“Latter-day Saint Voices: Joy in Following the Lord,” Liahona, Oct. 1999, 44–48
Latter-day Saint Voices:
Joy in Following the Lord
“If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.”
Amid the banquet of counsel and direction Jesus Christ offered His disciples before His Crucifixion is a simple but powerful statement: “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them” (John 13:17).
In these few words, Christ revealed the formula for obtaining what humankind desires most—happiness. People have long tried to figure it out, mixing different proportions of possessions, fame, worldly endeavors, and fortune. But Jesus’ recipe has just one ingredient—obedience to the principles of the gospel.
President Gordon B. Hinckley recently asked, “Why are we such a happy people?” He continued, “Happiness lies in obedience to the teachings and commandments of God our Eternal Father and His Beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ” (“What Are People Asking about Us?” Liahona, January 1999, 85). People who obey correct principles not only enjoy the knowledge that their lives are pleasing to Heavenly Father, but they also reap the natural harvest of blessings that come by obedience to the laws upon which they are predicated (see D&C 130:21).
On the following pages readers share experiences of how they have obeyed gospel principles and how the Lord has blessed them for their obedience.
Let’s Talk about It
Consider the following questions and suggestions to help apply this article in family home evening, in a lesson at church, or in your personal life:
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How have you found joy in obeying a commandment (such as living the Word of Wisdom, paying tithing, fasting, or keeping the Sabbath day holy)? Share your testimony of this commandment with your family.
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What commandment could you better live? List the blessings promised in the scriptures to those who keep this commandment. Decide now what you will do to live this commandment.
Detail from First Sacrament, by Gary E. Smith
Illustrated by Cary Henrie