notes on paper: The Beauty of Happiness (:

I think of all the feelings in the whole world, happiness & peace are the best ones. Hands down. The world just seems so hopeful and full of light & beauty when one feels at peace and has joy. I absolutely love it (:

I am so blessed! I live in such a beautiful place, have such a great family, have so many amazing opportunities, and have so many little things in my life that just make it happy. Things like those sweet (& usually slightly crazy) moments with people I love, or the bright beautiful flowers growing out the door, or the sunshine beaming through the clouds. Happiness is really about the little things (: Like Elder Uchtdorf's talk last Conference, who said

"The happiest people I know are not those who find their golden ticket; they are those who, while in pursuit of worthy goals, discover and treasure the beauty and sweetness of the everyday moments".

I know that is so true!

And I think some of the greatest happiness & peace also comes from having peace with yourself... and I think that comes from having strong integrity & being true to others and to yourself.

Sometimes it takes struggling through some pretty big trials to discover or build that strength and to have that peace. Whichever type or kind of trial it is... I have found few things sweeter in my life than that reward of peace at the end, or even midway through, where I know everything will be okay because I'm doing your best and because I feel peaceful and strengthened and loved when I pray, and when my prayers are answered.

I know that joy & peace comes from being kind and loving others too. One of my other favorite quotes that says it so eloquently is "When you look for the good in others, you find the best of yourself". I know that is so true! Lifting others has a remarkable way of lifting the lifter.. (try saying that 10 times fast haha). Really, though. It's so true.

Today is definitely a beautiful, happy day (:

And there are such great things coming! I am so excited for the future. I'm still working on having complete, peaceful, strong faith for the future - I am such an analyzer and worrier, so I think that utterly strong faith is something that will take me a lifetime to build. Haha. But I have enough now to know that the future is very bright indeed (:

Especially heading to SLC soon!! I cannot wait! My lovely family, my great friends, the cute little house on the corner, the Salt Lake temple, the towering mountains, hiking adventures... I can't wait to step off that plane and be back again. When I left it was probably one of the saddest days of my life. I couldn't hold back my sobbing at the airport, which was quite embarassing. So it will be super great this time to be beaming with excitement! And happiness (:

And that is the end, for now!