Re:
“22 And I answered him, saying: Yea, it is the love of God, which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men; wherefore, it is the most desirable above all things.
“23 And he spake unto me, saying: Yea, and the most joyous to the soul. (1 Ne. 11:13-23.)
“I can add the support of my own experience to this that this message is ‘the most joyous to the soul.’ I believe the message is true, but that does not explain why it brings joy, to be honest. That remains a mystery.”

Here’s an answer to that mystery.

Many try to fill their emptiness by chasing false answers like prestige, possessions, power, or the many addictions. These tease with a sensation of approaching joy and but they never deliver sufficiency, so the pursuer continues harder and harder trying to get enough. However, we cannot get enough of what we don’t truly need so these pursuits lead to increasingly desperate, and always futile, attempts to find fulfillment.

The one answer — what we truly need — is love. Love settles the soul and makes life sweet. It fills the holes left empty by the self-centered falsities we embrace. Addictions are substitutes for love and love is what frees the addict. My own experience with love’s liberating power is described here. This freedom requires help from others because you cannot give yourself the love you need; it is dependent upon relationships with others.

God’s love is the most healing. The verses noted above say specifically that it is “the love of God” (v 22) that is “the most joyous to the soul.” (v 23) I believe that is because his love is the most reliable, constant, and unconditional love, as well as the most empowered to bring healing and growth. Addictions’ attraction is their constancy; the addict can trust them to deliver their sensation each time. God’s love is the one love that also is constant – and it brings growth instead of the substitutes’ injury and death. As Elder D. Todd Christofferson noted, “once you have felt your Savior’s love for you, even the smallest part, you will feel secure, and a love for Him and for your Heavenly Father will grow within you.”

I agree with your comment that the message of Christ’s atonement is the most joyous to the soul in the sense that it is a manifestation of God’s love, “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son” (John 3:16). This base of love is found throughout our doctrine:
· Love is the heart of both of Jesus’ greatest commandments
· Christ (God’s love manifested) as the sure foundation in Helaman 5:12
· D&C 121:34-46’s guidelines to using the priesthood can best be summarized as “love others and use this power to bless them”

“And the remission of sins bringeth meekness, and lowliness of heart; and because of meekness and lowliness of heart cometh the visitation of the Holy Ghost, which Comforter filleth with hope and perfect love, which love endureth by diligence unto prayer, until the end shall come, when all the saints shall dwell with God.” (Mni 8:26)

I had an experience much like what I think you are describing yesterday when we sang Oh Come, All Ye Faithful. Faithful, joyful and triumphant.