Our Privilege

A while ago we had a lesson in relief society (http://www.lds.org/relief-society/daughters-in-my-kingdom/manual/live-up-to-your-privilege?lang=eng&query=privilege) on living up to our privilege. The lesson was very inspiring, but it never seemed to explain just what our privilege is. It seemed to be saying that the work we get to do is a privilege. And it is, but why? There must be something we get from doing that work that is the true privilege.We get many benefits from doing the Lord’s work, but one benefit really stood out to me last night: joy.

I was reading Alma chapter 27 in the Book of Mormon. This is part of the story of Ammon. Ammon had returned to the land of the Nephites, and ran into his long-time friend Alma. Verse 17, “Now the joy of Ammon was so great even that he was full; yea, he was swallowed up in the joy of his God, even to the exhausting of his strength; and he fell again to the earth. 18 Now was not this exceeding joy? Behold, this is the joy which none receiveth save it be the truly penitent and humble seeker of happiness.” Then it hit me. Our privilege in following the gospel of our Savior is joy. Utter and complete joy that swallows our physical frame. Have you experienced this joy? There have been times in my life where I have experienced a tiny sliver of this joy, and it is exquisite.

I also began thinking about people in general, and what they seek in life. I learned about Maslow’s hierarchy of needs in college, and I might have to disagree with him. He says that human needs progress from needs for food and shelter and increase up to safety, love, esteem, and self-actualization. He says your needs from the bottom of the list must be met before you have any desire to gain the higher needs. I would wager (only I wouldn’t, because I don’t) that the one basic need, which encompasses all those levels, which everyone seeks in this life is joy, or happiness. I have never been truly hungry, or destitute, or without love, but I wonder if deep down people who are deprived of those necessities want to get them because they want to be happy.

2 Nephi 2:25, “Men are that they might have joy.” If we were created for the purpose of having joy, then it would seem that joy is what we seek. Also, if we were placed here to have joy, then it would also make sense that every command we receive from the Lord would be given to us that we might have joy.President Hartman Rector, Jr.(http://www.lds.org/ensign/1973/07/success-a-journey-or-a-destination) said, “The only real joy and happiness we can know here upon this earth, as well as in the eternities, will come through obedience to the Lord’s commandments.” Joseph Smithsaid, “Happiness is the object and design of our existence; and will be the end thereof, if we pursue the path that leads to it. …” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 255.)

I have heard that we are given posterity that we might have joy and rejoicing. President Hartman Rector Jr. again in the same talk said, “’be fruitful, and multiply and replenish the earth.’ (Gen. 1:28.) Why should they do this? ‘That ye may have joy and rejoicing in your posterity.’” I have kind of scoffed at this idea, thinking that I was given children to make my life harder, not more joyful. Lately I have been realizing that I haven’t found joy in my posterity because I am not living up to my privilege of overpowering joy. I am not living my life in such a way that I can experience the joy that is available to me by following the commandments whole-heartedly. It is my fault if I don’t find joy in this life. President Rector said, “The Lord gives no commandments to his children that are not calculated to make them happy and thus successful. Therefore, he has added to the basic commandment of ‘be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth,’ the reason for so doing: ‘that you may have joy and rejoicing in your posterity.’”

My last idea is this: just doing the right thing, just outwardly keeping the commandments, is not enough to receive great joy from the Lord. My whole life I have kept the basic commandments. I have outwardly done all that I have been asked. But I have inwardly been reluctant. I have done the things that have been required of me, but I resented doing them. I felt like I had to, or that I was forced into it somehow (I was the one forcing myself) and resented doing it—whatever it was. I would obey my parents, but I wouldn’t honor them. I would offer to make a meal for someone, then complain to myself the whole time that I had to do it. I don’t have to do it. The Lord doesn’t force us to do anything. But if we want to live up to our privilege of immense joy, we must give of ourselves willingly. We must willingly give our old self to the Lord. We must sacrifice our base desires on the altar, like the bullock and lamb were offered on the altars in the Old Testament. Like our Savior offered Himself on the Cross. We must give ourselves fully to Him. D&C 64:34, “The Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind.” I choose joy. I choose to be “encircled about eternally in the arms of His love.” (2 Nephi 1:15) Now that is true joy.