Talk on Finding Joy in the Journey

 

Sometimes I feel bad when I write a talk. My talks are often not scripture heavy. As I pondered this I realized and admitted I am not a scriptorian but I focus more on the application of principals. In the seminary manual it often wants the focus to be on the application of what is learned. As an example, while at summer camp I learned to say the chemical compound potassium permanganate. While I learned the words, I have no real application other that it is helpful in teaching the chemistry merit badge and impossible to get in Japan unless you know a guy who did a thing. Wouldn’t it have been more beneficial for me to learn its process and how it can be used and then put it into practice. The same is true with the scriptures. The practice of what is learned is more important than remembering what chapter and verse it’s found in.

The talk I will base my talk on is by President Monsen and titled Finding Joy in the Journey

President Monsen said. This is our one and only chance at mortal life—here and now. The longer we live, the greater is our realization that it is brief. Opportunities come, and then they are gone. I believe that among the greatest lessons we are to learn in this short sojourn upon the earth are lessons that help us distinguish between what is important and what is not. I plead with you not to let those most important things pass you by as you plan for that illusive and nonexistent future when you will have time to do all that you want to do. Instead, find joy in the journey—now.    We should make the most of today, of the here and now, doing all we can to provide pleasant memories for the future.  We will never regret the kind words spoken or the affection shown. Rather, our regrets will come if such things are omitted from our relationships with those who mean the most to us.

I often here complaining here in the Kuni such as  its hot, its cold, The commissary doesn’t have what I want or need or they are always out of stuff. The Mcx doesn’t have what I want. The food is junk and where can I get a good fresh salad. I miss olive garden I miss Walmart I miss the mall I miss unexpired little Debbie cakes. Everything is expensive Those complaints have grown exponentially during covid. I hear people say I can’t wait to leave Japan my next duty station will be so much better.  9 times out of 10 these same people move on to the next place then I see them on facebook saying how much they miss Japan. These people are focused on the negatives of the now. People often say things like it will be so much better when…. Or I will be happy when… I will be satisfied when…. And they say some future thing like my credit cards are paid off, I move to the next place, I lose x amount of weight, my kids are in school, my kids are all 18, when I have a house I own or a certain car.  These things might bring you some joy but you will find you have waisted to much time focused on the end of the journey and not the journey itself.  Through my excellent google skills I found a list with 8 ways to enjoy the journey then I modified it to reflect the principals of the gospel and how to put them into action.

8 Ways to Value and find joy in the Journey, No Matter Where You Are in Life

1. Show gratitude. Find something every single day that you're thankful for. ...

When you have an attitude of gratitude it changes who you are it also makes you much more pleasurable to be around. Have you ever been stuck at a red light and look up and see a mountain or the sky or something where you can just take a minute and appreciate it and be grateful. If you are in to big a hurry rushing through to next thing you may miss what Heavenly Father has put next to you. This also applies to people. Don’t step over folks trying to get somewhere and ignore someone put in your path for you to meet and grow from be grateful that they were on the path.

2. Be committed. Set your goals and stick with them. ... Set lofty goals, don’t be afraid of long journeys. You can do it. Set spiritual, financial, fitness and family goals. Life can be so short and when its your time you want to make sure you are on a journey in the right direction and not stagnate. If you set a goal to reach the moon but only reach the stars you still went somewhere great. A couple months ago I committed to being the camp director for BSA summer camp I set some goals of what success would look like. I smashed all those goals but not without challenges and being solution driven. It was important to go through the journey of getting there and  without those growth opportunities I would not have been as successful at the actual camp where things happen very quickly and The health safety and fun and education of 164 people  were my responsibility. The Journey had to be the focus and memories and friendships were made and lost along the way.
3. Cherish your friends. ... friends are priceless and irreplaceable. Realize though that some friends are in your life for season, and you may move on and make different friends. It does not diminish the importance of those friends and relationships.  Appreciate those people in your life.
4. Keep on learning. ... There is always something to learn. There is endless knowledge you can obtain from the scriptures. You can take college courses trade schools certifications YouTube how too and simply trial and error. Never stop learning because that when you stop moving forward. Several years ago Zack was able to teach my wheelchair bound grandmother about taking selfies so you are literally never to old to learn something.
5. Don't multitask. ...  This one is tough for me but when I push to hard and multitask to much its tough to get the fullness of either activity. It can also lead to hurt feelings because people think your not paying attention.
6. Balance your life. ... Set boundaries and stick to them use the good better best principal to figure out which things are the most important on your journey to get to your desired destination.
7. Make family first. ... Family first always unless someone is bleeding out then the fam can wait a minute.
8. Take time to travel. Go see everything you can stuff just gets in the way but memories are forever.

 

2 nephi 2:25

^aAdam ^bfell that men might be; and men ^care, that they might have ^djoy.

 It doesn’t say when you are out of debt and live in the Bahamas and have a 1967 red mustang convertible with white leather interior you might have joy.

It says Men are that they might have Joy. You can have Joy every day sometimes you may have to look for it though but its there waiting for you.

My Grandmother passed away on the Wednesday morning of summer camp. I was on the phone at 7 am talking to my mom as it happened. It was a real tough day. I was most sad because I had been looking forward to what I knew would be my last visit with her in two weeks. I was terribly sad that covid had prevented me from seeing her sooner. I had facebook video chatted several times in the last few months and it was getting harder every time. I took a little bit of time that morning to let it set in and wallow in my sadness and grief. I knew my grandmother loved me and she knew I loved her. I had no regrets that were within my control. I was able to go back into camp and find joy in the work and friendships. My Grandmother was a huge part of childrens ministry and had helped with the royal ranger program. My mom reminded me of this. I thought about how much that part of my journey had impacted me and let me to where I was. The journey is who you are not the destination. Its what your made of that counts.