What God has done for me

Joy. Joy and rejoicing everywhere. That's what the Book of Mormon is about: how to receive joy beyond our wildest imaginations! "Men [and women] are that the might have joy" (2 Nephi 2:25). We exist to be happy. And how? It's receiving Christ ourselves through repentance and helping others receive Him as well -- through repentance. this is joy which none receiveth save it be the truly penitent and humble seeker of happiness. ( Alma 27:18)   I like the thought of God's light shining inside of us:  their souls were illuminated by the light of the everlasting word; (Alma 5:7) I think that when we have God's light in us, we feel joy.  It's delicious to us.  It's like the fruit in Lehi's vision of the tree of life ( 1 Nephi 8:10-12 ): And it came to pass that I beheld a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy.  And it came to pass that I did go forth and partake of the fruit thereof; and I beheld that it was most sweet, above all that I ever b...

     On Christmas Eve Sunday, I sat at a beautiful grand piano in front of a congregation of hundreds.  A singer waited patiently at the pulpit for me to begin the intro, and I waited patiently for my nerves to calm down.  Eventually I had to start, and as I did, I hit a few wrong notes and played out of rhythm, until the singing started and I got into a flow.       And that’s when it happened.  That’s when I felt it.  Fingers that had been unsure became sure.  Missed notes gave way to correct notes.  Anxious speediness slowed down to calmer tempos. Lack of jiving with the singer changed to synchronization.      Every time I play in church, this same thing happens: some force flows into me, like Captain Marvel’s power, and into my arms and fingers, helping me play with confidence and accuracy.  I’ve felt it at the organ as I accompany congregational hymns and at the piano, as I did on this day.  Wh...