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How Happy Are You? - Page 2

Granny7, I agree with you but within the Church we need to stop this! My wife and I were and are currently able to deal with this because we understand what we go to Church for... but can you imagine a non-member or new member? Wow, no wonder Pres. Hinckley always talks about us bing a more kind, loving an gentle people...

Offtopic but, Please do update your profile. Thanks.

You Happy How

"Seeking is more of a journey than a single event. I liken it to taking
a long, cross-country vacation. Although we know what our ultimate
destination is, the rich experiences and real learning come day by
day as we progress toward our goal."

(Craig C. Christensen, "Seek, and Ye Shall Find," Ensign, May 2003, 33)

How Happy Are You? Studies Doctrine Mormon

The gospel definitely makes me feel happy. I also feel humbled to have been given the gift of having the gospel come into my life and grateful for the knowledge of it and the things I am still learning. I feel content and at peace when I live the gospel. However, there is a difference between how the gospel makes me feel and how the church, or people in it, makes me feel. The gospel is perfect. It provides everyone an opportunity to return to live with our Father in Heaven through Jesus Christ, our Savior. Learning the principles and ordinances of the gospel and living them are the greatest way to find happiness in the church and in life. But, we have to be very careful that we define the gospel as the doctrine and beliefs and the church as the body or organization of saints. Let me share my personal experience. About 5 years ago, we had many difficulties arise from different situations we were in. The challenges we were facing were already difficult enough on their own. Then members of the church all but "shunned" us from the community. We were devastated to lose good friends, friends that we served with, went to the temple with, had our children play with their children, and helped through difficult times previous. The situation was completely misjudged and we felt very hurt and angry at "the church". We stopped going to church for a while, then started attending a different ward outside the stake boundaries and stayed for a year. We grew weary of the distance to drive to church, the fact that we couldn't have a calling because we were not 'officially' in the ward, not being called to be a visiting teacher, a home teacher, or having either of those for ourselves. We stopped going to church altogether, and let me tell you, that was the BIGGEST mistake of our lives. Horrible consequences, which I won't talk about here, that almost destroyed our family followed and we missed out on so much by not choosing the gospel over the church. We could have easily fallen away from the church and may have never returned, until we remembered that it was the doctrine that we had a testimony of, not the people of the church. So to sum things up, yes, the gospel makes me extremely happy. The church currently makes me happy, but that is subject to change. I must also say that we have known many people that have played a wonderful role and had tremendous influence on us for the better as well. For the most part, we have been well loved. We just hope to never fall away again because of what 'man can do.'

Offtopic but, I am very sorry to read about the conditions of the church there in Trinidad, and for the difficulties you struggle with too, Nighthawk. I know you are hanging in there and have good attitudes about staying true to the gospel.

Edited: dawnofthenew on 17th Jan, 2005 - 12:02pm