Why Are You So Happy?

Many critiques of my faith assert that we must breath different air than the rest of the world, as we seem to be so happy all the time. Indeed, the bastian of the LDS community, Provo, UT, is coined as "Happy Valley". Why is this so? How can we be so happy?

May I first explain that our espoused faith does not create a miraculous antidote to all unpleasant events or even tragedies. In fact, the ongoing principle of our faith is to "endure to the end". If life was easy while living our faith, why would we be counseled to "endure". I think the difference from a life of faith and one without it is the vision of what lies around the corner.

We believe as Paul that "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." (1 Corinthians 2:9).

I marvel at marathon runners who can seem to get themselves to run for literally hours each week to train for their competition. For the longest time I couldn't understand them. How can they go through that torture and why on earth do they seem to enjoy it? "Are they all masochists" I would question. However, after starting training for a triathlon, I have been able to understand their impetus for being so physically active. The answer is hope: a vision of the future that, through great effort, will be realized. If you can retain constructive thoughts of finishing a marathon and the glory that it will bring, then wouldn't you be motivated to run every day?

Now translate that to something much, much, (really, infinitely) bigger. Jesus Christ promises us the "Father’s kingdom; therefore all that my Father hath shall be given unto him" (D&C 84:38) if we follow his commandments. For eternity! We can know that "that same sociality which exits among us here with exist among us there, only it will be coupled with eternal glory, which glory we do not now enjoy" (D&C 130:2). Wouldn't you be happy if you realized that by simply doing your best to follow the Savior you could have these blessings?

I have a certain knowledge that through obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ we can be endowed with boundless blessings in this life and literally unfathomable gifts in the life to come. What is there not to be happy about?