February 1, 2017
A few weeks ago, I was talking with my dad on the phone and he began telling me about his experience at a big box store that day. He began walking to the back of the store. Near the deli area he began running out of energy. He looked around for a chair to sit down but found nothing. He was walking past a lady that was giving out samples. She smiled and asked if he would like to try some mango salsa. Well, by this time my dad was very tired and very frustrated because he needed to sit down. He quickly said. “No, I don’t need any salsa, I need a chair! I had a stroke a while back and it’s hard for me to get in and out of these stores without sitting down”. She said “Oh, I understand how you feel sir”. My dad interrupted her and said. “You can’t possibly know how I feel. I had to learn to walk again after my stroke and it just about does me in walking through a store this size.” She looked at him, and smiled and said, “Yes, I know strokes can be hard, in fact I’ve only been back to work a few weeks since my stroke and I have to be on my feet for 4 hours at a time”. This embarrassed my dad, but it also got him thinking about this poor woman that had to stand on her feet for hours at a time after suffering from a stroke so he set off on a quest to find another person to complain to. He grabbed his items and walked to the front of the store. He placed everything on the counter and the clerk began ringing it up. My dad said to the clerk. “Your store needs to be a little more considerate of us old people. I had a stroke a while back I had to learn how to walk again. It took me months just to be able to walk out to get my mail. You young kids will never understand.” Just then the man walked from behind the counter pulled up his pant leg to show my dad his prosthetic leg. “Sir, I understand” he said. My dad sheepishly handed the gentlemen his money and ran as fast as he could out to his car.
Each of us is given a choice to be an optimist or a pessimist. Having a sense of humor facing daily tasks is something many of us have to work on daily. All of us have or will experienced hardships such as loss of job, marital issues, health problems, the list goes on and on. During these times we have a choice to find the good things in a bad situation or continue to focus on the bad.
Gordon B. Hinckley once said. “Don’t be gloomy. Do not dwell on unkind things. Stop seeking out the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight. Even if you are not happy, put a smile on your face. ‘Accentuate the positive.’ Look a little deeper for the good. Go forward in life with a twinkle in your eye and a smile on your face, with great and strong purpose in your heart. Love life.”
Love life! We were all meant to be happy in life. These everyday hardships are what gently lead us to rely on our Savior. As we remember Him and include more of his attitudes into our lives, we become more like Him. There is so much to be happy about in this world. And when we fail to see the world around us for the wonder and joy that it has to offer and we don’t see the hope and light everywhere around us, we aren’t seeing the world as our Heavenly Father see’s it.
Sisters, having to try to stay positive is something I know a lot about, the story I just shared that Dad was and is the Dad I lived with and love. He’s a wonderful man and probably will always see the cup as half empty but I love him for it. Being his daughter I have obtained a lot of his traits and characteristics good and not so good. These are things that I go to my Father in Heaven with in prayer. And when I read the scriptures and read about the Savior and all the wonderful things he did I want to be better and do better, and I find joy. I know the Savior lives and loves each one of us. He wants us to be happy. I know our Savior will help us through all of our hardships if we ask.
Love, Patty Mark Kanesville Stake Relief Society 2nd Counselor
I wanted to include a few scriptures related to finding joy. It’s so important that we know that the Savior wants us to be happy and what we have to do to find joy.
A condition of great happiness coming from righteous living. The purpose of mortal life is for all people to have joy (2 Nephi 2:22-25). A full joy will come only through Jesus Christ (John 15:11; D&C 93:33-34; 101:36).
The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord: Isa. 29:19; (2 Nephi 27:30;)
I bring you good tidings of great joy: Luke 2:10;
Your joy no man taketh away from you: John 16:22;
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace: Gal. 5:22;
The fruit thereof filled my soul with exceedingly great joy: 1 Nephi 8:12;
Men are that they might have joy: 2 Nephi 2:25;
The joy of the righteous shall be full forever: 2 Nephi 9:18;
They may dwell with God in a state of never ending happiness: Mosiah 2:41;
I will give up all that I possess that I may receive this great joy: Alma 22:15;
Perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance, and this is my joy: Alma 22:15;
What joy, and what marvelous light I beheld: Alma 36:20;
My spirit shall fill you with joy: D&C 11:13;
How great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father: D&C 18:15-16;
In this world your joy is not full, but in me your joy is full: D&C 101:36;
In this life I shall have joy: Moses 5:10-11;
