Joy and Spiritual Survival} Part Two

Good Morning, or Good Afternoon, or Good Evening, 

this post should take approximately three minutes to five minutes to read from start to finish.

This post focuses on a October 2016 General Conference talk and it is called, "Joy and Spiritual Survival" by President Russell M. Nelson. This post is part two. I would like to share with you some highlights while I reading the talk.

President Nelson mentioned the following: "How, then, can we claim that joy? We can start by “looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith” “in every thought.” We can give thanks for Him in our prayers and by keeping covenants we’ve made with Him and our Heavenly Father. As our Savior becomes more and more real to us and as we plead for His joy to be given to us, our joy will increase.

Joy is powerful, and focusing on joy brings God’s power into our lives. ... And what was the joy that was set before Him? Surely it included the joy of cleansing, healing, and strengthening us; the joy of paying for the sins of all who would repent; the joy of making it possible for you and me to return home clean and worthy to live with our Heavenly Parents and families.

If we focus on the joy that will come to us, or to those we love, what can we endure that presently seems overwhelming, painful, scary, unfair, or simply impossible?

... A dear colleague recently told me of his past two decades of heavy trials. He said, “I have learned to suffer with joy. My suffering was swallowed up in the joy of Christ.”

"The greater our sorrow, the greater our capacity to feel JOY."
- Mormon Messages, The Refiner's Fire.

What will you and I be able to endure as we focus on the joy that is “set before” us? ... What weakness will become a strength? ... What disappointments, even tragedies, will turn to our good? And what challenging service to the Lord will we be able to give?

As we diligently focus on the Savior and then follow His pattern of focusing on joy, we need to avoid those things that can interrupt our joy. ... Anything that opposes Christ or His doctrine will interrupt our joy. ...

If we look to the world and follow its formulas for happiness, we will never know joy. The unrighteous may experience any number of emotions and sensations, but they will never experience joy! Joy is a gift for the faithful. It is the gift that comes from intentionally trying to live a righteous life, as taught by Jesus Christ.

He taught us how to have joy. When we choose Heavenly Father to be our God and when we can feel the Savior’s Atonement working in our lives, we will be filled with joy. Every time we nurture our spouse and guide our children, every time we forgive someone or ask for forgiveness, we can feel joy.

Every day that you and I choose to live celestial laws, every day that we keep our covenants and help others to do the same, joy will be ours. ... As this principle is embedded in our hearts, each and every day can be a day of joy and gladness."

Feel free to read the whole talk in your own time and here is the link below.
www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2016/10/joy-and-spiritual-survival

Stay Tuned until next time.