followers of my faith [Mormon Monday 65]

Yesterday we had the traditional combined meeting with the three wards that meet in our church building. For the second and third hours the bishops and their wives answered questions that had been submitted. It was really nice, though one of the answers hit me a little wrong.

The question was, "What is an abundant life and how can I live one?" or something like that.

The answer was, "Get married and have a family, for only then will your life be abundant. So look forward to that time and do all you can so you can have that in your future."

Okay it wasn't exactly that, but ... pretty much.

And I sat there thinking, "But I want to live an abundant life now. Surely there's a way to be happy, full, and complete even before I'm married."

So I went home and looked up "abundant life" on lds.org. There are actually a number of talks about it! My favorite is by Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, given in 2006.

According to Elder Wirthlin,

The abundant life is within our reach if only we will drink deeply of living water, fill our hearts with love, and create of our lives a masterpiece.

These are the characteristics that the happiest people have in common. If we do these things, our lives can transform from ordinary to exciting and full of abundance. (I do love the word abundant. It's round and happy.)

Of course, the problem with these three things--drinking of living water, filling our hearts with love, and creating masterpieces of our lives--is that they are not easy! Actually not sure that's a problem. I kind of think that may be the point. I know that my life only feels abundant when I am working hard at something that matters.

So I guess it's the end of the year. It has just struck me that perhaps I should make some goals for 2015, and that I should put them in these categories Elder Wirthlin has listed. I think that will make me a happier person and more able to bless others' lives.

And who knows. Perhaps my goal to live an abundant life by more deeply living the gospel, selflessly serving others, and doing something remarkable will lead to me living the kind of abundant life I learned about in church on Sunday.

But even if it doesn't, I think I'll be happy.