A great lesson

We had a really great lesson in our Young Women class yesterday. It was on finding joy now. I have been having a hard time noticing joy in my life lately, and it was really nice to relflect on how many great things there are to be greatful for. In order to find joy, happiness, fun, and satisfaction in life, we need to be doing things. Sis Pratt also talked about reasons we might not have joy. Again, it was great to reflect and realize there are some things that aren't the way I want them to be, and therefore I am unable to find joy in this journey. Here is the whole lesson. My favorite part of it was a poem or story at the end. It's called "Creation," by Ann Busath. It was in the Sept. 1967 Improvement Era.

Creation
“In the beginning (but not really the beginning—only a moment in the span of existence that is always), I learned of a plan of my Heavenly Father for me and my spirit brothers and sisters. Himself exalted and perfected and holy, our beloved Father wanted us to have a chance to follow his path. His firstborn, our elder Brother, Jesus, would organize a world where we could live and grow and learn to love and truly care. It would be a difficult experience in a world of imperfect men and irrevocable law, and we must choose if we would follow him.
“And so, … I said, ‘Yes.’ And I waited for my turn.
“[Jesus] set about making a world for me and you, the Father’s children. And one day I left a place I cannot remember now to come here, to begin the union of my life with the earth.
“In the hazy brightness that is childhood, there was the first recognition of beauty—the smell of eucalyptus, the first encounters with sea and sun and sand, and fog—wet droplets on my face, a bee, flowers, and cypress trees bent strangely by the wind.
“And as I grew, so the world became more marvelous; and deep inside began the warm, sweet pain that is earth-love.
“[Jesus] made light that falls soft and silvery at night and makes shadow patterns in the wind—light, golden-blue, and gentle in the days of spring sun—and light that spreads its colors first faintly red to orange to golden, to dispel the blue-black that is night—sunrise. And I have eyes to see.
“And he made wind to rustle softly through a thousand leaves, glistening silver-slippery water to sing and stumble on its way to the sea, and birds to fill the morning air with soft flute-tones. And I have ears to hear.
“He made hands to touch in the bright warmth that is ‘How are you?’ or ‘I will help’ or ‘I begin to love you’; and eyes to speak, to see beyond the words, to understand, to discover.
“He gave me a heart that sees and hears and feels the earth he made, and deep within me earth-love swells to overflowing. He gave me tears of joy to shed.
“You have these things, too. They are gifts—blessings beyond our ability to receive.
“And someday when I have seen [Jesus] again and my Father has welcomed me back, I hope, with my mate, to be able to begin the direction of a world like this. And our children will turn in the cold sweetness of morning light to heavens of their earth with eyes that glisten with tears born of earth-love to say, ‘Thank you, Father’ ”

I love this. Oh, and I am convinced that I get much more out of our lessons each Sunday than anyone else in the class, even though the lessons are geared towards the young women