Hurrah for Israel

0:00 / 0:00

"Hurrah for Israel"

Elder John H. Groberg

September 16, 2003

My dear brothers and sisters; Jean and I greet you with joy in our hearts. I will speak about the great importance of being happy and joyful. All of us intrinsically want to be happy. Why? Because we were born to be happy. The Prophet Joseph Smith explains:

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 virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments of God (TPJS p.225).

So, not only are we created to be happy, but we have been given the plan to achieve that happiness, which plan is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That is why the gospel is referred to as “A the great plan of happiness.” (Alma 42:8) The Gospel is not the plan of sorrow, or affliction, or discouragement. It is not the plan of restrictions or frustration. It is the plan of happiness and joy!

The Book of Mormon tell us:

Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy (2 Nephi 2:25).

Adam fell. We are here. The question is: Do we have joy in our lives? If not, we are falling short of what God created us for and what He expects us to achieve. He wants us to be happy.

But He is not talking of worldly happiness or pleasure. He is talking of eternal happiness and joy and that takes time and comes “line upon line.” We must be patient, but we must keep working at it.

While the scriptures teach that a fullness of joy comes in the next life, I testify that we can have plenty of it right here and now. At times our joy can become so near full that we can feel things that are beyond mortal understanding - things so glorious that our comprehension of what this earth is all about is changed forever. These glimpses may be microscopic or milli-seconded but they are real and important and powerful and available!

Paul teaches, “for now we see through a glass darkly, but then, face to face . . . we now know in part” but then in full. [1 Corinthians 13:12] We do see and know, albeit darkly and in part. We had better experience some happiness and joy here, for it is my belief that we can only feel “a fullness” in eternity of that which we feel “in part” now.

I promise all of you that the more fully you live the principles of the Gospel the more joy you will feel and the more often you will feel it.

Some ask: How do you define joy and happiness? Listen to Brigham Young’s explanation:

If the heart is cheerful, all is light and glory within; there is no sorrow. (6:41) When man is industrious and righteous, then is he happy. (9:244) Learn to be happy. Where is happiness, real happiness? Nowhere but in God. By possessing the spirit of our holy religion, we are happy in the morning, we are happy at noon, we are happy in the evening; ...Every Latter-day Saint, who has experienced the love of God in his heart, after having received the remission of his sins, through baptism, and the laying on of hands, realizes that he is filled with joy, and happiness, and consolation. He may be in pain, in error, in poverty, or in prison, if necessity demands, still, he is joyful. (18:213)

Simple: work hard, live the gospel and you will be happy. There is a wonderful work ethic here in Idaho. There is also a marvelous heritage of living the Gospel here. How blessed you are to be at BYU-Idaho. No matter where you are from, work very hard, live the Gospel exceedingly well and you will fill your lives with joy.

Remember, happiness and joy are not things that just happen to us but are feelings we slowly but surely develop within ourselves, with God’s help.

My dear young friends, I promise you with all the energy of my soul: Keeping God’s laws will always bring joy - sometimes now, sometimes later. Following Satan’s ways will always bring misery ‘- sometimes now, sometimes later.

It is not only our right, but our responsibility to be happy. If we are not happy and confident, if we do not demonstrate the joy of the gospel in our lives, how can we expect others to desire it? If we are happy in our lives and project that happiness to the world at large, they will seek to find the source of our joy. What an opportunity and responsibility!

When we fall short in joy and happiness it is usually because we are not living the Gospel plan the way we should. Make up your minds to change in any way necessary to bring more happiness and joy into your life. Concentrate on specifics. They come from every aspect of life.

There are many. I will mention just a few specific sources of joy.

Joy comes from feeling and expressing gratitude.

Joy comes from doing what you know is right.

Joy comes from not complaining.

Joy comes from repenting and receiving forgiveness.

Joy comes from forgiving another.

Joy comes from controlling your tongue.

Joy comes from being honest.

Joy comes from praying sincerely.

Joy comes from sacrificing for others, or for a noble cause.

Joy comes from being clean.

Joy comes from being happy.

Joy comes from knowing you have really helped someone.

Joy comes from feeling confident that the path you are following is pleasing to God.

But most of all, joy comes from loving another person with all of you heart, and feeling their heartfelt love. We may not all have found our “true love” here, but I hope we have all found true love for our Savior and felt His love for us. I love Him and I know He loves each one of us.

I only have time to discuss three sources of joy. However, I challenge all of us to choose those sources we need to improve in and really work on them.

First: Joy comes from feeling and expressing gratitude:

True happiness and joy are such deep feelings that at times words are totally inadequate to express them. Then we have to express them in song and dance and music and at times shouts of “Hosannah” and “Hurrah! For Israel”!

I lived among the Polynesians who are a remnant of the House of Israel. They often expressed their feelings in exuberant dance and song and poetry and shouts of joy. Their very natures were ingrained with the feelings expressed by the Old Testament Psalmist:

“Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, . . . come before his presence with singing.” (Psalms 100:1-2)

My first companion, Feki Po’uha, was a master at these types of expression. How he could sing and dance and express his feelings for the Gospel! What a great companion!

In making the movie “The Other Side of Heaven” they did a good job of capturing Feki’s character and his deep understanding of what is truly important in life. I’d like you to see and feel his enthusiasm. Following the clip the Choir will sing “Hurrah for Israel”. Listen carefully, for we will all sing it later. [CLIP: Feki]

Feki has been dead for over 30 years. I still see and feel his contagious smile, his happy spirit, his confident character, and his sincere expressions of gratitude. They live forever. All of us should smile more, laugh more, express more gratitude and have more confidence. Fake smiles won’t do, but true smiles that come from deep within work wonders. Our laughter should not be giddy or boisterous, but appropriate. If we think good thoughts and do good things God has promised us that our “confidence shall wax strong” (Doctrine and Covenants 121:45). Don’t rely solely on clothes or make up and hair do’s to make you attractive. A confident smile reflecting true inner joy is a marvelous and powerful thing. Let me illustrate.

Jean and I met on a blind date set up by our sisters who played together in the BYU Symphony Orchestra. Neither of us were anxious to go on that date, as we had never even met each other, but we both trusted our respective sisters.

For me it was love at first sight. For Jean it took a little longer. Despite what the movie might imply I was not a very good dancer. I am grateful that Jean “hung in there” and that five years after that first meeting we were sealed in the Los Angeles Temple.

One of the things that immediately attracted me to Jean was her radiant smile and her happy, confident spirit. I sensed these came from the depths of a pure soul. President Hinckley recently said: “Wear a smile on your face, and have a song in your heart as you serve the Lord.” I agree and repeat: Let’s smile more, laugh more and express our joy and happiness for life in word, song, dance, and other appropriate ways. Let’s enjoy life more and have more fun.

However, never let the world define what “fun” is for you. If the world defines “fun” as suggestive or sexy dress, song, dance, lyrics, movements, activities, etc., and you fall for it, don’t be surprised when that type of fun turns to bitter ashes. On the other hand, if you confidently say, I know the proper place of these things. I know what God’s standards are and I will keep them, then you won’t be surprised when joy and happiness flow and grow therefrom.

Second: Joy comes from doing what you know is right.

Let me show another brief clip to demonstrate this principle. Sometimes you can’t “explain” our standards to others in a way they can accept. I have learned, however, that with the Lord’s help, feelings can change, hearts can be softened and virtue can be protected.

At the conclusion of this clip Jean will express her feelings to you. [CLIP: Noli]

Jean S. Grogerg comments:

What wonderful memories I have of BYU. I loved everything about it - my classes, my roommates and dorm life, my involvement in the Church and school activities. John mentioned our first date - it was to a “Priesthood Ball.” Later we enjoyed devotionals, concerts, forums, talking and walking down Campus Hill to an old swing. There are great times to be had without spending money! We both dated other people, but the more we got acquainted with others, the more we were drawn to each other.

When John left on his mission we agreed to write. So for three years I wrote “Dear John” letters while continuing a busy life that included studying, dating, graduating, then going on to teach school in California.

Letters played a significant role in our lives. Often a letter John had written months earlier would arrive at just the right time, sharing an experience or some counsel that helped solve a concern I had right then. I began measuring myself and others to the mark of what I could tell John was becoming, and I knew I wanted to be available when he returned. The Lord blessed us both to be patient and always added extra help.

During my senior year, I tried to think of something appropriate to send John for Christmas. I didn’t want to distract him from his missionary work, but I wanted to send something. My helpful roommates encouraged me to send a photo of myself. “Too presumptuous,” I thought, as he had never asked for a picture nor given me one of himself. My roommates persisted, and since I couldn’t think of anything else I could afford to mail, I sent him one. Never did I suspect it, but at the same time he sent a passport picture of himself to me! These two photos crossed in the mail and both did great amounts of good on the other end.

Was it coincidence that my picture arrived in Tonga on the very day it was needed to provide John a tangible form with which to reason with an otherwise unreasonable mother? I don’t believe so. And all the letters I received at just the right time saying just the right thing, were they coincidence? I don’t believe so.

When we strive to learn the Lord’s will, then do our very best to follow it, the Lord will work with us where we are, to help us get where we should be. He uses daily events and people in our lives to give us opportunities to keep our promises to Him. As we do all we can, He directs events, and magnifies our humble efforts until His purposes and promises are realized - both in our lives and in the lives of those we touch. That is how we experience true joy.

I testify that our loving Father in Heaven knows and loves us individually. He sent us here at the right time and place to learn and grow and serve to our fullest potential. I know that Jesus Christ’s all en-compassing love for His Father and for each of us, as expressed in His infinite Atonement, has made it possible for us to return to Their presence. I pray we might do so, In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Elder John H. Groberg continued:

We recently celebrated our 46th Wedding anniversary and I can truly say we are more in love now than ever. I did not think it possible to have stronger feelings for someone than I did for Jean right from the first, but I have learned while those feelings may not be stronger, they can become deeper and broader and more all encompassing.

The more experience I have and the more understanding of the Gospel I gain, the more excited I am about life. We should all be excited about life - about the Gospel, about the Savior’s Love, about a living Prophet, about all the opportunities of eternity placed within our grasp. Be enthusiastic about all aspects of life - about love, about getting married and staying married, about having a family. Say in your hearts: I can do this - even if my parents or close friends have been divorced or had what we may term a poor marriage. We can start a new trend. We can have faith; we know others who have done it successfully and we can too.

Third: Joy Comes From Love

Life is not all roses. We learn more from rough seas than we do from smooth ones. Jean has saved my life both spiritually and physically many times. We all need each other. Let me illustrate with a final clip. During a particularly fierce storm I was thrown overboard. As I struggled to make it to shore I thought of many things - my family, my friends, my mission - but when the final moment of truth came, when my energy was gone, when I could have exited this life - the Lord infused into my soul a picture of Jean. I saw her pure smile and determined I must live to see her again. Thus, she literally, as well as figuratively pulled me from the depths of despair and death, to the promise of love and life. We all know it is the Savior who ultimately saves - but in this life He often uses others to help. I have learned for myself that the power of love is “stronger than the cords of death.” [D & C 121:44] Determine to not complain, whatever your lot is, but smile, be cheerful and help others in any way you can. [CLIP: Storm at sea]

I know what it is like to be swallowed up in the depths of despair. I also know what it is like to be brought out of the depths to the light - to where we can breathe and live. I know the Savior can rescue each of us, no matter how scarlet our sins or how deep our troubles. Trust Him, love Him, rely on Him. He has been below all things and has now risen above all things. He understands everything. The Savior suffered incredible pain for each of us, which caused Him to “tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit” (Doctrine and Covenants 19:18). How grateful we should be for His love, for His atonement and His resurrection and His promised final judgement.

It is proper to focus on His suffering which was occasioned by His love for us and His desire to help us and save us. We can relate in a tiny degree to His suffering, because He allows us to suffer a little - mostly to purge and purify us and give us experience and patience.

I feel that we should focus even more on His resurrection and His Ascension and His future coming to earth in glory. I testify that He is basically a Happy Person and always has been. His plan is the great Plan of Happiness. He it is who said that men are that they might have joy. He - the Savior - has made this possible. He is full of joy. He smiles a lot.

I know the Savior as a warm loving, joyful person whose deep eyes sparkle in goodness and love and encouragement. He wants us to be happy and have deep joy here and now and then receive a fullness of joy hereafter. He has made this possible through His love. He is the Shepherd of Israel. I know He lives. I know He has restored His Church and Kingdom for this final dispensation through Joseph Smith. We are part of that Kingdom which has the authority to bind on earth and in Heaven. Jesus guides this Church. President Hinckley is God’s mouthpiece on the earth today and has recently said:

“There is no other work in all the world so fraught with happiness as is this work. That happiness is peculiar. It comes of serving others. It is real. It is unique. It is wonderful.”

As I contemplate these supernal sources of Hope, Joy and Love, I, along with Feki, can hardly be restrained from standing and shouting “Hurrah for Israel!”

I leave my love and blessings with you. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.