But are ya happy?
The end of Monday was the best thing that could ever
happen to me. We had just gotten out of a teaching appointment with one of our
friends of the church, and were starving. We had enough time to go into a
bakery and grab something quick to then catch our bus. We get into this bakery
and right as we're about to get a piece of bread, one of the ladies there
approaches us and asks us if we knew about their happy hour special. Apparently
after a certain hour, you can fill a medium sized bag with whatever bread you
want... for only 4€! I was so happy. In that moment I knew God really does love
me.
I've encountered moments on my mission where missionary work can appear to be
burden, if chosen to look at it in that way. 3-4 hours of finding every day,
hearing "ich habe kein Zeit," "ich habe kein Interesse
dafür," and "Nein" on a daily basis, and being rained on and
cold can break motivation and purpose faster than anything I can think of. And
although some days are rougher than others, I've noticed that at the end of the
day, I'm happy.
Regardless of whether you're a missionary or not, life throws obstacles your
way. It's the nature of this life, "For it must needs be, that there
is an opposition in all things. If not so,... righteousness could not be
brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good
nor bad" (2 Nephi 2:11). We will always encounter rainy days, but the
question we should be asking ourselves is, Am I happy?
I read a general conference talk on this subject just the other day, and my
eyes were opened just a little bit more to understand what happiness means. We
are all in the persuit of happiness in one way or another. That could be
through profession, education, or life. We believe that through these we are
able to obtain happiness. What we fail to realize is that we could have a
'perfect life,' but still find ourselves without happiness. There are 2 points
that Elder Jack H. Goaslind brought up that I really liked. He said that we
look and look for happiness, yet we don't realize happiness is within us. He
then said that if we are searching for happiness, we must lose ourselves in a
noble cause.
Luke 9:24 "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever
will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it." I have
experienced the most happiness on my mission. Sacrificing every thing I have to
be where I am has ironically brought me the most happiness. Living the gospel
of Jesus Christ and sharing it with others helps my happiness continue to grow.
It is within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that all my
doubts, fears, pains, scars, sadness, and emptiness have been taken away and
replaced with love, grace, happiness, worth, and purpose.
I know the purpose of life is that we might have joy. And I know it is through
Jesus Christ that we are able to feel that joy every day.
Liebe Grüße,
Sister Quintana
P.s. A boy we were teaching in my last area was baptized this past weekend, and
although I couldn't be there I could not feel any happier that he's come a step
closer to God
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