Thanksgiving

It was a wonderful holiday!  My favorite time of year!!  I'm grateful!  A few of the highlights:

• clear roads
• time to talk to my brother and his wife
• games, particularly watching the kids play Disney's Scene-It
• movies
• talking and laughing
• sunshine
• a chance to serve together in the community
• good food 
• friends (and their willingness to share their working oven)
• a beautiful sunset
• time to relax
• the St. George Temple with two of my siblings and their spouses
• running outside - in the neighborhood
• a beautiful bike trail along the Virgin River loop
• the Live Nativity at Tuacahn
• Christmas lights at the St. George Temple
• celebrating mom's birthday
• hiking in Johnson's canyon
• swimming at Sand Hollow 
• setting up the Christmas tree
• another clear drive and getting home mostly before dark

Proclaim the Everlasting Gospel

Today I feel like I need to do better at sharing who I really am and boldly declaring the truths I hold most dear.  I'm a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Some people call us Mormons because in addition to the Bible we believe in the Book of Mormon:  Another Testament of Jesus Christ.  I love the Book of Mormon because it teaches me about Jesus Christ, His doctrine and commandments that will help us return to live with our Heavenly Father.  They have a plan for us.  They love us!

We believe in the same church that Jesus established on the earth when he was here.  It has been restored to the earth by Him in its fulness today!  We have living prophets on the earth today who have been given priesthood keys and authority and receive revelation from Jesus Christ, who is the head of the Church.  Through faith and repentance and the ordinances of His gospel we are blessed and draw closer to God.  This is why we are here on the earth - to learn, to progress, to become like Him.  He loves us!  He loves you!  He has a plan for you!

I invite you to watch this short video.  It is a recent talk given by Elder David A. Bednar, a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles.  You can listen to or read his full talk here - Come and See



Here's a little bit more about what I believe (it's somewhat out of date, but all the important parts haven't changed).  I love the gospel of Jesus Christ and His church.  I know that He lives and loves us and wants us to be happy.  Through Him and because of His Atonement and His gospel we can be, eternally, if we will choose to learn and follow and change and love!

"This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."

For someone who grew up in Hawaii and didn't mind not having distinct seasons I sure have come to appreciate them in recent years. This year I have been particularly inspired by the changing seasons, fall leaves, and the mountains that have come alive! The beauty of fall has caused me to reflect in gratitude and awe at our Heavenly Father’s creations, His blessings and His love and goodness. I’m grateful for the seasons and opportunities in life. I’m grateful for change. I’m grateful for the time we have each day to live and learn and grow.

D&C 51:16:  “And I consecrate unto them this land for a little season, until I, the Lord, shall provide for them otherwise, and command them to go hence;”

Elder Marvin J. Ashton in The Time is Now in April 1975:

“The pleasant future belongs to those who properly use today. We need to find the abundant life as we go along. How can we be happy tomorrow if our “nows” are filled with self-inflicted unhappinesses and unwise delays? Generally speaking, those inclined to count their daily blessings have more to count because they help make more possible as they learn gratitude. A constant waiting for a brighter future may cause us to lose the beautiful today. Some spend so much time getting ready to live for an unknown future, too late they discover there is no time to live. Very often in our anxiousness for the joys of the future we run away from the very things we are wanting and needing today. An appropriate examination of the passing moment will prove it leads to eternity. We need to constantly remind ourselves eternity is in process now.”

President Henry B. Eyring in This Day in April 2007:  

“The God who gives us each day as a treasure will require an accounting….

…..A morning prayer and an early search in the scriptures to know what we should do for the Lord can set the course of a day. We can know which task, of all those we might choose, matters most to God and therefore to us. I have learned such a prayer is always answered if we ask and ponder with childlike submission, ready to act without delay to perform even the most humble service…..

…..It is hard to know when we have done enough for the Atonement to change our natures and so qualify us for eternal life. And we don’t know how many days we will have to give the service necessary for that mighty change to come. But we know that we will have days enough if only we don’t waste them.”

Psalms 118:24:  “This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”