Man's Search For Happiness (1964)

sometimes in your search for happiness you ponder the meaning of your life you sift your memory for beginnings you send your mind ahead for directions but all you really know is now and you are lost in the present Who am I how did I come to be time where does it take me toward death and then what where did I come from to understand why you are here you must first understand your beginnings at Birth you did not suddenly flare into existence out of nowhere you have always lived in pre earth life you were with your heavenly father there as his spirit sons and daughters you lived until you were ready to come to earth as the poet words were said our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting the soul that rises with us our life star and had elsewhere its setting and cometh from afar not an entire forgetfulness and not in utter nakedness but trailing clouds of glory do we come from God who is our home upon entering mortal life the memory of your life before birth was blotted out that you might live by faith and further prepare for the everlasting pneus of life this mortal body in which your spirit now dwells is subject to pain to difficulties to death for it is through opposition that you grow in strength of character you must know pain to appreciate well-being difficulties to develop courage deaf to understand eternal life you then whoever you are are related not only to every person upon this earth who lives who has lived who will yet live but to God the Father of the soul and to his son our Savior with your acceptance of the responsibilities of Earth life you were given a wondrous mortal body in the likeness of God so God created man in his own image in the image of God created he him male and female created he them and the spirit and the body are the soul of man as sons and daughters of God is it any wonder that you are an eternal part of his plan and purpose and coming from such a noble heritage that you have possibilities far beyond your greatest dreams be assured that your personal search for happiness has real purpose be assured that your life is worth living life offers you too precious gifts one is time the other freedom of choice the freedom to buy with your time what you will you are free to exchange or allotment of time for trills you may trade it for base desires you may invest it in grieved you may purchase with it vanity you might spend your time in pursuit of material things yours is the freedom to choose but these are no bargains for in them you'll find no lasting satisfaction every day every hour every minute of your span of mortal years must be accounted for and it is in this life that you walk by faith and prove yourself able to choose good over evil right over wrong enduring happiness over mere amusement and your eternal reward will be according to your choosing a prophet of God has said men are that they might have joy a joy that includes a fullness of life a life dedicated to service to love and harmony in the home and the fruits of honest toil an acceptance of the gospel of Jesus Christ of its requirements and commandments only in these will you find true happiness the happiness which doesn't fade with the lights and the music and the crowds god has placed you on earth without memory of your pre mortal past but he hasn't left you without who or without faith in life after death this he has promised you I am the resurrection and the life he that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live one of the best attested facts of sacred history is the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ three days following his crucifixion the disciples were gathered together as recorded in Scripture then the same day at evening being the first day of the week when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled came Jesus and stood in the midst and Seth unto them peace beyond to you and when he had so said he showed unto them his hands and his side then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord just as you lived before mortal birth just as you now live in this life so through the love and sacrifice of your Savior do you continue to live after death like every member of the human race you were born and you must die your birth is a matter of record you take it for granted but death that uncertain door that leads ahead has been for man and awesome mystery life's greatest test comes with the death of a loved one and without faith in the immortality of the soul the separation of death looms forever comfortless after death though your mortal body lies in the earth you your spirit self being eternal continue to live your memory of this life will remain with you and the knowledge of your life before birth will be restored like coming out of a darkened room into the light through death you will emerge into a place of reawakening and find loved ones waiting to welcome you so here you are on earth with no memory of what went before and only faith to whisper what comes after be assured that you are here not by accident or chance but as part of a glorious everlasting plan by a still small voice within you and through revelation to his appointed prophets God our Eternal Father guides the affairs of his children today as in the past in 1830 God reestablished his church and restored the fullness of his gospel once more among men through a modern prophet joseph smith by revelation our Savior made known again the plan of salvation and exaltation salvation comes as a gift to every man through Jesus the Christ but exaltation which is the highest of eternal opportunities you must earn it is not enough just to believe in Jesus Christ you must work and learn search and pray repent and improve know his laws and live them this is the way to peace and happiness and the fullness of everlasting life it is your heavenly father's way we invite you to explore it to test it to pray and search and seriously consider prove all things hold fast that which is good only if you are unafraid of truth can you find it but it leads to limitless opportunities with your loved ones with you always and forever therein lies your happiness a happiness deeper than passing pleasure a happiness beyond the understanding of man a happiness not of the moment but of eternity this is every man's search this is the purpose of life this is the key to happiness for the God and father of us all has said this is my work and my glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man