Happiness and the Scriptures

I was intrigued this morning when reading from Mormon 9.  I know this verse (v14) is a truth.  I also know we are the same spirit we were before our birth and much about us is who we are.  Verse 14 says that who we are when we leave this earthly existence is who we will be after the resurrection.  If we are happy here, we will be happy there.  If we were unhappy on earth, we will continue to be unhappy still. 

That said, is there any hope that those who are unhappy in this life can change?  But of course! God is a god of miracles (v15), and we are here to grow and change.  As I looked at the next page in Preach my Gospel this morning, it talks about the Book of Mormon being able to answer the questions of the soul.  There is a long list of questions and references that pertain to gospel questions, but what about those things that bring us a joyful life?  So this question puts me on a search in the Topical Guide under happiness.  There are references in the Bible and all the scriptures. 

• Job 5:17 – Happy is the man whom God correcteth. 
• Psalm 127:5 – Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of [children].
• Proverbs 3:13 – “Happy is the man that findeth wisdom”.  Where can that wisdom be found?  In the scriptures.
• Have mercy on the poor
• Trust the Lord
• If we suffer or reproached for righteousness, happy are we
• Now for Book of Mormon references
• 1 Nephi 8:10  “. . . a tree whose fruit was desirable to make one happy.”  What is that fruit?  The love of God!
• 2 Nephi 2:13  If you are not righteous, you cannot be happy.  That’s pretty simple, yet a hard one for most to embrace.
• Then Mosiah 2:41 says: “. . . consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God.  For behold they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness.” 
• Alma 27:18 – happiness is given the truly penitent and humble seeker.
• Alma 41:5 - Our level of happiness is according to our desires.
• Alma 41:10 – Wickedness never was happiness
• Alma 44:5 – Moroni tells Zarahemnah all their happiness is a result of the sacred word of God, aka scriptures.

There are more.  I am convinced that we can find happiness through reading the scriptures.  Why would that be?  How does that make us happier?  Could it be that as we read the experiences of others as they have conquered their own battles, we realize we can follow their pattern for so doing and apply it to our own lives?  I will say this.  There was a day – in fact, there have been several times in my life, when my life was tumultuous and not happy.  I discovered that immersing myself in the scriptures as I prayed for the Spirit to be with me, I gradually overcame my “funk” and was able to move beyond whatever it was that was causing me to be discontent and unhappy.  It was a conscious effort each time.  It is my daily scripture study that helps me maintain some sanity in an insane existence.  I find joy in looking back at my thoughts through the years.  I’ve kept a scripture journal either in hard form or on this blog for quite some time.  It has been helpful to me.  I hope it’s helping others.

So back to my first question: How can an unhappy person change?  First, they must desire that change.  As they desire, they must do something – preferably read the scriptures.  As they desire to be happy, that desire will begin to work within them as they invite the Lord into their lives.  I really don’t know that it can be done in any other way.  And my time in the scriptures is over.