Choose to be :]

One day this week as I was running in the morning, I woke up feeling guilty. I kept replaying things and thought, I could have done that better, I haven't been doing enough of this, I have way too many things that I need to be working on. & then out of the blue this thought came to my mind: "Today, I'm going to choose to be happy." My run changed completely, and that simple decision in the morning really influenced how the rest of my day went.

   Sure, my area has no active members of the church, sure our teaching pool is slim to nothing, sure nobody wants to keep commitments, but I'm still going to be happy. I went to work. I organized (color coded & alphabetized) our area book and cleaned up some of the old teaching records, read a good amount of pages in Preach My Gospel and the difference was drastic.

   This week I've been thinking about happiness, about the qualities of happy people. As I was studying happiness in the scriptures the other day, I came across this scripture in Mosiah 2:41

   "And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed an happy state of thos ethat keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in a ll things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the the end they are received into heaven, that therreby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it."

   Choosing to be happy goes hand in hand with choosing to live the commandments. It's as simple as that. When we don't follow the commandments, the choice apperas less black and white. We start setting up excuses and painting a lot more greys into the picture. I want people to describe me by saying, "That girl has sunshine flowing through her veins," and I know the only way that's going to happen, is if I keep living the commandments.

   Instant gratification plays a lot into our daily decisions. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, it's kind of like a nice banquet buffet. The food looks so delicious at the beginning, but as you begin to stuff yourself silly, you come to regret how much you've eaten.

   On Thanksgiving Hermana Maughan said, "We're a peculiar people. We're 21-23 year olds who talk about scriptures, think of ways we can help others, and play board games to have a good time." Isn't it strage how that's considered, weird and peculiar when that should really be the norm.

   My level of happiness hit an all time high this weekend. Why, because Victoria who shall now be known as Veronica (her real name), was baptized. It was the greatest feeling in the world. It was a feeling of supreme happiness for another person. We have been with Veronica since day one. I pointed out to Hermana Canova that Veronica (we sometimes also call her V.Gar) was baptized exactly two months after we had met her.

   The baptismal program was so spiritual. All the women that had accompanied us on lessons participated in the program, Elder Conan and I sang the musical number (Te Hallare Mi Amigo, I'll Go & Find You My Friend), and while Veronica changed we watched clips from Joy to The World. I wish you all could have been there to feel the love that was present in the room. The happiness I felt warmed my heart, and if I don't have the opportunity to see another person baptized, I'll be fine, because they joy I felt yesterday was incredible.

Con Todo mi Amor,
La Hermanita Flores

La Hermanita Flores