My ExtraOrdinary Life: Thankful to be Free

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Thankful to be Free

Today is a wonderful day to have gratitude for my freedoms. I find myself to be very patriotic and passionate about supporting and honoring our troops. I need to do more for them in light of that. I recognize the sacrifices not only the men and women in the services make, but also the sacrifices their families make. I have a deep and profound gratitude for those sacrifices. Because of them I have the freedom to worship how I want to. I have the freedom to complain about the government and anything else I want to. I have the freedom to express myself and my beliefs however I see fit without fear of reproach. I have the freedom to raise my family how I feel is best and I am thankful for that freedom. I took great pride in exercising my right to participate in democracy last week. I owe that right to many and I am grateful to all of them. I thank my Heavenly Father for all of my rights.

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Why Should We Keep a Gratitude Journal?

“When you walk with gratitude you do not walk with arrogance, and conceite, and egotism, you walk with the spirit of thanksgiving that is becoming to you and will bless your lives” -President Gordon B. Hinckley

“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.” -President Thomas S. Monson

“Regardless of our circumstances each of us has much for which to be grateful if we will but pause and contemplate our blessings.” -President Thomas S. Monson

“We can lift ourselves and others as well when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude.” -President Thomas S. Monson

“If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins then gratitude takes it's place among the noblest of virtues.” -President Thomas S. Monson

“Pride destroys our gratitude and sets up selfishness in it's place. How much happier we are in the presence of a grateful and loving soul and how careful we should be to cultivate through the medium of a prayerful life a thankful attitude to our God and man.” -President Joseph F. Smith

“To express gratitude is gracious and honorable, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live with gratitude ever in our hearts is to touch heaven.” -President Thomas S. Monson

Inspiring Quotes

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are we not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us, it’s in everyone. And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fears, our presence automatically liberates others."

Source: A Return to Love, by Marianne Williamson, as quoted by Nelson Mandela in his inaugural speech, 1994

"What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal."

-Albert Pine

"Do you young people want a sure way to eliminate the influence of the adversary in your life? Immerse yourself in searching for your ancestors, prepare their names for the sacred vicarious ordinances available in the temple, and then go to the temple to stand as proxy for them to receive the ordinances of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost. As you grow older, you will be able to participate in receiving the other ordinances as well. I can think of no greater protection from the influence of the adversary in your life." -Elder Richard G. Scott in October conference of 2012

WHY I AM A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS (AKA MORMON)

I grew up attending the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS for short) and never questioned the things I was taught. When I moved to Oregon (age 13) many of my peers began to ask me questions and I realized that the only way I could answer many of these questions was to gain my own knowledge and testimony of the church I belonged to. I read the Book of Mormon and knelt down to ask the Lord if these things I had read were true. I experienced a feeling of peace, warmth, and joy so overwhelming that it brought me to tears. Later I wanted to have that same knowledge of a new prophet who was going to guide our church. I prayed and asked God and did not receive an immediate answer. As I watched General Conference (a world wide broadcast of talks by modern-day prophets held every 6 months) the following day the congregation sang a song entitled "We Thank thee O God for a Prophet" and as they sang again I experienced that same warmth, peace, and joy of the spirit of the Lord and I knew that Gordon B. Hinckley was called by God to lead His church here on the earth. Still today I read my scriptures often and listen to our prophet to gain more knowledge of the will of the Lord for me. I love my Heavenly Father and I know that He did in fact send His Son Jesus Christ to atone for the sins of each person in this world. I still continue to receive direction and testiment from the spirit and therefore know that Thomas S. Monson has now been called of God to be our prophet to guide us today. As it says in James 1:5 If anyone wants to know the truths that Lord has revealed to this earth they have only but to ask Him and he WILL answer. I leave these words with you in the name of my living Savior Jesus Christ, Amen!

“To be a righteous woman is a glorious thing in any age. To be a righteous woman during the winding up scenes on this earth, before the second coming of our Savior, is an especially noble calling. The righteous woman’s strength and influence today can be tenfold what it might be in more tranquil times. She has been placed here to help to enrich, to protect, and to guard the home—which is society’s basic and most noble institution. Other institutions in society may falter and even fail, but the righteous woman can help to save the home, which may be the last and only sanctuary some mortals know in the midst of storm and strife.” Spencer W. Kimball

http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=88021b08f338c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=1999862384d20110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&hideNav=1

My ExtraOrdinary Life

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Thankful to be Free

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