A Time for Thanksgiving

[Anonymous]

On my way to work today, I listened to general conference talks.

I am grateful for a prophet on the earth who shared this message, one that I promptly sent to my children to prepare for this time of year.

Quote:

My brothers and sisters, do we remember to give thanks for the blessings we receive? 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.

My beloved friend President Gordon B. Hinckley said, “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.”

…

In the Book of Mormon we are told to “live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which [God] doth bestow upon you.”

Regardless of our circumstances, each of us has much for which to be grateful if we will but pause and contemplate our blessings.

This is a wonderful time to be on earth. While there is much that is wrong in the world today, there are many things that are right and good.

…

“The grateful man sees so much in the world to be thankful for, and with him the good outweighs the evil. Love overpowers jealousy, and light drives darkness out of his life.”

-Pres Monson, Oct 2011 General Conference, “The Divine Gift of Gratitude”

I am grateful this year for many things, despite enduring the most difficult year I have lived on this earth.

While there is much not right in the church, or in the world…there is much that is good and I am grateful for it.

I am grateful when the church has loving leaders that serve others out of love, even in to the late hours of the night and still get up for work the next day because their service is voluntary, a true expression of their hearts.

I am grateful for scriptures that provide loving gospel messages on how I can better love and serve others, and feel good about myself and my standing before God.

I am grateful for nice church buildings scattered across the land, that let me visit with strangers, and yet feel so much in common with people I would not otherwise meet or associate with.

I am not grateful for things the church has done in the past, like polygamy, but grateful our church changes so that I no longer have to accept the repellent doctrines we have ejected from our teachings.

I am grateful good people come to this site, and allow an open forum to discuss, share, and find peace. God bless everyone.

I wish you all a happy Thanksgiving Holiday, and am grateful for your friendships, your words of wisdom, your experiences and viewpoints that help me along.

[Anonymous]

Great topic – I was struck yesterday, before I even considered the season, of a strange “thanks” in my life.

Here it is –

For all of it’s agony – I am thankful for the last decade of a faith transition/crisis. It’s not done by any means and it may have more pain ahead, yet I had I remained in the bliss and ease of stage 3 I would have not have comprehended others pain, nor seen the efforts that had cost people so much.

Like Heber – I am thankful for this place. It has held me in dark hours, befriended me when I felt lost, and helped me function when I could barely breathe.

I am thankful for so much else, but I can’t see the keyboard through the tears.

Last of all I am thankful it was President Monson’s quotes that started this thread. He is like a dear Uncle to me. He and I share similar loves of service and story telling. I mourn that his message is so often overlooked and less repeated than others.

Thanks Heber for this.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for starting this thread, Heber13. I too am grateful for many things. Our family has gone through a terrible tragedy this past year and we are all still standing and moving forward. A lot of that has to do with the unique theology of our church of progression beyond mortality and eternal families. We have felt the love of Heavenly Parents and the love of Christ, our Savior. We have been supported by our friendships at church. We truly had Zion moments occur. There are no perfect people at our church, nor should we ever have thought there were. But we have experienced very human people trying and doing the best they could.

In honor of this post, I am actually sending out some Thanksgiving cards!

Mom3:” For all of it’s agony – I am thankful for the last decade of a faith transition/crisis. It’s not done by any means and it may have more pain ahead, yet I had I remained in the bliss and ease of stage 3 I would have not have comprehended others pain, nor seen the efforts that had cost people so much.” Yes, Mom3, I totally get this!

Happy Thanksgiving, StayLDS friends!

[Anonymous]

Thank you for starting this blog. I have thought for some time I should start a gratitude journal, but just didn’t do it. I appreciate this reminder. Merry Christmas, all.

[Anonymous]

All of my daughters are home with us for a few days.

My second son is celebrating his first Christmas as a husband.

My oldest son will be making his engagement official very soon – and sent us a picture today of the ring.

I am thankful today for the totality of my life.

[Anonymous]

I’m bumping up this thread. Wow…a year has gone by since I had those original thoughts.

But it is that time of year again, and I still find many things I’m grateful for by being a mormon:

– Scriptures

– Young missionaries full of energy and the spirit

– Ward members that come with tattoos and jeans

– Bishopric assigned sacrament talks on Christ’s teachings

– General Conference talks

– Youth leaders and the time they spend in their callings

– Primary children

– Laughter and a warm welcome at church on Sunday

– Ward efforts to organize Turkey dinners to needy families in our ward

– Organized assignments to go pick up handicapped and elderly members of our ward and bring them to Sacrament meetings each Sunday

– Christ’s example and teachings, that even 2,000 years later, still guide my life

Mostly I am grateful for my family and faith stories we share. Mormonism is woven into our family history and lives. It is who we are.

And I’m grateful and proud of that.

I’m grateful for people here that stretch my thinking and visit and read and contribute. I need a place to connect to like-minded people. I’m grateful I found it.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! May God bless you in your life.

[Anonymous]

Wow – Maybe I haven’t grown much since last year. In 2014 I wrote

Quote:

For all of it’s agony – I am thankful for the last decade of a faith transition/crisis. It’s not done by any means and it may have more pain ahead, yet I had I remained in the bliss and ease of stage 3 I would have not have comprehended others pain, nor seen the efforts that had cost people so much.

Like Heber – I am thankful for this place. It has held me in dark hours, befriended me when I felt lost, and helped me function when I could barely breathe.

I was going to sit down and write nearly the same thing. 2015 – Same as before.

Thanks for bumping it up

[Anonymous]

mom3 wrote:

I was going to sit down and write nearly the same thing. 2015 – Same as before.

Being grateful never goes out of style!!

I’m glad you didn’t reply….”It’s gotten worse! I have nothing I can think of to be thankful for!” :thumbup:

[Anonymous]

This reminds me of something I was going to do and invite others to do. Before the end of the year I was going to write down “where I am at now” and do it at the end of each year. Kind of like the intros that many of us have done. It might be helpful to see how things change year over year. Plus others can look at how people progress over the years.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Anonymous]

LH – I like that. I would love to see a thread on that. :thumbup:

[Anonymous]

And I’m grateful for life-saving surgeries and the skilled hands of physicians.

I’m grateful for radiology and the imaging technology that we have today and for family who shows up to help with anything and everything when there is a need.

[Anonymous]

thank you, QA. Amen.

[Anonymous]

Thanks QA – I might very well back off this site and some other podcasts this week and just enjoy family.

[Anonymous]

LookingHard wrote:

Thanks QA – I might very well back off this site and some other podcasts this week and just enjoy family.

Brilliant! Not because we don’t want you here…but I love the example of focusing on enjoying family. Hope your holidays are rewarding.

[Anonymous]

Right now, I am most thankful for parents who loved me and accepted me for the different child I was – and for being a parent myself. My heart is completely full of that thankfulness right now.

[Author]

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