Standing Up for Freedom

Most people desire to be free from fear or want, and they wish for freedom of speech and belief. To me freedom means a person has the ability to act according to his or her own will. It also suggests that I can stand up for liberty. The fight between good and evil on earth will never end, but here in the United States of America I have the right for freedom.

The war between good and evil started in our pre-existence, our life with God before we were born. The scriptures are full of events concerning noble, righteous deeds. There are also many examples of wicked, malicious men, as well as decent, respectable men. My hero is Moroni, a strong and mighty man in the Book of Mormon, who rallied his people to defend their religion. He sought after the glory of God, and the welfare of his country. Moroni stood up and fought for liberty and the freedom of his country.

In 1626, some of my courageous ancestors boarded the Mayflower and left the old world behind for a new land where they could worship God after the dictates of their own hearts. A hundred-fifty years later, their children fought for freedom in the Revolutionary War. What they did for us was not without cost. Thousands of people gave their lives for this country because they wanted the right to choose. It is my belief that you are only free if you have choices. Those people didn't want a king. Instead, they wanted new laws. Just like Moroni, they wanted liberty.

It makes me angry to see so many people sit back and take what they have for granted. It's almost as though they don't want independence. Maybe they are afraid of liberty, because having freedom means responsibility. Many people fail to vote, and they don't take an interest in their community or the things going on around them. They only live life for what it can do for them, giving little of themselves or their time. I believe that everyone owes it to those in upcoming generations to give back something so that freedom carries on to the next generation.

I'm grateful for the privilege of citizenship in this great country. Here I have the power to make decisions without constraint. Because of my ancestors and millions of other people, I can and do vote for those leaders that I feel will lead our country down the correct path so that everyone living in the United States has the right for freedom.

Choose Happiness

In October 2002 Conference, Elder Claudio R. M. Costa of the Seventy told us, “Many people in this world do not understand the difference between fun and happiness. Many try to find happiness by having fun, but the two words have different meanings.”

He continued to say, “Fun is play, pleasure, gaiety, merriment, source of enjoyment, amusement, to behave playfully, playful, often a noisy activity, and teasing. Happiness is contentedness, joy, delight, and satisfaction.”

In the same conference, President James E. Faust told us, “Pleasure is often confused with happiness. Pleasure, unlike happiness, is that which pleases us or gives us gratification. Usually it endures for only a short time. Obviously, there is a great difference between feeling happy at a given moment and being happy for a lifetime, between having a good time and leading a good life.”

After reading these talks, I decided that it wouldn’t do me any good to go on a vacation to find happiness. If I want to be happy, I can find it in my own backyard. A shopping trip, or going out to dinner is not going to do the trick. There is only one thing that will work, and that is if I choose to be happy.

The pursuit of happiness is within my reach. All I have to do is choose it. I know my Heavenly Father desires that I am happy during this life. He wants me to hold out my hand and grasp the gospel teachings available to me. If I choose to obey the commandments, listen to the prophets, and attend the temple, he will take my hand and lead me to happiness.

He offers all of us the great plan of happiness – Alma 42:8 – Now behold, it was not expedient that man should be reclaimed from this temporal death, for that would destroy the great plan of happiness.

Our Father in Heaven sent His Beloved Son to carry out the Atonement so we can be happy in this life and receive a fullness of joy. He gave us the freedom to choose and learn, and respects our freedom and independence. I know He will not force us to accept this joy. Satan wishes to deny us our independence and agency, and he opposes the freedom of choice offered by our Father. We have to choose happiness. It is not something that someone else can decide for us.