Thanksgiving

Each year that I do this I have experience the wonderful change of heart that is talked about in the Book of Mormon. I wish for all of you to experience that as well.

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DAY 1
I would like to first give you this statement by James E. Faust.

"Gratitude is not only an expression of faith it is a saving principle... it is more than a social courtesy, it is a binding commandment."

Today's scripture:
And to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord and likewise at even.
I Chr. 23:30

How many of you offer prayers of thanks? Try to find time today, to offer a prayer solely for the purpose of giving thanks. At the very least, try to have more things in your prayer to be grateful for, than the things that you are asking for.

DAY 2
Today's scripture is D&C 59:7,21

7-Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things.

(It says all things, not all good things. Can you thank the Lord thy God even for your trials? You can if you look for the lessons of empathy, compassion you have developed. And the knowledge you have gained that God was there for when you really needed him.)

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.

(When I was younger, I used to think that God was a little presumptuous to be offended if he wasn't thanked. But now that I am older and wiser (L0L) I have learned that God isn't offended for the same reasons that we mortals are offended, because we want our egos stroked. God is offended because when we are not grateful we are harming ourselves. God knows that gratitude is the process we need to take toward a broken and contrite heart.)

Today- try thanking the Lord thy God in ALL things.

DAY 3
Matthew 15:36
And He took the seven loaves and the fishes and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciptles to the multitude.

I am sure that most of you say a blesssing on the food before a meal. but did you notice that the Lord didn't offer a blessing on the food instead He gave thanks?

Last summer in a sacrament meeting, a High Counselor stated that most of us use the same prayer on the food for every meal and use the same words over and over again, "Bless this food that is set before us that it will nourish and strengthen our bodies."
Sometimes we say those words so fast that we don't even think about what we are saying.
The High Counselor suggested that we try finding different words with the same meaning each time we say that prayer.

DAY 4
Today I have two scriptures:

2 Tim 3: 1-2
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, (and the list of sins goes on for four more scriptures)

Hel 13:22
Ye do not remember the Lord your God in the things with which he hath blessed you, but ye do always remember your riches, not to thank the Lord your God for them; yea your hearts are not drawn out unto the Lord, but they do swell with great pride unto boasting, and unto great swelling, envyings, strifes, malice, persecutions, and murders, and all manner of iniquities.

Unthankfulness is a listed as an unholy attribute because it is a trait that we have to work to develop, it doesn't come naturally. And, being unthankful leads to a host of other sins.

Being thankful is one way to overcome the natural man or woman in each of us. It is one sure way to overcome pride and covetousness and the other sins that grow from it.

Today practice being thankful. Thank your family and friends for all that they do for you. Thank the Lord for all that he has given to you.

DAY 5
Today's Scripture

1 Thes 2:13
For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

In this scripture Paul is giving thanks for the people who received his word as it is, the word of God.
When I read that scripture last year, I wondered who I could give thanks for, because I have never served a fulltime mission. And, although I have had friends join the church, I don't know that it was any thing that I did personally to help them join the church.
As I pondered this scripture, I realized that there were four people who are active in the church today because of my teachings and they did receive my word as though it was the word of God. Those four people are my children.

As my heart caught hold of that thought it gave a whole knew meaning to another missionary scripture

D&C 18:15
And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people and bring save (only your children) unto me, how great shall be your joy with them in the Kingdom of my Father!

Which brings me back to the following scriptures

3 John 1:4
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

May you give thanks for your families and their individual testimonies this day,

DAY 6
Today's scripture is Alma 45:1

Behold, now it came to pass that the people of Nephi were exceedingly rejoiced, because the Lord had again delivered them out of the hands of their enemies; therefore they gave thanks unto the Lord their God; yea, they did fast much and pray much and they did worship God with exceedingly great joy.

Tomorrow is Fast Sunday, many of you will start your fast this evening. This month, let's devote the whole fast to giving thanks that tomorrow we might worship God with exceedingly great joy!

DAY 7
Today's Scripture

Jacob 4:3
Now in this thing we do rejoice; and we laobr diligently to engraven these words upon plates hoping that our beloved brethren and our children will receive them with thankful hearts, and look upon them that they may learn with joy and not with sorrow, neither with contempt concerning their first parents

How many of you are thankful for the scriptures, for the people who sacrificed so much, sometimes even their very lives to record them for us?

Are you thankful for your parents?
And your ancestors that sacrificed so much that your life might be better than theirs?

Are we grateful enough for the scriptures that we read them everyday?
Are we grateful enough for the church that we attend every week?
Are we grateful enough for our family that we show them we love them?
Are we grateful enough for our covenants that we keep them?
Are we grateful enough for the peace and happiness we enjoy that we are willing to share the gospel with others?

DAY 8
Today's scripture D&C 19:38-29
Pray always, and I will put out my spirit upon you, and great shall be your blessings-yea, even more than if you should obtain treasures of earth and the corruptibleness to the extent thereof.
Behold canst thou read this without rejoicing and lifting up thy head for gladness.

This scripture gives us many things to be grateful for.
That the Lord will hear us and give us His spirit.
And that we can read.
We need to thank those teachers and parent who taught us to read,
be grateful for our eyesight that allows us to read etc.

DAY 9
Today's scripture I found in the book of Psalms.
Actually the book of Psalms is full of thankful thoughts, however I chose Psalms 100

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord all ye lands.
Serve the Lord with gladness; come before his presence with singing.
Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

How many of you worship the Lord in gladness? Do you think of your church callings as a chance to grow or as a burden? How many of you say in a sour tone of voice, I have to do my visiting teaching, rather than I get to go visiting teaching this afternoon!??

The Book of Mormon tells us that the gates are baptism. Are we really thankful for our membership in his church?
Another name for His courts could be temples. Are we really grateful to have so many temples on the earth? If we are, lets try to make time to go to the temple this week.

DAY 10
Alma 37:37

Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings and he shall direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day.

Try to get in the habit that the first thing you do when you wake up is think of something to be thankful for, it will set the tone for the rest of the day.

You don't have to be thankful for anything big, it could be as simple as the fact that you are still alive, the point is just to get your mind set toward gratitude. It is very easy to let our minds slip toward negativity and when that happens the first thing to leave is our sense of gratitude. What this exercise does is to keep our minds focused on the positive.

It may seem like a simple suggestion, but if you wake up with gratitude on your mind it is almost impossible to feel anything but peace.

DAY 11
This message is for all you sisters who are planning to go over the river and through the woods for your Thanksgiving Dinner. Aren't you looking forward to being in the car with your children and every few minutes hear, "Are we there yet?"

Well compare you plight with that of the people who were traveling with the brother of Jared.
First let me set the stage. The Lord has commanded the brother of Jared to build barges that were the size of a tree and they were built sort of like a submarine. They had a hole at the top that they could open for air, but would close when the waters came in around them. The only light they had came from the stones that the Lord had touched with his own finger.
They took their flocks and herds and other animals with them. (Think of the smell)
The scriptures said they were driven forth upon the water for three hundred and forty four days! (compare that with your little drive to grandma's house.)
I have read histories of the early saints who came to America. they were only upon the water for three months, but they told of the awful stench in the living quarters of those ships.
If you were traveling with the brother of Jared, what would you do to keep your spirits up and to keep from falling into the negativity of murmuring, complaining, whining etc., that would seem to be a natural result of those less than ideal circumstances?

Ether 6:9 says, "And they did sing praises unto the Lord; yea, the brother of Jared did sing praises unto the Lord, and he did thank and praise the Lord all the day long; and when the night came, they did not cease to praise the Lord."

I have read how some of you sisters are listening to Christmas music and it helps to keep your spirits up.
There is something about actually participating in the music (like singing) that helps even more.
There is an older gentleman in my ward who whistles the hymns. You can go over to his home while he is working in his yard or doing "honey dos " in the house and he will be whistling the hymns all while he is working.
This man has a very calm, serene, happy countenance and I am sure that it is a direct result of the fact that he is always whistling the hymns of Zion. Which in turn keeps his thoughts centered on thanking and praising the Lord.

Today try and keep a song of Thanksgiving or praise to the Lord in your heart and see what happens

DAY 12
Col 2:6-7
As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him;
Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

Today be thankful for those people who rooted and built you up in Christ. For me, it is my parents, but I am also thankful for my ancestors and those early missionaries who left their homeland to go to England, Denmark and Switzerland to proclaim the gospel. Because of them, and my ancestors willingness to accept the truth, I have been rooted and built up in Christ.

For a different viewpoint, let me tell you about my mother-in-law. She was the first in her family to join the church. Her father died when she was a young child, and her mother married a man who became an alcoholic. My mother-in-law didn't get along with her step dad so she left her home in Idaho to come and live with relatives in Utah. It was while she was living in Utah that she joined the church.
You could argue that if she had a comfortable home life she might never have felt the need to look for the church.
With that in mind, she can give thanks for a less than desirable home life, because it set her on the path where she could hear the gospel and accept the truth.
Today give thanks for the circumstances in your life that have rooted and built you up in Christ.

DAY 13
Today's scripture is from D&C 46, many of you will recognize that chapter as being a chapter about gifts of the Spirit. The chapter lists a few of the gifts of the spirit and then asks us to pray to receive those gifts

And this is the scripture D&C 46:32
And ye must give thanks unto God in the Spirit for whatsoever blessings you are blessed with.

One of those gifts could certainly be the gift of the Comforter when we are going through trials.

DAY 14
2 Nephi 29:4
But thus saith the Lord God: O fools, they shall have a Bible and it shall proceed forth from the Jews, mine ancient covenant people. And what thank they the Jews for the Bible which they receive from them? Yea, what do the Gentiles mean? Do they remember the travails, and the labors, and the pains of the Jews, and their diligence unto me, in bringing forth salvation of the Gentiles?
O ye Gentiles, have ye remembered the Jews, mine ancient covenant people? Nay; but ye have cursed them, and have hated them, and have not sought to recover them. But behold, I will return all these things upon your own heads; For I the Lord have not forgotten my people.

Do you show thanks for the scriptures by reading them and following their counsel. Are you mindful that the scriptures cost the best blood of the world. If it were not for those traditions of the Jews, the bible would never have survived the dark ages.

I teach the 17/18 year-olds in Sunday School. At least one time during each year, when I ask the students to turn to the bible to read a scripture, one of them will say, "We Believe the bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly." they say that as though the bible isn't the word of God. I always tell them, while there are sacred things that have been taken out of the sacred volume, the LDS People believe the bible more word for word than any other religion.
We still believe the bible to be the word of God.

Had it not been for the bible, Joseph Smith would never have gone into the sacred grove to ask which church was right.

We all get upset when we hear that people are asking that the Ten Commandments be taken off of public property.

"And it shall come to pass that ye shall be smitten for your iniquities, for ye have said that ye teach the Law of Moses. And what know ye concerning the law of Moses?"

In other words, if you value the Bible, you will know what is in the bible and you will live accordingly.

DAY 15
This scripture is about the building of temples.

D&C 97:13
For a place of thanksgiving for all saints, and for a place of instruction for all those who are called to the work of the ministry in all their several callings and offices.

I know that every time that a trial has come into my life the first place that I want to go is to the temple. I feel so much peace there.

DAY 16
Background on this scripture

The Israelites had been without a temple for many years. The prophet Ezra helped them build a new one.

Ezra 3:10-13
And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the LORD, after the ordinance of David king Israel.
And they sang together by the course in praising and giving thanks unto the LORD; because he is good for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. and all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praise the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.
But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy:
So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.

How thankful are you for temples? Do you go as often as circumstances allow?

And this scriptures tells us that we can give thanks through music and shouts of joy, but there are sometimes when we are so thankful that we cry.

DAY 17
Mosiah 7:12
And now, whan Ammon saw that he was permitted to speak, he went forth and bowed himself before the king; and rising again he said: O king, I am yet alive, and am permitted to speak and I will endeavor to speak with boldness.

We need to be thankful for our ability to communicate. Use that ability today to speak with boldness and tell your friends and family members how much you appreciate them.

DAY 18

Eph 1:16
Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers.

What a wonderful way to tell your family and friends how much you appreciate them.
Today write a note to someone that you are thankful for and include this scriptures in the letter.

DAY 19
Luke 17:12-19

And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off;

And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.

And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.

And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,

And fell down on his face at his feet, giving thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
-----------------------
Why the nine Lepers didn't come to thank the Lord-

By Nancy B. Fuller
The first one fully intended to, but was in so big of a hurry to find his family that he forgot.

The second wasn't even sure that it was Christ who healed him since he was healed on his way to pay the cleansing offering.

The third was mad at Christ because Christ wouldn't come to him personally, but instead stood afar off and called to him.

The fourth thought it was the priest that healed him since Christ was nowhere around.

The fifth just didn't have time and besides, he didn't want to keep pestering Jesus.

The sixth thought, if Christ were truly the Son of God he would already know of my gratitude for him.

Thanks didn't even enter the seventh one's mind.

The eighth was going to do so when he had time, but never got around to it.

The ninth thought since the others aren't going back neither will I. And he was totally embarrassed by the way that the Samaritan was acting. It just wasn't dignified! No wonder the Samaritans were unclean.

One of them when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God. And fell on his face at his feet giving thanks: and he was a Samaritan. Luke 17:15-16

What prevents you from giving thanks?

DAY 20
Mormon 9:31

Condemn me not because of mine imperfection, neither my father, because of his imperfection, neither them who have written before him; but rather give thanks unto God that he hath made manifest unto you our imperfections, that ye may learn to be more wise than we have been.

Some thoughts from the book, If Life Were a Game, These Are The Rules- by Cherie Carter-Scott

"Others are only mirrors or you
You cannot love or hate another person unless it reflects something you love or hate about yourself
Judging others is a way of covering up feelins of insuffeiciency and insecurity
every negative experience is a chance to heal something inside of yourself.
We should try to heal our past wounds that moment they are triggered in the present."

When you see imperfections in others, thank the Lord for the opportunity to heal something within yourself. Thank the Lord for the opportunity to learn tolerance and forgiveness.
And remember, those imperfections of your parents and other people in your life has made you who you are. We all come with a set of imperfections that we are asked to overcome.

One more thing, we can thank the Lord that we have a record of the Nephites that we might learn from their experiences.

DAY 21
Mosiah 18:23

And he commanded them that they should observe the sabbath day, and keep it holy, and also every day they should give thanks fot the Lord their God.

What a wonderful gift the Sabbath Day is to us. The Lord has given us a day to rest and renew our covenants. Give thanks to the Lord for the Sabbath Day

DAY 22
Alma 7:23
And not I would that ye should be humble, and be submissive and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and long-suffering; being temperate in all things; being diligent in keeping the commandments of God at all times; asking for whatsoever things ye stand in need, both spiritual and temporal; always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do receive.

DAY 23
Mosiah 24:21-22
Ye, and in the valley of Alma they poured out their thanks to God because he had been merciful unto them, and eased their burdens, and had delivered them out of bondage; for they were in bondage, and none could deliver them except it were the Lord their God.
And they did give thanks for God yea, all their men and all their women and all their children that could speak lifted up their voices to the praises of God.

What burdens of bondage has the Lord delivered you from?
Has he eased your burdens?
Today give thanks to your deliverer

DAY 24
Alma 34:38
That ye contend no more against the Holy Ghost, but that ye receive it, and take upon upon you the name of Christ; that ye humble yourselves even to the dust, and worship God, in whatsoever place ye may be in in spirit and in truth; and that ye live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessing which he doth bestow upon you.

Today look for the evidences of God's love and mercy towards you and live this day in thanksgiving.

DAY 25
Mosiah 2:19-14
And behold also, if I, whom ye call your king, who has spent his days in your service, and yet has been in the service of God, do merit any thanks form you, O how you ought to thank your heavenly king!
I say unto you, my brethren, that if you should render all the thanks and priase which your whole soul has power to possess, to that God who has created you, and has kept and preserved you, and has caused that ye should rejoice, and has granted that ye should live in peace one with another-
I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting your from one moment to another - I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants.
And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments; and he has promised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth vary form that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you.
And now, in the first place, he hath created you, and granted unto you your lives, for which ye are indebted unto him.
And secondly, he doth require that ye should do as he hath commanded you; for which if ye do, he doth immediately bless you; and therefore he hath paid you. And ye are still indebted unto him, and are and will be, forever and ever; therefore, of what have ye to boast?

No explanation needed.

DAY 26
D&C 89:11,12
Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the seaon thereof; all these to be used with prudence and thanksgiving.
Yea, flesh also of beast, and of fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used sparingly.

If you have enough to eat, then you should humbly bow your head and give thanks, there are many who do not.
And to really make your thanks sincere, you could donate to a food pantry, or volunteer to feed the homeless.

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to letter words, but to live them."- John F. Kennedy.

DAY 27
D&C 136:28
If thou art merry, praise the Lord with singing, with music, with dancing, and with a prayer of praise and thanksgiving.

Today while you sit in church, sing the message of the hymns as though you really truly believe it.
When you return home, turn on your stereo to some spiritual music. The church has many CD's at a reasonable price that can really set a spiritual mood of thanksgiving in your home. My favorite is the CD of the Children's Songbook. It has children's voices singing praises to the Lord.

DAY 28
3 Nephi 10:10
And the earth did cleave together again, that it stood; and the mourning and the weeping, and the wailing of the people who were spared alive did cease; and their mourning was turned into joy, and their lamentation into praise and thanksgiving unto the Lord Jesus Christ, their Redeemer.

Has the Lord brought you out of darkness into a great light? Has he wiped away your tears?
When we are in a darkness, as soon as the light switch is turned on, immediately the darkness is swept away and is replaced by light. So it is with the light of the world, when he comes in our moments of sorrow, immediately the darkness leaves and is replaced by light.

DAY 29
3 Nephi 10:10
And the earth did cleave together again, that it stood; and the mourning and the weeping, and the wailing of the people who were spared alive did cease; and their mourning was turned into joy, and their lamentation into praise and thanksgiving unto the Lord Jesus Christ, their Redeemer.

Has the Lord brought you out of darkness into a great light? Has he wiped away your tears?
When we are in a darkness, as soon as the light switch is turned on, immediately the darkness is swept away and is replaced by light. So it is with the light of the world, when he comes in our moments of sorrow, immediately the darkness leaves and is replaced by light.

DAY 30
D&C 78:19
And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more.

If you have participated in this month of Thanks-living, I would love to hear from you how the Lord has made your life glorious.