Go About Doing Good

Here's Jake doing some good by helping me pick up Teddy
after a traumatic day at the vet getting a pokey weed out of his ear that he managed
to pick up while hiking with Kayli.
Kayli wasn't able to go, and Teddy loves Jake.

One of the keys to happiness is to go about doing good.  In Elder Uchtdorf's talk Believe, Love, Do he says, "The scriptures reveal that the more we love God and His children, the happier we become."  I have found that when I really feel like I have helped someone, I feel joy, peace, and gratitude.  I feel those same things when people help me.

Recently I had a Thursday that I was dreading.  It had already been a busy week and that day I had to get a mammogram.  Because of having a little bit of breast cancer last year this was particularly stressful.  Then I had to get my allergy shots (2 painful pokes).  It was a wet, rainy, gray day, but it ended up being a good day because there were people who "went about doing good" to me, and I had a chance to do some good too.

At the mammogram, which showed that all was well, the lady helping me and I shared our stories of last year.  She had a kidney and pancreas transplant!  I felt like talking with her was maybe helpful to us both.  Then Patty, who often gives me my shots, and who knows how rough last year was, is always so happy to see me, and so sympathetic, and sorry for the pain of the pokes she gives me that getting those shots was not so terrible.  Next I was able to visit Tia and help her with her frustration with figuring out how to apply to be a substitute teacher.  And finally, I was able to pick up a smoothie for Kayli on my way home, which she made me feel good about because she was wanting one, and the place we like to get them is not super close to home.

A day that I was dreading turned out to be a good one because of people who went about doing good, and because I tried really hard to do the same.  (And honestly, it didn't hurt that there was nothing bad on the mammogram!!)