Gratitude

Lately I have been thinking a lot about gratitude and how very important it is. I currently teach Sunday School for the youth at our church that are 12-14 years old. This past week our lesson was on positivity amongst trials. We will all have trials, problems, and disappointments in life. It's part of the plan our Heavenly Father has given us so that we can return to live with Him; and since He is our loving Heavenly Father He has provided us many ways to overcome and to deal with the things we are faced with in this life all through His son, the Savior Jesus Christ.

It was the Savior himself who said in John 16: 33 to " be of good cheer." He himself was the ultimate example of that principle and doctrine. Amongst all that he faced and went through he still found delight in life.

I have found that as I turn towards God and His Son, especially in the midst of trying circumstances, whether big or small, they tend to turn me to look outward at all of my many blessings.

Sometimes it is hard to look for the blessings that we have because we can be so deep in sorrow and have so much pain. But I have found that during those times it is important to be grateful for even the very smallest of things; the things that might seem funny and ridiculous to others to even consider them as blessings.

I was privileged to serve as a missionary for our church in Peru. While I was there I wasn't able to drink the water from the tap because of its many contaminants and the people went without many things, that sometimes, I believe as Americans we feel entitled to have. From that experience I have learned to be extremely grateful for the smallest of things like a toothbrush, carpet ( regardless of the color or texture), tap water, warm showers, hot water, and air conditioning amongst many things.

If I am experiencing particularly hard things in life I start with the small blessings and then I am able to see the even greater blessings, that are usually far beyond my comprehension as to why I have been given them.

In our church we have a hymn " Count Your Many Blessings" and it's lyrics teach just that. I know that when we count our blessings regardless of our season in life, be it grand, small, easy, or hard that remembering what the Lord has given us and continues to give us will allow us to follow the Savior's admonition to " be of good cheer." I encourage you to try it, even if life seems to be just fine at the moment. I know it will only make you happier.