Laugh At It and Learn From It

Over the last few days, there has a been a reoccurring theme in my studies. It is a very unusual theme for a missionary who is trying to learn about her Heavenly Father and His plan and learn and develop further my faith in Christ. But it is something I have needed to remember none-the-less. My friends, family, colleagues, fellow missionaries, enemies, frenemies, whatever our relationship may be, I wish to remind you about the importance of having a sense of humor.

Here's the deal. We are human beings. We all have weaknesses, heartaches, trials, tribulation. But there are a few things that we can use to carry us through all hard times. The one I specifically want to talk about is humor.

For anyone who knows my family, you all know we love a good laugh. We are constantly laughing and making jokes and having a good time. It's something that I thought many people grew up with. Since I've been on my mission, I've realized this isn't always so. So why is a sense of humor so hard to come by sometimes? Here are some reasons and fears I have come up with that may be preventing some of you from opening up and just finding humor in this life.

A FEAR OF BEING CHILDISH
The Savior commands us to become like a little child. As I have been studying, one article cited a study done that is was realized that children laugh on average 400 times a day, while adults only laugh 15 times a day. I am one of those people who just love to laugh. I know it is good for me, both spiritually and emotionally. I feel the lack of laughter taking a toll on me when I haven't laughed for awhile. Many people fear that laughing at silly things, like a bad pun or a dog chasing it's tail, make them seem childish. The truth is, it DOESN'T. Childish humor is humor that pokes fun at or hurts another person or group of people. Childlike humor is being able to be optimistic and seeing the world for the wonder it is, while at the same times there are some really funny things about the world. I always look to nature and the idiosyncrasies of the world around me. Sometimes I find humor in technology not working or in the fact I get lost in new areas rather easily. This is childlike humor. Childish humor hurts and brings down other people and makes light of sacred topics.

LIGHTHEARTEDNESS VS. LIGHT-MINDEDNESS
This I think is another major fear in many people. They know that they are supposed to be light-minded about sacred topics. They know that the gospel is something to be taken seriously and covenants are not to be joked about. This is true. Light-mindedness is not okay. Being lighthearted is something completely different though. Proverbs 17:22 states, "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones." When we have a merry heart, we know that our Heavenly Father is going to help us bear our burdens through any trial. It helps us to "...submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord." (Mosiah 24:15) as did the people of Alma while they were in bondage to the point where they knew that if they prayed out loud that they would be put to death. They had no freedom or anything to give them hope. I believe that they found great comfort in knowing that God was on their side and I do not think that they sat around and moped. It says they submitted "cheerfully". They probably used a good sense of humor to carry them through it.





A FEAR OF OTHERS DISAPPROVING
This is the last point I want to make because of any point I could make I don't think there is any of more importance. Being someone who has had a hard time "fitting in", I know how badly that many seek for the approval of others. Some believe that if they laugh or have a sense of humor, if they aren't dead serious ALL THE STINKING TIME that people will disapprove of them and not take them seriously. I am one of those people who just can't do this. I can't be dead serious all the time. The biggest thing you need to remember is the "...men are that they might have joy." (2 Nephi 2:25) When others look down on you for laughing or finding joy in the little things, then do they matter? No. Usually it means they have some serious self-esteem issues themselves. Learn to enjoy life. President Gordon B. Hinkley said, "Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured." He was the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Prophet, seer, and revelator on the earth. His wife, Marjorie Hinkley, was talking about what she liked in her husband and said this: "He didn't take himself very seriously and was often the first to poke fun at his own quirks." I love this example, because when we take ourselves so seriously we can never be good enough, but when we realize that if we are striving to live the commandments and make and keep covenants with our Father in Heaven, our best is enough.

CONCLUSION
I wish to tell a tale about a younger me. It was day two of my 8th grade year. A tender time in my life where I just didn't have a lot of self-confidence. I had decided my last year of middle school was going to be different because I quite honestly hated the first two years. I had made up my mind not to let bullies get the best of me and to stand up for who I was. Well, we were sitting in science class and our teacher was doing an experiment. In this experiment, he would pour water into a cup, mix it for a moment, and then flip the cup upside down over an unsuspecting class member's head. Nothing would come out of the cup. So, when it was my turn to be the unsuspecting class member, both I and my science teacher thought it would have the same result... Oh boy were we wrong! Instead of having nothing come out when the cup was flipped, I ended up drenched, not in water, but in something I lovingly refer to as glop. What did I do? After getting over the initial shock of what had just happened, I looked at my science teacher and he looked horrified! I just started laughing. I could not stop laughing and the whole class erupted in uncontrollable laughter. It was one of the funniest moments of my middle school time because it set the precedence that I was done taking my self so seriously and knew that things happened and I could either get embarassed and angry, or just laugh and realize how truly funny life is.

Yes, we mess up, yes we need to repent. But anyone who minds what you are doing doesn't matter because those that love you most won't mind that you messed up, they will want to help you get better. Let's learn to laugh at ourselves when we mess up, laugh at it, learn from it, repent of it, and move on with life. It's going to make your life a whole lot easier and much, much more enjoyable. Don't be afraid of disapproving, judging people. Learn to love who you are and most of all, remember the council given by Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin in his last address, "Come what may, and love it!"

I love you all!
Love,
Sister Mackenzie Esmond

P.S. If you would like to read any of the articles I talked about, here you are!

The Power of Laughter
Come what may, and love it!
If We Can Laugh At It, We Can Live With It