Happily Ever After

It seems all fairy tales begin and end with two magical phrases, "Once upon a time" and "And they lived happily ever after."

In April 2010 Young Women General Conference, President Utchdorf gave a magnificent talk entitled, "Your Happily Ever After." He thoughts and insights were magically uplifting. He begins his talk with:

"Aren’t those wonderful words to begin a story? “Once upon a time” promises something: a story of adventure and romance, a story of princesses and princes. It may include tales of courage, hope, and everlasting love. In many of these stories, nice overcomes mean and good overcomes evil. But perhaps most of all, I love it when we turn to the last page and our eyes reach the final lines and we see the enchanting words “And they lived happily ever after.”

Isn’t that what we all desire: to be the heroes and heroines of our own stories; to triumph over adversity; to experience life in all its beauty; and, in the end, to live happily ever after?

Today I want to draw your attention to something very significant, very extraordinary. On the first page of your Young Women Personal Progress book, you will find these words: “You are a beloved daughter of Heavenly Father, prepared to come to the earth at this particular time for a sacred and glorious purpose.”1

Sisters, those words are true! They are not made up in a fairy tale! Isn’t it remarkable to know that our eternal Heavenly Father knows you, hears you, watches over you, and loves you with an infinite love? In fact, His love for you is so great that He has granted you this earthly life as a precious gift of “once upon a time,” complete with your own true story of adventure, trial, and opportunities for greatness, nobility, courage, and love. And, most glorious of all, He offers you a gift beyond price and comprehension. Heavenly Father offers to you the greatest gift of all—eternal life—and the opportunity and infinite blessing of your own “happily ever after.”

But such a blessing does not come without a price. It is not given simply because you desire it. It comes only through understanding who you are and what you must become in order to be worthy of such a gift."

Reading the line "And they lived happily ever after," may cause one to believe that nothing difficult would ever cross the character's path again. However, as I was thinking about this phrase, I came to understand that these magical characters happiness was found before and after the hard obstacles they endured, but most of importantly in between.

One of the first blessings of my patriarchal blessing states, "Remember that happiness is a pathway that you would follow, not a destination which you hope someday to obtain." In my fairy tale of life, I am learning to seek the treasures of happiness found in my journey. After all, God's plan is called "His Great Plan of Happiness." This is an eternal gift of love from our Heavenly Father. It prepares a way for me and all His children to receive a body, come to earth to be tested, and progress to become more like Him.

Lucifer truly envies the gift of our body for He will never receive one. My body enables me to experience and receive magnificent joy through the obstacles I overcome. Satan is envious of the great blessings of happiness found along the journey and strives to blind my eyes to see life's overflowing treasures.

In the season of Thanksgiving, I have been seeking to be more aware of God's daily miracles of happiness. . . .

Embracing, nestling hugs

Giggling, tickles of tummies

Twinkling, smiling eyes (& eyebrows - Haydn)

Soft, gentle kisses

Caring, warm hands to hold

Enlightening, empowering prayers

Sparkling, flickering testimonies

Glistening, glittering signs of growth

Dancing, cradling baby fingers & toes

Understanding, loving friends

Inspiring, enduring angels of love

This is just the beginning, for my treasure chest continues to overflow with gifts of happiness sent in His daily tender mercies.