Entry Thirty Five: Doctor’s Order

September 15, 2025

Entry Thirty Five: Doctor’s Order

Well well well, look who dragged in the cat. Welcome back everyone! I hope you’ve had a great week, because you deserve it! Like c’mon, you’re literally a child of the Almighty God whom we worship, do you really think you deserve anything less than the best? If you do, don’t worry, just stay tuned for the spiritual thought ;)

So, I’m not gonna lie, this week was like a vacation for me 😂

I had two exchanges, and even though I’ve been in this zone longer than Elder Reed, I got to leave Jamestown for both. It was a lot of fun and it felt so relieving to actually find people again. There was actually this really cool instance at Tennessee Tech in Cookeville, where we were talking with this brand new freshman. We asked him what were some challenges he was going through, and he choked up, started crying, and then confided that he was having relationship troubles due to long distance. We offered him a hug and testified powerfully of Christ and the hope and healing he can give to us and those we love. I think the thing I love most about the mission is watching people with a broken heart and contrite spirit find the answer they’ve been seeking. I love seeing people’s life change and become brighter because of the promises they find in the Book of Mormon. Ahh, missionary life is the BEST life!!!

Aside from that, Gary’s doing well! He’s still on date for this next Sunday, and even though there’s a slight chance it might get pushed back, I have full faith he’s gonna make it. Working with him is a lot of fun (even if he yaps endlessly hahaha).

I also got to go on 3 hikes this week, 2 of which while on exchange! There are so many wonderful views, and I just absolutely love this corner of the earth!

Another short story from exchanges: one of the Elders in my zone was going home, and I happened to be in the zone leader’s area while this was happening, so I got to go to Buccee’s for like an hour while waiting to meet up with that companionship as well as the APs. It was very sad to see this Elder go, but we got to spend the rest of the exchange with his comp, and he’s amazing. He also started his mission in Jamestown, so we got to talk about all the members we love 😂

Ok, I think it’s now time for a spiritual thought, don’t ya reckon?

For a bit of context, there’s a mental coach that works at BYU, named Dr. Craig Manning. He gave a devotional a while back called The Power of Your Words, and it is one of the best talks ever, I’ll link it below so y’all can listen to this majesty. This talk has honestly changed my mission since I first heard it my first transfer… and President Barlow is good friends with the guy??? Yeah, so we got to have a missionwide devotional with him over zoom and it was INCREDIBLE!

He shared a lot, but my favorite part must’ve been when he was talking about the 4 levels of happiness. From the scriptures, we learn time and time again that the purpose of life is to have joy (2 Nephi 2:25), but sometimes it’s not clear how to gain lasting joy. According to Socrates, there are 4 levels of happiness (buckle down for a little bit of science, I promise this has spiritual application 🙏😭):

Latos (Delight); which is based in material and is unstable. It’s based off of dopamine, which is the reward chemical
Felix (Happy); which is based on our ego bound achievements. Also based off of dopamine, and is unstable
Beattitude; which comes from doing good in the world. It’s based off of serotonin, which is a more stable chemical for happiness

Dr. Manning stopped here and said and told us that you’d expect it to stop there. I mean probably the happiest memories I have come from doing service for others, such as when I had the chance to carol around the community during Christmas season. However, our Heavenly Father really wants what’s best for us, and so there’s a fourth level of happiness which surpasses all:

Sublime Beatitude; this is the joy of becoming something greater. It’s based off of a chemical called anandamide, which is transcendent and everlasting. Funnily enough, anandamide is triggered by chocolate. So Mom, you were right, chocolate is happiness!

Now, what’s the point in all this? When we point ourselves to the Savior and take one step each day to be more like him, we find the greatest treasure this life has to offer: pure, undying joy. This is the kind of joy our Father in Heaven feels as an exalted being. I testify that it doesn’t matter what our initial circumstances are, as long as our direction is pointed upward. Jesus Christ can help us with this! Turn to him! Repent and be filled with the Holy Ghost (3 Nephi 30:2)! I say these things in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, amen.

O hope of every contrite heart, O joy of all the meek, to those who fall, how kind thou art! How good to those who seek!

Love y’all! In the most respectful way possible, get outside and touch the grass while it’s still alive!

-Elder Clayton

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