Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Grateful in Any Circumstance

I hope that dispute my lack of blogging isn't keeping you from your reading. The schedule has some great talks over the last couple weeks.  I am especially "grateful" for Pres Uchtdorf's talk.

I love that he points out that real gratitude doesn't come in being grateful for the things we've been give or have received, but rather "seeing gratitude as a disposition, a way of life that stands independent of our current situation.... being thankful in our circumstances- whatever they may be."

He says,
"This type of gratitude transcends whatever is happening around us.  It surpasses disappointment, discouragement, and despair."

12 comments:

  1. In October 2010, the Prophet Thomas S Monson stated: ". A grateful heart...comes through expressing gratitude to our Heavenly Father for His blessings and to those around us for all they bring into our lives. Do we remember to give thanks for the blessings we recieve? Sincerely giving thanks not only helps us recognize our blessings but it also unlocks the doors of heaven and helps us feel God's love."

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  2. President Gordon B Hinckley stated: " When you walk with gratitude you do not walk with arrogance and conceit and egotism, you walk with a spirit of thanksgiving that is becoming to you and will bless your lives.". (Teachings of Gordon B Hinckley 1997 pg 250)

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  3. In October of 1989' President Eyring stated: God has used one method over and over to help with the problem of remembering. ( of being grateful). A group of people in the Book of Mormon record lost their flocks, their herds, and their fields of grain. Some list their lives. And then the survivors remembered. In Alma it says 'And so great were their afflictions that every soul had cause to mourn; and the believed that it was the judgements of God sent upon them because of their wickedness and their abominations, therefore they were awakened to a remembrance of their duty.'" (Alma4:3)

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  4. King Benjamin's teaching had a miraculous effect. Gratitude for what they had led to faith unto repentance. That led to forgiveness. That produced new gratitude. And then King Benjamin taught that, if we can remember and so remain grateful, we will retain a remission of our sins through all the loses and gains of life. Then he gave the sermon found in Mosiah 4: 11-12.

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  5. How can you and I remember always, the goodness of God that we can retain a remission of our sins? The Apostle John recorded what the Savior taught us of the gift of the Holy Ghost. " But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my nam, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.". (John 14:26)

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  6. "Who was the Man of sorrows acquainted with grief? Who was the King of glory, the Lord of Hosts? He is our Master. He is our Savior, he is the Son of God. He is the author of salvation; He beckons: 'Follow Me', He instructs: ''Go and do thou likewise'; He pleads: 'Keep my commandments.'. Let us emulate His example. Let us obey His word. By so doing, we give Him the divine gift of gratitude.". April Conference 1992. Thomas S Monson

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  7. President Dieter F Uchtdorf said in 2014: " True gratitude is an expression of hope and testimony. It comes from acknowledging that we do not always understand the trials of life, but trusting that one day we will."

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  8. How can we cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude? President Joseph F Smith provided an answer. Said he: " The grateful man sees so much in the world to be thankful for, and with him the good outweighs the evil. Love over powers jealousy, and light drives darkness out of his life. Pride destroys our gratitude and sets up selfishness in its place. How much happier we are in the presence of a loving and grateful soul, and how careful we should be to cultivate, through the medium of a prayerful life, a thankful attitude towards God and man.". ( Gospel Doctrine 5th edition 1939)

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  9. President Thomas S Monson in 2010 Conference said: " A grateful heart then comes through expressing gratitude to our Heavenly Father for His blessings and those around us for that they bring into our lives. This requires a conscious effort- at least until we have truly learned and cultivated an attitude of gratitude. Often we feel grateful and intend to express our thanks but forget to do so or just don't get around to it. When we encounter challenges and problems in our lives, it is often difficult for us to focus on our blessings. However if we reach deep enough and look hard enough, we will be able to feel and recognize just how much we have been given."

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  10. President Henry B Eyring in October General Conference of 1989 stated: " You can have an experience with the gift of the Holy Ghost today. You can begin a prayer with thanks. You could start to count your blessings and then pause for a moment. If you exercise faith and with the gift of the Holy Ghost, you will find that memories of other blessings will flood into your mind. If you begin to express gratitude for each of them, your prayer may take a little longer than usual. Remembrance will come. And so will gratitude . You could try the same thing as you write an entry in your Book of Remembrance . The holy Ghost has helped with that since the beginning of time."

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  11. President Spencer W Kimball described the process of writing in your Book of Remembrance with inspired writing: " Those who keep a Book of Remembrance are more likely to keep the Lord in remembrance in their daily lives. Journals are a way of counting our blessings and leaving an inventory of these blessings for our posterity." (Spencer W Kimball, Teachings of-1982, pg349). President Eyring stated: " As you start to write, you could ask yourself, how did God bless me today? If you do that long enough and with faith, you will find yourself remembering blessings. And sometimes you will have gifts brought to your mind, which you failed to notice during the day, but which you will then know we're a touch of God's hand in your life."

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  12. Elder Hales in April 1992 stated: " I bear my testimony in all gratitude for the knowledge that our Savior lives, that He was resurrected, that there is a redemption and a salvation through the Atonement for all mankind - that all will be resurrected. I am thankful for that knowledge.". I echo his testimony with mine. How grateful I am for the Plan of Mercy, for the restoration of the gospel. I am so grateful that I was given an opportunity to become a member of this church, for in doing so I have learned of a Heavenly Farher who loves all and has prepared a way to come back home. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ to atone for us all, to satisfy justice and taught us faith and repentance to partake of His gift. I truly stand all amazed at the love they offer us.

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