Joy for All

In “Welcome to the Church of Joy“, Elder Patrick Kearon talks about us having reason to be joyful. He states, “Because of the loving plan of our Heavenly Father for each of His children, and because of the redeeming life and mission of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, we can–and should–be the most joyful people on earth!” What is joy? How can all of us be joyful? I attempt to answer these questions in this post.

What Is Joy?

The dictionary definition of joy is, “the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires.” For each of us, there are three areas where we can experience this definition of joy. They are physical, mental, and spiritual.

Physical joy is experienced when we feel well, and fit, or we have done something physically taxing and have succeeded. We may be tired, but there is a euphoria in completing something physical. One way I experience physical joy is when I am working in the yard. I can forget about everything except the work I’m doing. When finished, I feel joy at having accomplished something, even if I need to sit down for a while.

Mental joy occurs when we are able to solve a difficult problem, meditate on a topic of interest, learn something new, or do anything that involves our brain and thinking. I feel joy mentally when I’m reading a good book or when I solve a difficult problem. My brain feels as though it has worked out and is refreshed.

Spiritual joy “comes from and because of Him. … For Latter-day Saints, Jesus Christ is joy!” I’m spiritually joyful when I feel and follow the Spirit, read my scriptures, pray, etcetera. Learning about the Savior, His role in the plan of salvation, and how He personally is interested in me brings me joy.

Where Can Lasting Joy Be Found?

Can joy be felt constantly in this life? The answer is yes! Even though we have trials, times of disappointment, or struggles, we can still have joy. Where is this to be found? Through our relationship with Jesus Christ and by worshipping Him in private and in public.

When it comes to public worship, Elder Kearon notes a difference between “attending” and “worshipping” in our Sacrament meeting. Attending is simple, we just show up and go through the motions. However, worshipping, “is to intentionally praise and adore our God in a way that transforms us!”

Worshipping God is the key to having lasting joy. As we truly worship Him, the Holy Ghost can be more present in our lives. This companionship brings comfort, peace, and confidence. When I feel those gifts from the Holy Ghost, my heart swells with joy.

How Do We Make Our Worship Joyful?

Elder Kearon lists four ways we can make our worship joyful:

1. Communicating “welcome to the church of joy” through our facial expressions whether on the stand or in the congregation
2. Singing the hymns. If we’re not comfortable singing the hymns, may I suggest that we still have the book open to the song and follow along with the lyrics, reading them and absorbing their message
3. Centering our talks and testimonies on God and Jesus
4. The ordinance of the Sacrament is “‘a sacred time of spiritual renewal’ [General Handbook 29.2.1.1] when we witness anew that we are willing to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ and make again the covenant to always remember the Saviour and keep His commandments.”

The last item on this list helps us get a fresh start to the new week. Elder Kearon goes on to explain, “As we listen intently to the blessing of the bread and water and partake of those sacred tokens, we may feel to reflect on the sacrifice of the Saviour, His agonies in Gethsemane, His anguish on the cross, and the sorrows and pains He endured on our behalf. That will be what relieves our souls as we connect our suffering to His. At other times, we will feel to wonder with grateful awe at the ‘exquisite and sweet’ joy of what Jesus’s magnificent gift has made possible in our lives and in our eternities.” Either way, the ordinance of the Sacrament will bring us joy in the knowledge that we can start again; we can commit to being a little better during the week and increase our joy when we return the next Sunday to partake of the Sacrament again.

One last note on the Sacrament ordinance. It does NOT need to be a time when we only think about the things we have done wrong during the week. Elder Kearon advises us to, “turn that practice on its head. In the stillness, we can ponder the many ways we have seen the Lord relentlessly pursue us with His wonderful love that week!” What joy will we feel if we remember the times the Savior was with us during the week. How joyous it is to have the Spirit teach us, to feel the love of God as we embrace what President Nelson has called “the joy of daily repentance”, and finally to know that we are not alone in this journey. God is with us every step if we have faith and believe that He is.

Conclusion

Joy is “the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires.” We can have joy no matter what our current circumstances are. Heavenly Father created man, and as Lehi stated, “men are that they might have joy” (2 Nephi 2:25). We can have lasting spiritual joy as we enhance our worship through singing, centering on God and Jesus Christ, and partaking of the Sacrament. I join with Elder Kearon, “Welcome to the church of joy!”