25 Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.
(2 Nephi 2:25)
Heavenly Father wants us to be happy. That’s the message I get from this verse. We were meant to be happy. Even something like the Fall of Adam and Eve, which appears to be a failure and a tragedy, turns out to be part of God’s plan of happiness.
Today, I’m pondering what I can do to find happiness in my daily life. In General Conference yesterday, Elder David A. Bednar highlighted the sabbath and the temple as tools to help us clear the distractions and focus on the things that bring us joy. But then he added that what we need to bring what we gain from the sabbath and from the temple into our own homes.
President Thomas S. Monson also identified the home as a central component of a happy life:
Happiness does not consist of a glut of luxury, the world’s idea of a “good time.” Nor must we search for it in faraway places with strange-sounding names. Happiness is found at home (“Hallmarks of a Happy Home,” General Conference, October 1988).
Today, I will find happiness in my home and in my family. I will remember that Heavenly Father wants me to be happy and will take the time to appreciate the people that matter most in my life, and to find joy at home.