Humble Seeker of Happiness

Alma and the sons of Mosiah (who at one point did “go about secretly with the sons of Mosiah seeking to destroy the church”) were separated for about fourteen years as they embarked on their missionary labors.  When they ran into each other on the road, they were of course filled with joy to see one another.  Mormon recorded, “Now the joy of Ammon was so great even that he was full; yea, he was swallowed up in the joy of his God, even to the exhausting of his strength; and he fell again to the earth. Now was not this exceeding joy? Behold, this is joy which none receiveth save it be the truly penitent and humble seeker of happiness” (Alma 27:17-18).  Ammon was overjoyed to be reunited with Alma, and , according to this verse, this was because he was a “humble seeker of happiness.”  So what does it mean to do that?  How do we seek happiness like Ammon did so we can have the joy he had?     

Samuel the Lamanite taught us how not to seek happiness. He said to the Nephites, “Ye have sought all the days of your lives for that which ye could not obtain; and ye have sought for happiness in doing iniquity, which thing is contrary to the nature of that righteousness which is in our great and Eternal Head” (Helaman 13:38).  So clearly seeking for happiness by breaking the commandments of God is destined to fail—we must seek happiness through keeping the commandments of the Lord.  And yet, Ammon’s experiences were more than just keeping the commandments of God.  He was a humble seeker of happiness for others.  He sought for fourteen years to help bring the true happiness to the Lamanites.  I don’t believe he was very concerned about finding happiness for himself; rather, he humbly sought the happiness of the gospel for those people he served.  As the story of his encounter at the waters of Sebus with the attacking Lamanites shows, he was far more concerned about helping others than he was about helping himself.  And when he met up with Alma on that day on the road to Zarahemla, he wasn’t overcome with joy for himself.  He was filled with joy for Alma and the fact that Alma was still faithful. 

I believe Ammon’s example helps us to understand how we find that kind of joy that he had: we have to serve others.  Ammon was so filled with joy at the end of his mission because of the people that they helped.  He declared to his brothers, “Now behold, we can look forth and see the fruits of our labors; and are they few? I say unto you, Nay, they are many; yea, and we can witness of their sincerity, because of their love towards their brethren and also towards us” (Alma 26:31).  Because they had helped so many among the Lamanites to come to the light of God, he was filled with joy.  And that is how we can be a humble seeker of happiness ourselves—seek to bring happiness not to ourselves but to others.