'Tis the season for gratitude posts

I know, you see these everywhere around this time of year, but I recently realized that I should be much more focused on gratitude than I have been. I needed to write it.

First off, small but appreciated blessings: I'm grateful that my sweet husband got up, got Jamie, and took him downstairs without my even asking him so I could have a little time up here to myself, hence why I'm able to write this.


The biggest blessing in my life is undoubtedly the gospel of Jesus Christ, including His love, example, and atonement, and the living prophet who speaks for Him. I believe that the laws of God don't change, but that people try to interpret scriptures to make it sound like sin is just a lifestyle choice, or an expression of individuality. I cannot express how grateful I am to have had personal witnesses from the spirit that the president of my church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, is a true prophet. We don't worship Thomas S. Monson; we only love and honor him as a wonderful, righteous man who has been chosen to be the mouthpiece of the Lord.

The First Presidency of the Church: L-R Pres. Henry B. Eyring, President and Prophet Thomas S. Monson, Pres. Deiter F. Uchdorf

The older I get, and the more I see of the pain that inevitably occurs when we make choices according to our passions and appetites, the more fervently grateful I am every day to know that our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have not left us to figure things out on our own. President Monson speaks for our Savior, and gives us the guidance and clarification we need in this "modern" world. His counsel, reinforcing what Jesus Christ taught, helps us to see through Satan's attempts to deceive us into believing that wickedness could be happiness.

I like this description from mormon.org: "While we can all receive revelation in our lives, an authorized prophet at the head helps us all to keep aligned with God's will in our day instead of needing to argue about the interpretation of former revelations. President Monson is a man with a long personal history of listening to the Spirit of God in his dedicated service to those around him who need a friend." link here.

Note: I realize that it may seem to some as though I blindly follow this man in the name of Christ. I can only say that prayer and the holy spirit are also involved in these decisions to follow this man, as well as the good fruits of his labors. I believe that anyone on this planet has as much right to have heaven tell them if what I am saying is true or not. I thank our Father that you don't have to rely on my words alone (see James 1:5 & Matt. 7:16-17).

I'm so grateful for these men, and for the twelve apostles, and all the other good men and women who give so much of themselves to keep the Church going. I wish I could fully describe the wonderful peace and happiness I feel when I have a chance to hear them speak. (Especially Elder Uchdorf, right, ladies? ;) So handsome and charming! :))

Well, of course there's a TON more that I'm grateful for, but I guess it will have to wait for the next post.

I think this video might have been from last year, but I watched it again and loved it and felt all warm and fuzzy inside, so I wanted to share even if I already have.

a bit of gratitude

Today I finished the 9th and final volume of The Work and the Glory series, which is historical fiction about the restoration of the Church. I can't believe how much reading these wonderful books has changed my perspective. You really think twice about complaining about the too-small bathroom when you've been reading about people who, for their faith, are content to live in log cabins, sod huts, the back of a wagon, or a tent if need be. You know how, in church, people will thank the Lord in a prayer for the beautiful building you're meeting in? It means more when you've more fully imagined (and feel like you've lived, with the characters) meeting in people's houses, or out in the open, with logs to sit on. I kind of dread planning my lessons for the 4-year-olds, but I can tell myself that at least I have a manual to go by and don't have to come up with everything on my own. Etc., etc.

Last Saturday, I got on lds.org to watch Conference, since we don't have cable and I didn't want to try to keep Jamie occupied at the stake center--and the video streaming just would not work. I was frustrated for awhile, and ended up listening to it; that worked fine, at least. Tonight, while I'm finishing Sam's kids' project, I thought I would watch the talks I missed. So I went to the website, clicked the link, and almost instantly, there were the choir, the conference center, the prophet, right in front of me.

The early Saints got to hear their prophet if he came (sometimes hundreds of miles, by horse) and spoke to them in person. And I can hear mine any time, almost instantly.

Reading about the struggles they endured in being endlessly and horrendously driven from place to place, and finally having to travel by wagon for a thousand miles, for months and months, to a completely empty place and start a new civilization from next to NOTHING--all because they had faith and would not turn from it--and if I wanted to travel across the entire country, I could be on the other side of it in a few hours. If I wanted to move there, I could take ALL my stuff with me, not just what would fit in a wagon. My trip would be very comfortable and easy, and I could be there in days.

There are many ways to learn Church history, to better understand what we Mormons are all about from the perspective of many different types of people, and to strengthen a testimony and understanding, and historical fiction is one that works wonders for me. I cannot recommend this series enough. I've learned so much, and I have much more appreciation for our pioneer forbears (who would rather have just stayed in one place like anybody else, but did what they had to do). The first one starts out a bit slow, it's true, but it's practically impossible to put them down after that. There's no way you could regret reading them!