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Devotionals

Be There and Be Happy

What a privilege it is to be married to Sister Johanson. We often joke back and forth about who is the lucky one in our relationship, and even though she is right about practically everything else, I know after years of research and focus groups and surveys and in-depth quantitative and qualitative research that I am the lucky one. Sorry, hon. 

I hope those of you who are married enjoy the same wonderful companionship and happiness that we do. For those of you who are not yet married – and you knew this was coming – I encourage you to make dating, courting, and marriage a priority. I’m not suggesting you rush into it necessarily, though when the Spirit prompts you both then rushing is just fine. Seek out the kind of marriage that lasts forever, that begins with sacred covenants in the temple, that will provide the solid foundation for your eternal family, and that will bring you lasting happiness. It’s my hope that today and at some future day if someone were to ask you, “Are you happy?” you could answer “Yes” and that your marriage relationship had much to do with that honest response. 

My dear brothers and sisters, aloha. It is an honor to be here with you today. It’s a responsibility I don’t take lightly, and I’ll speak more about that in a minute. At a recent conference to all the stakes in Hawaii, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf said that those who speak have an obligation to those who listen, and those who listen have an obligation to listen with their hearts. I pray for and invite the Holy Ghost to be with us as we gather today that we can be instructed and that we “all may be edified together.”1  

I feel that some of you might be here with heavy hearts, with a question weighing on your mind, seeking for inspiration for something you need help with. I don’t know if anything I say might be that answer or comfort you’re seeking, but I can tell you that our true and living Heavenly Father knows your heart, and He knows my heart, and in this moment, we may be as one through the Holy Ghost. Your pain, your fear, your decision, your trial, or your question can be answered right here, right now, in this gathering if you will just listen with your spiritual ears. 

So, why do we gather? Why do we have so many meetings? I’ve heard the definition of a Mormon is someone who is preparing for, going to, attending, or coming from a meeting. We have sacrament and priesthood and Relief Society meetings. We have mutual. We have stake, ward, and worldwide trainings. We have these Devotionals. We have Family Home Evenings and more! It’s a miracle we have time for anything else! 

Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained that the purposes of gathering are “to worship, to build up the Church, for a defense, and to receive counsel and instruction.”2 Gatherings in the Church allow us to Be There in places where we can learn and lift those around us.

One of my responsibilities at BYU–Hawaii is to run university events. One of our main events is the weekly Devotional, and I’ve been involved in all the details of planning just under 200 Devotionals, about 40 per year over the past five years. So with that history, you might think that I’d be comfortable here today since I’ve seen how this works a few times. Yeah, well – that’s a nice thought! 

Traditionally, the highest attended Devotionals are the first ones of the semester. Through the course of the semester, the attendance decreases slightly as schedules get tight, projects stack up, and, in some cases, you decide just not to come. This, in my mind, is counterintuitive since when things get tough is the most important time to gather, stay close to the Spirit, and refresh your mind and soul. This being the last regular Devotional of the Fall semester – next week is our Christmas musical Devotional which is always one of my favorite – I’m am very pleased to see so many here today. I’m grateful for your attendance and for your preparation. 

For your information, attendance at Devotionals this year – 2013 – is projected to reach 34,859. This is a 4.43 percent increase from 2012 and more than a 20 percent increase in total attendance since 2010. As an event organizer, this tells me that we are getting better. You and your fellow students and the wonderful faculty and staff are all making the decision to be here and to gather. Again, thank you for your faithfulness as disciples of Jesus Christ. You have chosen to Be There where the Lord would have you be. 

Through weekly Devotional attendance, I’ve been personally blessed in significant ways. Just from this past year, I’ve learned how to better face fear with love from Sister May Shumway, I’ve learned new reasons for forgiveness from President Gregory D. Hendrickson, and I’ve learned more about our creation using a popular wooden puppet named Pinocchio from BYU–Hawaii’s own Brandon Truscott.  

Before we go on, I feel impressed to pause and make you a promise. I invite you to join with me in making the personal commitment to attend every Devotional that you can for the entire time you are at BYU–Hawaii. Every week. Every time. Now this is a serious commitment, because when you make a commitment like this, you will hold yourself accountable to do it. If you’re willing to make this commitment, please take a moment and silently in your mind say the words “I will Be There at every Devotional.” 

Now when you hear the bells ring out on campus, when you see your friends and colleagues heading to the Cannon Activities Center each Tuesday, you will remember this moment. I promise you will remember this moment of commitment you made today, and the Spirit that you felt as you made that commitment, as we gathered as friends and saints. 

There are many other places where we should be. We should Be There in the temple on a regular basis. We should Be There in the homes of the families over whom we have stewardship as home and visiting teachers. We should Be There at our sacrament and other church meetings each Sunday. 

This last example is one I want to talk about briefly as we think about Being There. To give some context, please consider the words of President Spencer W. Kimball when he said, “God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs. Therefore, it is vital that we serve each other in the kingdom. … So often, our acts of service consist of simple encouragement or of giving mundane help with mundane tasks, but what glorious consequences can flow from mundane acts and from small but deliberate deeds!”3 

A couple of years ago, Sister Johanson and I were visiting the island of Maui. On the Sunday of our trip, we attended the Lahaina First Ward. A while ago, we decided that unless there were extenuating circumstances, we would attend the entire three-hour block of Church meetings when we traveled. As we went through Sunday School and Priesthood and Relief Society meetings, we discovered that this ward was planning a temple trip to the Laie Hawaii Temple, and they were trying to find housing for the group. The options were slim and as you can imagine very expensive. When we asked about the dates of the temple trip, we found that it would be during the same time that we were going to be on a family trip and that our home would be vacant. We offered the use of our home, and it ended up being used for several of those who came to serve in the temple. 

Now, this was, in my eyes, a mundane act on our part, but the point I want to make is that by Being There, we were able to help meet the needs of these faithful saints. Had we stopped in for Sacrament meeting only, we would have missed the opportunity to perhaps be the answer to someone’s prayer. 

Just a few weeks ago, Sister Johanson was getting ready to go to the temple and for one reason or another was missing her mother who passed away right before she turned 15. As she served in the temple, she took note of the name of the person for whom she was serving as proxy. The name was Ellen, which is the name of the wonderful woman her father married after her mother passed away and who has filled the role of “mother” and “grandmother” in a marvelous way. Then she took note of the nametag of the worker who was helping her in the temple that day. Her name was Peggy, her mother’s name. Sister Johanson was reminded in that moment how much the Lord loves her and how involved and interested her mother is in her life and happiness. How grateful she was for that dear sister Being There in the temple right when and where she was needed. 

My dear brothers and sisters, when you and I were baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ, we made a sacred promise – a covenant – to “bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light” and “mourn with those that mourn; yea and comfort those that stand in need of comfort.”4 In order to do that, we need to Be There when the Lord sends His spirit to our heart and mind, so we can be that answer to prayer for someone else. Sometimes, we won’t even know we are that answer to prayer, but for that one person, they will know, and it will mean the world to them. Sometimes, it’s inconvenient. Sometimes, it takes us away from other priorities or gets in the way of doing something that may sound more interesting to us. Do you think it was always convenient for President Monson as a young bishop to Be There for each of the 85 widows in his ward? 

Whether it’s gathering at Devotional or a Priesthood or Relief Society meeting or being at a service project or in the temple, I hope we can Be There. I believe that every single one of us has been prepared with specific experiences, talents, and gifts, so we can be used as instruments in the Lord’s hands, and be on the Lord’s errand, when He needs us to bless His children. My dear friends, may we Be There when and where the Lord needs us. 

Be Happy
Now I want change my topic for a few minutes, and I’ll try to bring it back together at the end. Hopefully, you’re still awake when we get there! 

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said of General Conference speakers, “Perhaps you already know (but if you don’t you should) that with rare exception, no man or woman who speaks here [at General Conference] is assigned a topic. Each is to fast and pray, study and seek, start and stop and start again until he or she is confident that for this conference, at this time, his or hers is the topic the Lord wishes that speaker to present regardless of personal wishes or private preferences.”5 

This is the same for BYU–Hawaii Devotional speakers. It would have been great had President Wheelwright invited me to speak and then handed me a talk. It would have probably made the last several months go by with a little less stress! But that’s not how it works. When I was invited to speak, I felt inspired to speak on happiness. I prayed for direction. I searched scriptures and the words of the prophets on the topic. I put together an outline and started organizing my thoughts. Then, on July 16 of this year, Elder Melvin Palmer gave a wonderful Devotional address on … Happiness. I thought, “That’s okay. It’s July. I won’t be speaking until the end of November. It could be a good refresher message.” Then, we all gathered on October 29 – just a couple of weeks ago – to hear Brother Ken Woolley speak on what? Happiness. 

I went to the Lord and said, “Now what?” And you can probably guess what happened. The Spirit helped confirm in my heart and in my mind that this topic, Being Happy, for whatever reason, is what I needed to speak on today. I hope and pray that for someone listening today, the topic and principle of Being Happy is exactly what you needed to hear.

As part of my job, I monitor the media, news, and current events. I recently came across a memo issued by the U.S. Treasury Department, and I thought I would share it with you – and it was in an email forward, so it must be true. It said, “Due to the recent economic crises, stock market crashes, budget cuts, rising unemployment, unstable world conditions, the cost of insurance, electricity, petroleum and taxes of all kinds, we regret to advise that the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.”

In a world filled to overflowing with all of the problems of our day and the constant barrage from media sources, it is clear that we are not only in the worst shape we’ve ever been in, but we’re getting worse every day. It’s easy to think that perhaps “the light at the end of the tunnel” has been turned off. However, I’m here to tell you about some promises and blessings that assure us the light is in fact ON, and depending on decisions we make, it can keep getting brighter. 

Over the past several years, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has used short video clips called Mormon Messages to more broadly share important principles and beliefs of the Church. These are powerful tools, and I hope you take the time to watch them and share them with others using online resources like mormonchannel.org. In one Mormon Message, Elder Richard G. Scott talks about the Lord’s plan of happiness. Let’s watch it. 

“How Can I Find Happiness?” 

The Lord’s plan of happiness does lift and bless us as we live it, even as we are surrounded by things in the world that do not promote the true happiness that comes from heaven’s hand.

Following my mission in Honduras, I returned to Ricks College. During that year, as I’d get to know people, instead of asking the shallow question of “How are you?” I’d often ask them a simple yet direct question: “Are you happy?” Responses were very enlightening and would often give me a new view into that person’s life. It would catch them off guard and cause them to pause and think about their response instead of saying “I’m fine” or “Okay” when asked “How are you?”

I want to point out that because I was in Rexburg, Idaho at the time, I’d get responses like “Yeah, I’m happy, but I’d be a lot happier if the snow would melt and it would get warmer than 10 degrees!” At the time, I didn’t have much advice to give them, but now, after many years of thinking about it and living just a few steps from the beach, I think I may have found a solution to the cold and snow!

Happiness is defined as “the quality or state of being happy; good fortune; pleasure; contentment; joy.” In a personal and spiritual context, I would add that being happy is true contentment with one’s life and surroundings. 

The source of true happiness comes from God. You know this. As students at Brigham Young University–Hawaii, as members of Christ’s Church, and as disciples of the Lord, you know this. In the Book of Mormon, Samuel the Lamanite tells the wicked Nephites that they’ve been looking for happiness in all the wrong places. He tells them, “Ye have sought all the days of your lives for that which ye could not obtain; and ye have sought for happiness in doing iniquity, which thing is contrary to the nature of that righteousness which is in our great and Eternal Head.”6 

Sometimes, we go looking for happiness in all the wrong places. Sometimes, those places are obvious like viewing pornography or inappropriate movies and TV shows, being in secluded places or being alone for too long with a boyfriend or girlfriend, or cutting corners on an assignment by plagiarizing or copying another’s work. Some of these places are not as obvious like being mean, complaining, being overly critical, or judging others; staying in bed instead of going to Church or Devotionals; or missing an opportunity to be grateful. 

There’s a story about a group of graduates who were well-established in their careers and were discussing their lives at a class reunion. They decided to go visit their old university professor, now retired, who was always an inspiration to them. During their visit, the conversation turned to complaints about stress in their work, lives, and relationships. Offering his guests hot chocolate, the professor went into the kitchen and returned with a large pot of hot chocolate and an assortment of cups. Some cups were porcelain, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite. He invited each to help themselves to the hot chocolate. When they all had a cup of hot chocolate in hand, the professor shared his thoughts. 

He said, “Notice that all the nice looking, expensive cups were taken, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. The cup that you are drinking from adds nothing to the quality of the hot chocolate. In most cases, it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What each of you really wanted was hot chocolate. You did not want the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups, and soon, you began to eye one another’s cups.”

Now brothers and sisters, please consider this: Life is the hot chocolate. Your job, money, and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain life. The cup you have does not define nor change the quality of life you are living. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the hot chocolate God has provided us.

The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything that they have! And the richest person is not the one who has the most, but the one who needs the least.7 

“So much in life depends on our attitude. The way we choose to see things and respond to others makes all the difference. To do the best we can and then choose to Be Happy about our circumstances, whatever they may be, can bring peace and contentment.”8 We often can’t choose our circumstances, but we can choose how we react or respond to those circumstances, and I recommend we choose a positive attitude that helps us Be Happy. 

Almost every Saturday, we start the day with our four daughters and a white board. On that board, we draw a line down the middle and then, as a family, decide on a plan for the day. On one side of the line, we put the words “Work Fun,” and we’ll list things like cleaning the house, mowing the lawn, and finishing school projects. On the other side, we put the words “Play Fun,” and we’ll list things like going swimming, watching a movie, and spending time with friends. The point we try to make is that to earn the “Play,” we have to “Work,” but they are both “Fun” if we have a good attitude. So much of happiness and contentment depends on attitude and perspective. 

Simple Steps to True Happiness
I have a simple path, based on scripture, for finding true happiness. I’m a simple kid from the sticks of Prosser, Washington, so I think simple is good. First, have faith. Next, find wisdom and learning. Then, be giving. Act. And finally, endure. 

The first step is to have faith. In Proverbs 16:20, it says, “Whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he.”9  We must put our faith in God, our Heavenly Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ. They want us to Be Happy. The next step, find wisdom and learning. In Proverbs 3:13, it says, “Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.”10 How do we find wisdom? Study the scriptures, listen to talks, read good books, follow the Spirit. President Wheelwright and others here at BYU–Hawaii have spoken clearly about the importance of being a lifelong learner. You are here at this wonderful and inspired place of teaching and learning to set an eternal pattern of learning. Never stop learning. The next step to Be Happy is to be giving. Again in Proverbs 14:21, it says, “He that despiseth his neighbor sinneth, but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he.”11 Once we have faith, learn about God, and gain wisdom, we realize we are all in this together. If the light at the end of the tunnel is really turned off, it’s turned off for all of us. We should be charitable, giving, and full of service. We must look beyond ourselves. If we are truly to Be Happy, wouldn’t we want those around us to Be Happy also? Next is to act. The Savior taught his disciples that “If ye know these things, HAPPY are ye if ye DO them.”12 We are invited to act on our testimony once we’ve received it. Action is of critical importance to finding true happiness. Act to stay away from those places that don't give true happiness, and Be There, as we talked about earlier, in places that do. And finally, the last step in our quest to Be Happy is to endure. “Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.”13 Now that we’ve found happiness in DOING or ACTING, we’re promised we’ll keep being happy if we KEEP DOING! We must endure! When we endure, the Lord extends his sacred and tender mercies that help us to Be Happy. 

Now, we know it’s not always roses and ice cream in our lives; sometimes, it’s tough, and sometimes we “suffer for righteousness sake”14 and are “reproached for the name of Christ.”15 Sometimes, we lose our jobs, we watch our retirement savings erode away, we may have a wayward child or a child with special needs or deal with the untimely death of someone very close to us. We may be exposed to political or ethical situations or environments that oppose our moral values. Sometimes, these things happen to us even when we are righteous. There are storms, conflict,s and challenges all around us. We don’t need to wait – we can’t wait – until these are all gone from our lives to Be Happy. We can Be Happy today! The promise of the Lord is sure, and the hymn rings true in my ears as it should in yours: “We are all enlisted till the conflict is o’er. Happy are we! Happy are we!”16 

President Monson has given us this wise counsel: “This is our one and only chance at mortal life – here and now. The longer we live, the greater is our realization that it is brief. Opportunities come, and then they are gone. I believe that among the greatest lessons we are to learn in this short sojourn upon the earth are lessons that help us distinguish between what is important and what is not. I plead with you not to let those most important things pass you by as you plan for that illusive and non-existent future when you will have time to do all that you want to do. Instead, find joy in the journey – now!”17 

I want to share an example of someone who did find joy in the journey – even while living through great challenges. My father, Steve Elmer Johanson, was a hard worker. He put everything he had into providing for my mother and their seven children. Many didn’t realize how much he did enjoy the journey until after his passing a few years ago. 

At a viewing prior to his funeral service, his best friend from high school, Brad Parker, came to us and shared some of the funniest, most off-the-wall things that we never knew about Dad. My dad loved cars. His first car was an Opal Cadet, and he told us stories of the fun he had in that car. He later had a Ford Pinto, and he took out the emergency brake between the front seats and put a pillow there so he could sit closer to his dates. (That’s a great idea – I wish I had thought of it! But if any boy tries that with my daughters… well, it all of a sudden doesn’t seem like such a great idea.)

Brad told us a story about another car they got their hands on. They proceeded to trash this car – I can only assume it was already in pretty bad shape. When they had done their duty on this car, they weren’t sure what to do with it. Well, it turns out that on my grandpa’s property in Ontario, Oregon, the two of them took an earthmover, dug a hole behind the house, and buried the car. We’re pretty sure it’s still there! 

Now, that’s just a silly story of a couple of teenagers having fun, but as my father went through life, he continued to enjoy each day. He worked for 30 years for a corporate farm as an accountant and what most organizations would call their Chief Technology Officer. One of the partners at the farm, Brent Schultheis, shared with me that he and my dad on many occasions would sit in his office and laugh about life and the comical nuances that often come with it. This was a side of Dad that many didn’t publicly see. 

When he realized that his life was probably going to be shortened by cancer, the happiness and joy he found each day was raised to a higher spiritual plane. His conversations were more Christ-centered, and his actions focused on others. When he was called home, I believe he was prepared to greet the Savior to begin the next phase of his eternal happiness… and he probably had some explaining to do to his mom and dad about that car.

Dad lived while he was alive. He found joy in the journey. He was happy, and now, I know he IS happy beyond what any of us can even imagine. How we live, the work we put into Being Happy today will make our tomorrows so much more memorable. “There is no tomorrow to remember if we don’t do something today.”18 

I want to close with two suggestions for all of us that will help us Be Happy. The first is to love and serve others. We cannot let the pressures and stresses of our lives get in the way of the things that matter most. “Send that note to the friend you’ve been neglecting; give your child a hug; give your parents a hug; say ‘I love you’ more; always express your thanks. Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved.”19 

The second suggestion is to be grateful. In this week of Thanksgiving, we often reflect on what we are grateful for. I invite you to find something every day to be grateful for and write it down – not just this week, or just during the month of November, or just on Facebook. If you will take just a couple of minutes each day to identify one thing you are grateful for from that day, you will begin to see the Lord’s hand and His specific blessings for you so clearly in your life. 

The steps in the journey to Being Happy do work. Have faith. Find wisdom and learning. Be giving. Act on your testimony. And endure. It’s a simple pattern, but the promise is true – and it works! 

Brothers and sisters, I know that we have a loving Heavenly Father. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and that His Church has been restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith. I know that Thomas S. Monson is the Lord’s prophet today. 

May we Be There when and where the Lord needs and expects us to be. If we will Be There, He will meet the needs and answer the prayers of those around us – just as He meets our needs and answers our prayers through others who have been guided to Be There for us, and when we are there, as instruments in the Lord’s hands, we will see that the light at the end of the tunnel is NOT turned off. It is burning bright, lighting our way back to God. May we find joy in the journey, and then, as promised by our Heavenly Father, we will Be Happy. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen. 

1. D&C 84:110
2. David A. Bednar, "The Spirit and Purposes of Gathering," BYU–Idaho Devotional, October 31, 2006.
3. Spencer W. Kimball, "Small Acts of Service,"  Ensign, December 1974.
4. Mosiah 18:8-9
5. Jeffrey R. Holland, "An Ensign to the Nations,"  Ensign, May 2011.
6. Helaman 13:38
7. “The Wisdom in Hot Chocolate,” source unknown.
8. Thomas S. Monson. "Living the Abundant Life,"  Ensign, January 2012.
9. Proverbs 16:20
10. Proverbs 3:13
11. Proverbs 14:21
12. John 13:17
13. James 5:11
14. 1 Peter 3:14
15. 1 Peter 4:14
16. “We Are All Enlisted,” Hymns, 250
17. Thomas S. Monson. "Finding Joy in the Journey,"  Ensign, November 2008.
18. Thomas S. Monson. "Finding Joy in the Journey,"  Ensign, November 2008.
19. Thomas S. Monson. "Finding Joy in the Journey,"  Ensign, November 2008.