Finding Joy

I've been deeply moved by Elder Patrick Kearon's recent message about joy, and I feel prompted to share some thoughts with you. He reminded us that "because of the redeeming life and mission of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, we can—and should—be the most joyful people on earth!"

This resonates deeply with me because at the foundation of my faith, joy in Christ is what brings peace and purpose to my life. What amazes me is that this joy isn't just for good times. In fact, my hardest challenges in life have helped me find even deeper joy in Christ.

Elder Kearon invites us to transform how we worship, both in our Sunday services and in our homes. He encourages us to move beyond simply attending church to truly worshiping—to intentionally praise and adore our God in a way that transforms us. This "joyful reverence," as he calls it, flows from souls that rejoice in Christ's abundant love, mercy, and salvation.

During our sacrament meetings, he suggests a beautiful practice: rather than focusing solely on our shortcomings, we can use that sacred time to ponder the many ways we've seen the Lord's hand in our recent lives. We can reflect on how He has pursued us with His wonderful love throughout the week, celebrating the moments we've felt His grace, forgiveness, and power giving us strength to overcome our hardships.

Even amidst trials and hardship—perhaps especially then—we are invited to experience the deep joy that comes through intentional worship of Christ. When storms of life pound upon us in this often-troubled world, we can still cultivate a growing and abiding sense of joy and inner peace because of our hope in Christ and our understanding of our place in His beautiful plan of happiness.

As President Nelson has taught us, "For Latter-day Saints, Jesus Christ is joy!" May we embrace this truth together as a ward, supporting each other in finding and sharing that joy, whether in quiet moments of personal worship or in our collective rejoicing each Sunday.