Tuning In to Happiness

By Adam M. Shorter

When I turned 13, I became infatuated with the sound of metal music. The louder the singers and guitars were, the more I loved it. It wasn’t the lyrics I liked; it was the sound that had me hooked.

Soon, I was buying clothes and products so I could mimic my favorite rock star guitarist. It seemed like my only source of happiness came from the most recent CD I bought.

When I was 17, I had the chance to see one of my favorite bands. I fought to get to the front row. Here came the moment I had dreamed of. I stood less than 10 feet away from my guitar hero. These guys played an awesome set, and I had so much fun. When they finished, they packed their instruments and walked offstage.

After that, I thought, “That was so awesome! But now what? I’m not as happy as I was when that band was jamming up on stage. Where will I go or what will I do to get my happiness back?”

A month later, I got the chance to go to Especially for Youth (EFY). The happiness I felt there was stronger than anything I had ever felt before, and it didn’t pack up and walk off the stage.

At EFY I asked the Lord if what I was taught was the happiness I had been searching for. The Spirit bore witness to me, “It’s true.” And I felt an embrace from Heavenly Father saying, “Welcome back, my son.”

Spotlights go dim, applause dies, musicians stop touring, but the love of God and the happiness of the message of the Restoration are eternal!