2 Nephi 10:23

"Therefore, cheer up your hearts, and remember that ye are free to act for yourselves—-to choose the way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life."
2 Nephi 10:23


Sometimes life gets us down. Could be many things... conflict, personal failings, having to watch things happen that we don't have a lot of control over... sometimes even just a general sense of malaise where we don't even know the exact cause. It's like eating cardboard or asphalt. We figure, well, it's not very good, but it's what we've got. It is hard feeling like that, and not knowing quite how to break free of it and back to the happy "man is that he might have joy" parts. So, how do we break out of the darkness into the light? This verse talks about one way. We remember the freedom that God has granted us. We get to choose how we feel, where we go... even in the worst of times or the worst of circumstances, we can choose to find the good. God wants our happiness, and we know that our purpose is joy. So, let's find it. Yeah... we're going to screw up sometimes. And yeah, some things will happen that will break our hearts and threaten our peace. But we don't have to choose to let those things destroy us, or take away our happiness... or our senses of humor. ;) We get to choose, every day, to turn away from death and darkness and towards life and light. We don't have to choose sadness or suffering... Christ suffered *for* us, and gave us the incredible gift of being able to walk out of the darkness, even darkness we deserve, and back into the light ... and hope... of God and all that he offers to us. Today, let's take advantage of this greatest of gifts and work at choosing life and happiness, and remembering that there are other options which have to be much tastier than whatever we are currently snacking on.