There is a whiteboard hanging outside one of the doors in our apartment complex that I pass at least twice a day when we go to exercise. The sign reads, "may 2014 bring you all that 2013 did not." While this phrase might be a wish for the better as the new year begins, I find that it bothers me a little. To me it says, that we deserve things, and also a " I want it and I want it now" mentality.
I am reminded of a general conference talk given by Elder Joseph Worthlin. Because he said it so well, better than I ever could, I will quote quite a bit from his talk to help express my understanding.
"When I was young I loved playing sports, and I have many fond memories of those days. But not all of them are pleasant. I remember one day after my football team lost a tough game, I came home feeling discouraged. My mother was there. She listened to my sad story. She taught her children to trust in themselves and each other, not blame others for their misfortunes, and give their best effort in everything they attempted.
When we fell down, she expected us to pick ourselves up and get going again. So the advice my mother gave to me then wasn’t altogether unexpected. It has stayed with me all my life.
“Joseph,” she said, “come what may, and love it.”
I think she may have meant that every life has peaks and shadows and times when it seems that the birds don’t sing and bells don’t ring. Yet in spite of discouragement and adversity, those who are happiest seem to have a way of learning from difficult times, becoming stronger, wiser, and happier as a result."
I love the advise. We all have low points in our lives, we all have discouragements and yet this applies to all of us. He continues,
"How can we love days that are filled with sorrow? We can’t—at least not in the moment. I don’t think my mother was suggesting that we suppress discouragement or deny the reality of pain. I don’t think she was suggesting that we smother unpleasant truths beneath a cloak of pretended happiness. But I do believe that the way we react to adversity can be a major factor in how happy and successful we can be in life.
If we approach adversities wisely, our hardest times can be times of greatest growth, which in turn can lead toward times of greatest happiness."
He then goes on to give us four simple things that we can try to do daily.
1.Learn to laugh
2.Seek for the eternal - There are things everyday that stretch us to our limits, the ones that make us feel like our life is going to end or that all hope is lost. "Learning to endure times of disappointment, suffering, and sorrow is part of our on-the-job training. These experiences, while often difficult to bear at the time, are precisely the kinds of experiences that stretch our understanding, build our character, and increase our compassion for others.
Because Jesus Christ suffered greatly, He understands our suffering. He understands our grief. We experience hard things so that we too may have increased compassion and understanding for others."
3.The principle of compensation, "That which is taken away from those who love the Lord will be added unto them in His own way. While it may not come at the time we desire, the faithful will know that every tear today will eventually be returned a hundredfold with tears of rejoicing and gratitude."
And lastly, learn to trust in the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. Prayer and faith are key. Some of the answers to our prayers come later than we expect or feel like we need, but they always come. It is just a matter of accepting Heavenly Father's will and His timing. He is a perfect God and knows exactly what we need, He wants to give it to us, but He knows when will be best time for our needs. 
How wonderful it is that we have a Heavenly Father to watch over us and answer our prayers. He desires our happiness. He loves us.