We live in a world where peace and joy seems elusive. War, armed conflict, and terrorism constantly take their toll somewhere in the world, and crime, gang violence, and other illegal activities affect the peace in our cities and towns. Earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, and other natural disasters disrupt peaceful lives, and the quakes in the economies of the world have left many struggling. Some threats to our joy are more individual. Physical or emotional problems, pain, personal debt, addictions, fear, worry for others, and sins—either our own or someone else’s—can obstruct a peaceful outlook in our individual lives.
The scriptures refer to two types of peace we hope for in our lives. One is the absence of war, turmoil, and strife among nations, groups, or individuals. The other is the inner peace of the soul.
Inner peace is a fruit of the Spirit. The Apostle Paul said, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith” (Galatians 5: 22 in the Bible). Sometimes we become so focused on our quest for peace that we forget it is one of the fruits of a righteous life. Our best course for finding joy is to live righteously—to keep our covenants. This is the only course that leads to that inner peace we all desire. The adversary would tempt us to put all our efforts into directions other than a righteous life in our search for peace and joy, but if we do this we will be disappointed in the end. (Paul V. Johnson “Where Can I Turn for Peace”, April, 2013 Ensign, Liahona Magazine)
The Mundane Chores
Washing dishes it’s time-consuming, wet food is gross, and it seems like as soon as I empty the sink, it fills up again. Some days, the thought of washing dishes is so exhausting that I want to skip cooking altogether. I’m sure you feel the same about one of your chores, whether it’s folding laundry, tidying up, or vacuuming the house. When everyday tasks pile up, or when we lose sight of the purpose of spiritual tasks, they can become tedious and joyless. You might start asking yourself if there’s a point to them. President Russell M. Nelson, President of the Church, has advised, “When the pressures of life crowd in upon you, think celestial!”
Look at an Oil Painting closely
If you’ve ever seen an oil painting up close, like the works of Claude Monet or Vincent van Gogh, you’ll notice that the painting’s individual brushstrokes blur together in a splotchy muddle of random, overlapping dots and streaks. It’s only when you step back that you can see the painting for what it really is—a beautiful, cohesive masterpiece.
I think that’s partly what President Nelson means when he encourages us to think celestial. When we step back and look at the big picture, we get a better sense of how the individual tedious “brushstrokes” fit into our eternal progression. Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Twelve Apostles reassures us: “One day you will see the finished product, and you will know that the Master Artist had a plan for those random dots all along. You will see that He was preparing you for opportunities and possibilities far more glorious than you ever could have imagined.” Paul wrote in the new Testament, “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” (First Corinthians chapter 2: 9 in the New Testament)
You Can Be Joyful
Despite your best efforts, there will still be days when it’s hard to find meaning in the mundane. That’s OK! Striving to focus on the Savior will help you pick yourself up again.
Elder Patrick Kearon of the Twelve Apostles taught, “We can cultivate a growing and abiding sense of joy and inner peace because of our hope in Christ and our understanding of our own place in the beautiful plan of happiness.” Keeping an eternal perspective and focusing on that plan will help you maintain that peace and Joy, even when things go wrong or just feel dreary.
The scriptures encourage us: “Be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great”. (Doctrine & Covenants 64:33)
Part of the article was taken Turning the Mundane into Meaningful: How to find Joy in everyday life. By Madelyn Maxfield, September 2025 in the Liahona Magazine.