AUTUMN HAS COME TO NAUVOO
AND HOLLY AND BRUCE TOO!!!
We so enjoyed our grand time with Holly and Bruce. We began at church, then some of the Old Nauvoo sites, the temple, Rendevous and Bentonsport. Thanks Holly and Bruce for a fun time. For more pictures of our visit with Holly and Bruce and some fun pictures of a wide variety of pumpkins, our trip to Bentonsport, and some fabulous fall leaves and clouds click on the link below for our photo album:
Many of you received an email this week with the following message in the subject line:
"Gratitude is a catalyst to all Christlike attributes! A thankful heart is the parent of all virtues." Pres. Uchtdorf
What a powerful lesson to ponder!
Many of you have probably had a 4th Sunday Lesson on President Uchtdorf's landmark talk on "Grateful in Any Circumstance" from this past April 2014 General Conference. We have had this lesson now in two different settings. We do not believe it is a coincidence. We believe that this message is to be read and studied over and over again. Another classic to be sure. We encourage you to consider the importance of having an attitude of gratitude and all that it entails and to teach your children this doctrine. We believe that striving to be grateful will bring blessings that can be had from the Lord in no other way. Let us not offend God by not recognizing His hand in all things and by showing our gratitude by giving Him our will and obedience to His gospel plan of happiness and redemption.
Doctrine and Covenants 59:21
"And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his commandments."
Here is an expansion of the blessing of having a thankful heart as taught by President Uchtdorf:
"Those Who Are Grateful Will Be Made Glorious"
"Brothers and sisters, have we not reason to be filled with
gratitude, regardless of the circumstances in which we find ourselves?
"Do we need any greater reason to let our hearts “be full of
thanks unto God”?
“Have we not great reason to rejoice?”
How blessed we are if we recognize God’s handiwork in the
marvelous tapestry of life. Gratitude to our Father in Heaven broadens our
perception and clears our vision. It inspires humility and fosters empathy
toward our fellowmen and all of God’s creation. Gratitude is a catalyst to all
Christlike attributes! A thankful heart is the parent of all virtues.
The Lord has given us His promise that those “who [receive]
all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this
earth shall be added unto [them], even an hundred fold, yea, more.”
Grateful In Any Circumstance—President Dieter F. Uchtdorf,
General Conference April 2014
Maybe today you are filled with gratitude, maybe today you are struggling to find anything to be grateful for, whatever your circumstance maybe the following suggestions (from ldsliving.com and images from internet) will be a stepping stone to help you think about some of the things the Lord has done that you can be grateful for and then we suggest you take a moment to write down to remember! If nothing else skip to #9 and watch the video! We are so grateful for all of you and the love and support you give to us. Thank you so much!
1. Nature
Even if you live in the middle of a city with concrete
pavements and high-rises, all you have to do is look up to see the sunshine,
sky, clouds, or rainbows and remember God's powerful, creative hand.
2. Modern Conveniences
You know—all the little things you usually take for granted
like running water, dishwashers, hot water, cell phones, and technology. All of
these things allow you to live in relative comfort and ease and are probably
making your rough day or week a little better, whether you're notice them or
not.
3. Talents
Before you say you don't have any, think again. Whether you
write, sing, serve, play a sport, give hugs, show kindness, listen there's
something you do that makes you a better person or helps you understand
yourself. When you feel lost, disappointed, depressed, or alone, you always
have a way to express it!
4. Memories
Many of us keep photos, blogs, and journals to record the
parts of our lives that mean the most to us. Look back on those pieces of your
past and reflect on the good things you have done or been a part of. You’ll be
surprised how much you have to be grateful for in your life.
5. Laughter
Not only is laughter a gift, but it's a contagious one that
is also easy to give. It’s hard to feel discouraged or disappointed when you
are laughing. See if you can find something, no matter how small, about your
situation to laugh about.
6. Your Testimony
You have something of infinite, precious value that can't be
taken from you. Part of that testimony is precious knowledge about the Plan of
Happiness, eternal families, and the Atonement of our Savior that some do not
have. What a blessing that you have this knowledge and can share it!
7. Tender Mercies
What little things in your day or week could have gone
worse? Are there any mini-miracles you missed seeing when you were caught up in
your misery? It could be as simple as something uplifting you saw on a friend’s
news feed, one of your favorite songs that came on the radio, or someone
opening the door for you.
8. Your Divine Identity
Because of your knowledge that you're a child of God, you
have the ability to become like Him. You have been blessed with opportunities
to repent and to overcome the struggles you are facing, and to learn from them.
This is something that we often say, but don't really stop to think about. Be
grateful for your divine heritage and ability to continually improve as you
listen to the Spirit.
9. A Support System
This usually consists of people like family and close
friends who are there to try and cheer you up when life has road bumps. Even if
you feel like you don't have anyone supporting you, you can always depend on
the Savior. He is the one person you can completely believe knows how you feel.
We are eternally grateful that He has atoned for our sins and has promised that
He will not leave us comfortless (John 14:18)
(Need a reminder of how much the Savior loves you? Watch
this Mormon Message about His sacrifice for each of us-- http://youtu.be/EpFhS0dAduc )
10. New Days
If nothing else, you can be grateful for a new day. You
don’t have to be permanently stuck in a rut, and the sunshine will always come
out—literally and figuratively. A good night's sleep often brings fresh
perspective and renewed energy to conquer your trials. Even if you have to
tackle them one at a time.
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