I said. You DO have your agency: It's your choice about whether or not their influence will be for the better, and we can definitely choose who we keep closest to us.
There have been multiple people throughout my life that I haven't been particularly fond of. There have been times I've been treated worse than I deserve, and there are a few people that I've found it particularly difficult to forgive. But when I did, I felt so much pressure almost instantly lifted off my shoulders. In Matthew 5 it says: “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” Even though I wasn't very happy to go through what I did with some of these people, they helped me to realize just how much I can endure, and just how much I appreciate this church and its doctrines - but I'll touch on that later. Everyone has something to teach - it just depends on what you take out of it. Yes, this is a bit like the glass half empty/half full debate, but I've always said that I like to look at it as a "glass overflowing", because air is matter too. Life is full of both the good and the bad, and it's our job to figure out what perspective we're going to take. I know that it's not always easy - in fact, it rarely is. I mean, it took me seven years and I still have moments of negativity! My point is just that life is so much easier to bear when we focus on the positive, and learn from the bad.
And in regards to who we keep closest to us - choose people who will help you become a better version of yourself. Not who asks you to be more than you are, but who asks you to be everything they know you can be. And yes, there IS a difference. That's what /I/ mean when I say "Surround yourself with greatness." Surround yourself with people who will help you reach your potential, and be that person for someone else.
Now that I've spoken about people who have influenced me and helped me to be a better and happier person, I'd like to talk about this church and its effect on my life.
I mentioned previously that my best friends and I made going to the temple a priority in our lives. Gradually, over months of attending the temple each week, I could see the difference it had made in my life. My perspective had widened and in general I was more connected with the spirit. I fell in love with how the temple made me feel, and how my trials seemed to shrink in size. The more I go, the more I've realized that all I want to do in life is to live as righteously as possible so that I can return to live with my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. When I sit in the temple and take a moment to just close my eyes and feel the Spirit, I forget about the outside world. I feel closer to God than anywhere else on earth, and I honestly wonder how I ever get distracted by the various things in my life when I can feel such intense love and desire to return to my heavenly home. Now, my trials by no means disappear, nor are they insignificant. But by making the temple such a large part of my life, they are easier to bear.
I'd like to reiterate that our trials are not insignificant. Each and every one of us struggles with something, and to each and every one of us that something is real. I used to think that my trials were less important than my friends', because I didn't have parents that were divorcing and I didn't have low self esteem and I didn't this and I didn't that... But something I've realized is that, no, my trials are important! They're important to me because they're mine! Just because they don't seem as dramatic, the fact that it's enough to bother me means that it's enough.
However, I don't want to dwell on that. I'd much rather talk about how we can best find peace, hope, and joy - even in the midst of our trials.
Elder Uchtdorf described the greatest possible happiness as God's happiness. And what better way to achieve God's happiness than by living in such a way as to become like God?
According to Uchtdorf, Heavenly Father is able to achieve such happiness by accomplishing His goals of "[bringing] to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." Two attributes that help Him reach these goals is His creativity and His compassion.
I can hardly think of a more heavenly trait than either creativity or compassion. And since they are heavenly traits, we as spirit children should do our best to develop those attributes.
Now, creativity as a godly quality is a little bit obvious - all you need to think about is the /creation story/. However, it gets a little bit more confusing when we start trying to apply it to we mere humans.
I mean, I generally like to think of myself as a creative person - I'm rarely seen without a sketchbook and a host of pens and pencils, I play multiple instruments, and I have this strange knack for making /amazing/ popcorn. But I do understand why some people might be hesitant to label themselves as "creative". Let's take my parents, for example. Don't worry - I asked them beforehand if I could poke a little fun in their direction. My dad's drawings, while amusing, aren't exactly going to be going up in an art show anytime soon. And my mom's cooking, /when she follows the recipe/, is actually pretty decent. I know they don't consider themselves creative because I've heard it my whole life - every time I would paint something, they'd look at each other and be like "Don't know where she gets it from."
However, I am here to contest each and every one of you in the audience who finds yourself in their "uncreative" shoes. I say, (and Elder Uchtdorf says) that you ARE creative! I mean, think about it, "you are spirit [children] of the most creative being in the universe." And who's to say that's not hereditary, if we are to become like God? Elder Uchtdorf wrote, "Isn't it remarkkable to think that your very spirits are fashioned by an endlessly creative and eternally compassionate God?...But to what end were we created? We were created with the express purpose and potential of experiencing a fulness of joy. Our birthright - and the purpose of our great voyage on this earth - is to seek and experience eternal happiness. One of the ways we find this is by creating things."
So maybe you aren't the next Da Vinci or Van Gogh - you can still find joy in the things you create! According to Elder Uchtdorf, "Creation means bringing into existence something that did not exist before." Maybe you're really good at helping people laugh, and the joy that that brings into their lives is your creation. Maybe you're really good at giving compliments - the smiles on the recipients' faces are your creations. Maybe you're good at so much more than you have ever considered to be a talent! I know my Dad, he's /amazing/ at bringing the Spirit into a conversation. My Mom, she knows how to look on someone's heart and see them for who they really are.
So although you may not be traditionally "creative", I say you are, and if you are traditionally creative, it might not be the worst thing in the world to find other ways to be creative, too.
Okay, on to compassion.
Now, I am not a naturally compassionate person. If somebody has a problem, my instinct is to say "What can you do to fix it? If you can do something, then do it, and if you can't, then get over it." In our world, it's easy to get discouraged by all of the negativity. When I feel the effects of this, I tend to get a bit snarky. I overcompensate. When I feel wronged, I admit that I act poorly. I mask my hurt in false positivity and throw it back in my offender's face. This fixes nothing, because they can't tell that anything is wrong, and I'm left tasting the bitter flavor of a forced grin. So although I'm one of the most perpetually happy people I know, I'm not immune to attitude.
However, I'm aware of this, and I've been working on it for a while now. If you're like, "Huh. Maybe /I/ have a problem with this." or "Huh. Maybe so-and-so has a problem with this," then guess what - I'm here to start you on your journey to greater compassion!
Honestly, praying for greater compassion does quite a bit. Or better yet, praying for the person or people that you need to have compassion for. However, the best and fastest way to gain compassion is to serve others. Not only will you temporarily forget about your own struggles, you focus on somebody else's needs, and you're kind of forced to see from their perspective for a little bit. I genuinely believe that serving others is what has helped me the most in developing greater compassion. It's how I managed to love around 85 band kids! Let me tell you what, when you spend that much time together people /do/ get on your nerves, and it's not always easy to hold back from running and locking yourself into a padded room to get away from all the crazy. But I found that as I focused less on how /I/ was exhausted and how /I/ just wanted to go home and sleep for the next year, and as I focused more on how /they/ must be tired and how I could help relieve that, I grew to love them so much. I know that some people might tease me about not being able to move on from high school, and I actually have been called out on it before, but it's not because I miss "the glory days" or whatever you'd call it. It's because I honestly miss serving so many people and getting to love them so much and watch as they grew up.
Now, this story is in no way me bragging about how oh-so-righteous I am because I serve people all the time. To be honest, it's very difficult for me to find the motivation to take time out of my already-insanely-busy schedule to go focus on someone else. All I know is that when I /do/, I am infinitely happier and my life is peaceful. And I know that you'll find the same result if you serve with honest intentions.
You know what, I'd like to extend a couple of challenges, if I may. First, discover your own creativity. Know that you have something to offer to the world. Second, serve. Serve anyone. And try praying for them, too.
In conclusion, I hope you know how much you are loved. Elder Uchtdorf perfectly encapsulated this whole message: "As spirit [children] of our Heavenly Father, happiness is your heritage." I'm here to say that it's up to you whether or not you claim your inheritance. You aren't going to be happy by default. But good news - this gospel is the perfect way to figure out how to be the happiest you can be. It is set up entirely for you to have joy - that's why we have the Plan of Happiness, and why Adam fell - that we might have joy.
I know I only spoke about two ways to become happier and to find peace amidst the storms of life, but I guarantee you that this church has so much to offer you in the way of true, everlasting joy. I know that as we strive to live the gospel principles and to help those around us to do the same we will be happier.
That's part of why I am so excited to serve a mission. I know it's going to be hard. I know there will be some days when I seriously question my decision to serve. But overall, the joy I will be sharing will be worth it. To quote Buddha: "Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared." I believe that that is just like the gospel. The more we share it, the more light we have.
This world needs our light. We need our light. And the way to have Christ's light is to live as He would have us live.
I would like to end with a scripture that I feel fits this topic perfectly: "I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it. I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy."
I am so ready to go share this gospel with the people of my mission. I know that more than likely I'll be rejected by most people I teach. But if the one soul I bring to repentance is myself, then I will rejoice in having been an instrument in the hands of God.
I love this gospel. I truly believe that it is God's church on the earth, and I /know/ that the only way to true, eternal joy is through living its principles and doctrines.
I have felt God's infinite love for me, and I have experienced that love for others. My hope is that you can feel that love, too.
I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet. I know the Book of Mormon is true. I know that President Nelson is a living prophet and that he was called of God. I /know/, without any fraction of a doubt, that this church is TRUE. And I am ready to share it with the world.
Im Namen Jesu Christi, Amen.
And I know that there are people I've forgotten in that list, but my point is: LITERALLY EVERYONE in our lives has a hand in shaping who we are and who we are going to become. Now, maybe this rubbed some of you the wrong way because it sounds a little bit like we don't have our agency because our lives are in everyone else's hands. But that's not at all what I said. You DO have your agency: It's your choice about whether or not their influence will be for the better, and we can definitely choose who we keep closest to us.
There have been multiple people throughout my life that I haven't been particularly fond of. There have been times I've been treated worse than I deserve, and there are a few people that I've found it particularly difficult to forgive. But when I did, I felt so much pressure almost instantly lifted off my shoulders. In Matthew 5 it says: “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” Even though I wasn't very happy to go through what I did with some of these people, they helped me to realize just how much I can endure, and just how much I appreciate this church and its doctrines - but I'll touch on that later. Everyone has something to teach - it just depends on what you take out of it. Yes, this is a bit like the glass half empty/half full debate, but I've always said that I like to look at it as a "glass overflowing", because air is matter too. Life is full of both the good and the bad, and it's our job to figure out what perspective we're going to take. I know that it's not always easy - in fact, it rarely is. I mean, it took me seven years and I still have moments of negativity! My point is just that life is so much easier to bear when we focus on the positive, and learn from the bad.
And in regards to who we keep closest to us - choose people who will help you become a better version of yourself. Not who asks you to be more than you are, but who asks you to be everything they know you can be. And yes, there IS a difference. That's what /I/ mean when I say "Surround yourself with greatness." Surround yourself with people who will help you reach your potential, and be that person for someone else.
Now that I've spoken about people who have influenced me and helped me to be a better and happier person, I'd like to talk about this church and its effect on my life.
I mentioned previously that my best friends and I made going to the temple a priority in our lives. Gradually, over months of attending the temple each week, I could see the difference it had made in my life. My perspective had widened and in general I was more connected with the spirit. I fell in love with how the temple made me feel, and how my trials seemed to shrink in size. The more I go, the more I've realized that all I want to do in life is to live as righteously as possible so that I can return to live with my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. When I sit in the temple and take a moment to just close my eyes and feel the Spirit, I forget about the outside world. I feel closer to God than anywhere else on earth, and I honestly wonder how I ever get distracted by the various things in my life when I can feel such intense love and desire to return to my heavenly home. Now, my trials by no means disappear, nor are they insignificant. But by making the temple such a large part of my life, they are easier to bear.
I'd like to reiterate that our trials are not insignificant. Each and every one of us struggles with something, and to each and every one of us that something is real. I used to think that my trials were less important than my friends', because I didn't have parents that were divorcing and I didn't have low self esteem and I didn't this and I didn't that... But something I've realized is that, no, my trials are important! They're important to me because they're mine! Just because they don't seem as dramatic, the fact that it's enough to bother me means that it's enough.
However, I don't want to dwell on that. I'd much rather talk about how we can best find peace, hope, and joy - even in the midst of our trials.
Elder Uchtdorf described the greatest possible happiness as God's happiness. And what better way to achieve God's happiness than by living in such a way as to become like God?
According to Uchtdorf, Heavenly Father is able to achieve such happiness by accomplishing His goals of "[bringing] to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." Two attributes that help Him reach these goals is His creativity and His compassion.
I can hardly think of a more heavenly trait than either creativity or compassion. And since they are heavenly traits, we as spirit children should do our best to develop those attributes.
Now, creativity as a godly quality is a little bit obvious - all you need to think about is the /creation story/. However, it gets a little bit more confusing when we start trying to apply it to we mere humans.
I mean, I generally like to think of myself as a creative person - I'm rarely seen without a sketchbook and a host of pens and pencils, I play multiple instruments, and I have this strange knack for making /amazing/ popcorn. But I do understand why some people might be hesitant to label themselves as "creative". Let's take my parents, for example. Don't worry - I asked them beforehand if I could poke a little fun in their direction. My dad's drawings, while amusing, aren't exactly going to be going up in an art show anytime soon. And my mom's cooking, /when she follows the recipe/, is actually pretty decent. I know they don't consider themselves creative because I've heard it my whole life - every time I would paint something, they'd look at each other and be like "Don't know where she gets it from."
However, I am here to contest each and every one of you in the audience who finds yourself in their "uncreative" shoes. I say, (and Elder Uchtdorf says) that you ARE creative! I mean, think about it, "you are spirit [children] of the most creative being in the universe." And who's to say that's not hereditary, if we are to become like God? Elder Uchtdorf wrote, "Isn't it remarkkable to think that your very spirits are fashioned by an endlessly creative and eternally compassionate God?...But to what end were we created? We were created with the express purpose and potential of experiencing a fulness of joy. Our birthright - and the purpose of our great voyage on this earth - is to seek and experience eternal happiness. One of the ways we find this is by creating things."
So maybe you aren't the next Da Vinci or Van Gogh - you can still find joy in the things you create! According to Elder Uchtdorf, "Creation means bringing into existence something that did not exist before." Maybe you're really good at helping people laugh, and the joy that that brings into their lives is your creation. Maybe you're really good at giving compliments - the smiles on the recipients' faces are your creations. Maybe you're good at so much more than you have ever considered to be a talent! I know my Dad, he's /amazing/ at bringing the Spirit into a conversation. My Mom, she knows how to look on someone's heart and see them for who they really are.
So although you may not be traditionally "creative", I say you are, and if you are traditionally creative, it might not be the worst thing in the world to find other ways to be creative, too.
Okay, on to compassion.
Now, I am not a naturally compassionate person. If somebody has a problem, my instinct is to say "What can you do to fix it? If you can do something, then do it, and if you can't, then get over it." In our world, it's easy to get discouraged by all of the negativity. When I feel the effects of this, I tend to get a bit snarky. I overcompensate. When I feel wronged, I admit that I act poorly. I mask my hurt in false positivity and throw it back in my offender's face. This fixes nothing, because they can't tell that anything is wrong, and I'm left tasting the bitter flavor of a forced grin. So although I'm one of the most perpetually happy people I know, I'm not immune to attitude.
However, I'm aware of this, and I've been working on it for a while now. If you're like, "Huh. Maybe /I/ have a problem with this." or "Huh. Maybe so-and-so has a problem with this," then guess what - I'm here to start you on your journey to greater compassion!
Honestly, praying for greater compassion does quite a bit. Or better yet, praying for the person or people that you need to have compassion for. However, the best and fastest way to gain compassion is to serve others. Not only will you temporarily forget about your own struggles, you focus on somebody else's needs, and you're kind of forced to see from their perspective for a little bit. I genuinely believe that serving others is what has helped me the most in developing greater compassion. It's how I managed to love around 85 band kids! Let me tell you what, when you spend that much time together people /do/ get on your nerves, and it's not always easy to hold back from running and locking yourself into a padded room to get away from all the crazy. But I found that as I focused less on how /I/ was exhausted and how /I/ just wanted to go home and sleep for the next year, and as I focused more on how /they/ must be tired and how I could help relieve that, I grew to love them so much. I know that some people might tease me about not being able to move on from high school, and I actually have been called out on it before, but it's not because I miss "the glory days" or whatever you'd call it. It's because I honestly miss serving so many people and getting to love them so much and watch as they grew up.
Now, this story is in no way me bragging about how oh-so-righteous I am because I serve people all the time. To be honest, it's very difficult for me to find the motivation to take time out of my already-insanely-busy schedule to go focus on someone else. All I know is that when I /do/, I am infinitely happier and my life is peaceful. And I know that you'll find the same result if you serve with honest intentions.
You know what, I'd like to extend a couple of challenges, if I may. First, discover your own creativity. Know that you have something to offer to the world. Second, serve. Serve anyone. And try praying for them, too.
In conclusion, I hope you know how much you are loved. Elder Uchtdorf perfectly encapsulated this whole message: "As spirit [children] of our Heavenly Father, happiness is your heritage." I'm here to say that it's up to you whether or not you claim your inheritance. You aren't going to be happy by default. But good news - this gospel is the perfect way to figure out how to be the happiest you can be. It is set up entirely for you to have joy - that's why we have the Plan of Happiness, and why Adam fell - that we might have joy.
I know I only spoke about two ways to become happier and to find peace amidst the storms of life, but I guarantee you that this church has so much to offer you in the way of true, everlasting joy. I know that as we strive to live the gospel principles and to help those around us to do the same we will be happier.
That's part of why I am so excited to serve a mission. I know it's going to be hard. I know there will be some days when I seriously question my decision to serve. But overall, the joy I will be sharing will be worth it. To quote Buddha: "Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared." I believe that that is just like the gospel. The more we share it, the more light we have.
This world needs our light. We need our light. And the way to have Christ's light is to live as He would have us live.
I would like to end with a scripture that I feel fits this topic perfectly: "I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it. I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy."
I am so ready to go share this gospel with the people of my mission. I know that more than likely I'll be rejected by most people I teach. But if the one soul I bring to repentance is myself, then I will rejoice in having been an instrument in the hands of God.
I love this gospel. I truly believe that it is God's church on the earth, and I /know/ that the only way to true, eternal joy is through living its principles and doctrines.
I have felt God's infinite love for me, and I have experienced that love for others. My hope is that you can feel that love, too.
I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet. I know the Book of Mormon is true. I know that President Nelson is a living prophet and that he was called of God. I /know/, without any fraction of a doubt, that this church is TRUE. And I am ready to share it with the world.
Im Namen Jesu Christi, Amen.
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