Brother Michael Murray, former president of the Pennsylvania Philadelphia mission, shared his thoughts on true happiness at a BYU–Hawaii devotional on May 3, 2011. Brother Murray’s words centered on the following message that received regularly from his missionaries during his time as mission president: “Dear President Murray, I’ve never been happier in my life.”
“What is the source of their happiness?” Brother Murray asked. He then reminded audience members of Lehi’s dream, using a pineapple with a smiley face on it to represent the “Happy Fruit” from the Tree of Life that Lehi desired to share with his family. “What does it mean to partake of the fruit? How does one do this? It means to come unto Christ. It means that you have accepted Christ not just as your Savior, but as your blueprint for life. You desire to act as he acted. You desire to react as he reacted. You desire to treat yourself and others as he treated himself and others. You choose to believe his words and to make them your words. Using scripture language, you will ‘deny all ungodliness’ (Moroni 10:32).”
Brother Murray continued, “To become the happiest you’ve ever been, you must change your mind about the way you deal with life. The Apostle Paul understood this so well when he taught, ‘And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind’ (Romans 12:2). You must change your mind about the way you deal with life.”
He quoted President Hinckley who said, “Generally speaking, the most miserable people I know are those who are obsessed with themselves; the happiest people I know are those who lose themselves in the service of others.” Brother Murray also quoted from Mark 8:35, “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.”
In conclusion, Brother Murray said, “[The Plan of Happiness] will work for each of us. Whoever you are. Wherever you are. No matter what your situation in life is. Come unto Christ is our invitation. The Lord knows you and loves you. He will fill you with His love; He will make weak things strong, and He will open your heart and mind to His way of living and being.”
Photo by Monique Saenz