My dear friend, Jackie, and I were chatting through text. She is speaking in church on Sunday and was asking me some questions in preparation for her talk. Then she shared this:
"I did have a thought about President Nelson's message of gratitude. Obviously, the timing seems appropriate with Thanksgiving and all, but I specifically asked "Why else?" And I immediately heard "To prepare us". What an interesting thought! I have been thinking about it, and isn't it true that we are going to really NEED to rely on gratitude for our blessings as the world gets more and more wicked? We are going to have to SEE our blessings, and what a better way than to have them recorded?? As memories pop up on FB, we are taken back to the time that we were posting about. This probably doesn't make sense, as I am still processing those thoughts, but I think it may fit into my talk somewhere.
It reminds me of the prophets in the BOM exhorting their people to look to the experiences of their fathers to remember the blessings and promises of the Lord. Maybe our future generations will need to look back at our recording of how we were blessed during 2020..."
When I read these words, I literally got chills. I'd immediately knelt to say a prayer of gratitude and to ask forgiveness when I heard President Nelson's words. But I hadn't really taken time to reflect on WHY gratitude and why that was what would heal us and why right now? (Aside from, of course, Thanksgiving.) I HAD been really touched by his words that perhaps this was one fulfillment of the covenant promise that through Abraham's seed all the nations of the earth would be blessed. Jackie's thoughts connected with some of the things I had been considering and so I shared this:
"You know I think his invitation in conference was similar...to look for the blessings promised to covenant Israel, reflect on them and talk about them with friends and family. I hadn't thought about it quite like this but first, it reminds us of all that God has already done...for Abraham, Isaac and Jacob...but also for the Nephites and Lamanites and other members of the house of Israel. And it helps us see the promises that have been given but not yet fulfilled so we can watch for them. AND as we read of these promises it can and should help us recognize that God is fulfilling many of these promises in OUR lives right now also. I know that on weeks where I am really diligent about studying, watching for and writing about the promises I am happier and feel more peace and see God's hand more easily. I think it's all connected."
God's people in the past have been richly blessed and protected by Him. He has led them and delivered them and strengthened them and blessed them. And the same is true for us. And I think we are going to need that knowledge and going to need to see clearly all the good that God is doing in our lives to be able to survive spiritually through the hard things that are happening now and the hard things that are to come! I don't love hard things. But I do love God and I want so much to qualify for His blessings. I LOVE studying the blessings of covenant Israel. Truly, I love it. It's been such a blessing for me.
LESSONS LEARNED: Gratitude. Gratitude. Gratitude.
Recognize, record and remember the great things that the Lord has done.
The blessings of covenant Israel are for me. And for you. For each child of God if they will make and keep covenants with Him.
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