Instead of going fishing on Saturday or Sunday, I got busy helping around the house, then doing church work. So, instead of writing about fishing, I wrote based on being inspired by my brother, a great fisherman, who has found a higher calling for 6 months: helping others on a mission to Nauvoo. Serving others has brought him peace.
Peace
My doctor is a holistic kinesiologist who specializes in teaching people about the interconnectedness of the body so they can reach their potential and "live more fully". He says, "when you are functioning optimally, you feel better... your body, mind and spirit become unified". He works with people not only on healthy choices for improved bodily functions, but mind/body work to remove emotional stress. In honor of his birthday this week, I wrote a composition for oboe, bassoon, cello, voice, guitar and vibraphone. It begins with each of the instruments in this unusual ensemble playing the theme their own way and in their own time, resulting in discordance and syncopation. By the end they learn to harmonize and work together in rhythm.
Life is like that. When Jesus was preparing his disciples He did not promise peace or comfort in the abscence of conflict and pain. Instead He spoke of a Comforter who would accompany them through life's challenges. "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27). He spoke to them of love, and told them to love and serve others.
On a recent visit to Nauvoo, Illinois, I learned more about achieving peace while on the journey of life. Nathan, Joann, Janeen, and I each have great great grand parents who helped drain the swamp and build the temple and create "City Beautiful" in a pioneering time of great persecution and sickness and difficulty. Joseph prayed, "Remember thy suffering saints, O our God; and thy servants will rejoice in thy name forever." The answer he received was, "my son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; and then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes" (D&C 121:6-9). A few days before the martyrdom, he said "“I am going like a lamb to the slaughter; but I am calm as a summer’s morning" D&C 135:4). So, like Jesus, and Job, he learned to bring peace, harmony, and unity to body, mind, and spirit.
Nathan and Joann are like that. They work hard to stay healthy by making good choices. They are extra motivated to find those choices because of the extra challenges they face. Their success has come by turning their attention away from themselves to the service of others. This extends beyond their church service and temple work, to everyone they meet. I watched them walk slowly through crowds. Everywhere they went they had to walk slowly, as everyone knew them, greeted them warmly, and expressed love and appreciation to them, because that is what they received from them.
The last time I saw Nathan, he took me fishing in Spokane. This time, he was too busy serving others to go fishing. After the crucifixion, Peter and the others were confused and distressed. They went fishing all one night, but did not catch anything. Jesus appeared and told them to cast on the other side of the boat, and they got their attention with more large fish than they could handle (John 21:1-12). Once they realized who he was, they listened to him. He said, "feed my sheep".
The Nobel Peace Prize is like that. They award people who are striving for world peace by serving others. You too can feel better and live more fully by serving (Matthew 16:25).
Nathan wrote this article about the role of attitude in happiness some time ago
Attitude
One who expects completely to escape low moods is asking the impossible...Like the weather, life is essentially variable,...and a healthy person believes in the validity of his high hours even when he is having a low one (Harry Emerson Fosdic). JoAnn and I have been down with sore throats for a few days and are exercising all the normal cures and remedies hoping to get back to the temple this week. The ironic thing is, the cures are working...but we reek so bad from garlic doses and onion poultices, that we would not be very popular nor even welcome there as workers.
Being sick once in a while is not such a bad thing and as Mr. Fosdic implies, it's even "normal". It's not only a way for the body to "de-tox" itself...but it also makes you appreciate the healthy and happy times, even more. There was a great Jewish mystic of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century who regularly experienced ecstacy on solitary wanderings through forests. He recommended the following: "Always be joyful, no matter what (or who) you are. With happiness, you can give a person life. Every day we must deliberately induce in ourselves a bouyant, exuberant attitude toward life; in this manner, we will gradually become receptive to the subtle mysteries around us. And, if no inspired moments seem to come, we should act as though we have them anyway. If you have no enthusiasum, put on a front. Act enthusiastic, and the feeling will become genuine."
We achieve true and sincere happiness as we care for and love others. President David O McKay said, "There are three means of achieving the happy, abundant life: first, making God the center of one's life; second, using the free agency given to man; and third, rendering service to others. JoAnn, even when feeling her worst, made extra potato soup for a widow in the ward and wearing our face masks, we made a brief visit to a very greatful sister. I remember having to wear such masks particularly in the early days of transplant. JoAnn made sure even though I was not feeling so happy to be there...she adorned my mask with a big red smile. It worked! I soon started counting my blessings, putting God and others first. The result was I made others happier, and also I enjoyed a much quicker recovery.
"Happiness is the object and design of our existence; and will be the end thereof... if, we pursue the path that leads to it; and this path is virture, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments of God" (Joseph Smith).
Have a great weekend,
Love, Nathan Howard
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