Hallmarks of Happiness
Open talk in Gospel LibraryContents
Before Reading
Before reading or listening to the talk, consider the following questions:
- What are the five hallmarks of happiness that Elder Sabin discusses?
- How does Elder Sabin illustrate the importance of building our lives on the foundation of Jesus Christ?
- What insights does Elder Sabin share about understanding our divine identity?
- How does Elder Sabin emphasize the importance of recognizing the worth of souls?
- What teachings does Elder Sabin share about maintaining an eternal perspective and cultivating gratitude?
Topics
Building Life on the Foundation of Jesus Christ
Elder Sabin emphasizes that building our lives upon the foundation of Jesus Christ is essential to our happiness. He shares a personal story of his son's archery experience to illustrate that doing our best to follow Christ, despite our limitations, will lead to commendation from the Savior.
Therefore, my first observation is that building upon the foundation of Jesus Christ is essential to our happiness.
That is how it will be for us if we do our very best to follow Christ and His prophets in spite of our limitations.
- What does it mean to build our lives on the foundation of Jesus Christ?
- How does Elder Sabin's story about his son's archery experience relate to this principle?
- How can you better build your life on the foundation of Jesus Christ?
- What are some practical steps you can take to follow Christ more fully?
Understanding Our Divine Identity
Elder Sabin discusses the importance of understanding our divine identity as sons and daughters of a loving Heavenly Father. He shares a conversation with a man who had identified himself with a gang number, illustrating the need for us to recognize our true identity.
My second observation is that it is crucial to our happiness that we remember that we are sons and daughters of a loving Heavenly Father.
Knowing and trusting this reality changes everything.
- Why is understanding our divine identity crucial to our happiness?
- How does knowing our divine identity change our perspective on life?
- How can you better understand and appreciate your divine identity?
- How does knowing you are a child of God influence your daily decisions and actions?
Recognizing the Worth of Souls
Elder Sabin teaches that remembering the worth of a soul is a key to happiness. He shares a humorous family story to illustrate the importance of being forgiving and nonjudgmental, and emphasizes the need to love and serve others.
The third hallmark for happiness is to always remember the worth of a soul.
We will never regret being too kind. In God’s eyes, kindness is synonymous with greatness.
- What does it mean to remember the worth of a soul?
- How can being kind, forgiving, and nonjudgmental contribute to our happiness?
- How can you better recognize and respect the worth of others?
- What are some ways you can show kindness, forgiveness, and nonjudgmental love to others?
Maintaining an Eternal Perspective
Elder Sabin emphasizes the importance of maintaining an eternal perspective. He shares a powerful story of his daughter's faith and courage before a risky surgery, illustrating the comfort, clarity, courage, and hope that can come from seeing life from an eternal perspective.
My fourth happiness hallmark is to maintain an eternal perspective.
Seeing life from an eternal vantage point provides clarity, comfort, courage, and hope.
- What does it mean to maintain an eternal perspective?
- How does Elder Sabin's story about his daughter illustrate the importance of an eternal perspective?
- How can you better maintain an eternal perspective in your daily life?
- What changes could you make to focus more on eternal rather than temporal concerns?
Cultivating Gratitude
Elder Sabin teaches that we will never be happier than we are grateful. He shares insights about the transformative power of gratitude and emphasizes the importance of appreciating our blessings.
That brings me to my fifth and final observation, which is you will never be happier than you are grateful.
How our awareness would change if every morning we awoke with only the blessings we were grateful for the night before.
- Why does Elder Sabin say that we will never be happier than we are grateful?
- How can gratitude transform our perspective and increase our happiness?
- What are some ways you can cultivate a more grateful heart?
- How can you better recognize and appreciate your blessings?
