Week #54 - Attitude of Gratitude

This week has been very...interesting. It gave me a chance to be truly grateful and to reflect on what I have as a missionary of this Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As you all know, we are human personages subject to sickness and my companion, Sister LeBaron, has been a little under the weather. We were forced to take 2 days off in order to allow her to rest and God used that time to teach me.

As my companion slept, I sat contemplating my calling as a missionary, I came to the realization of how much I missed it. It had been a DAY and I was already dying to get back out and work. Sometimes as missionaries, we can get caught up in the hard nature of our calling. At times, the physical, spiritual, and emotional demands of our calling cloud the simple beauty of what we do. We are representatives of the only perfect Man who ever walked this earth. We have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of people that we will likely never see again when we just stop to give a card or a smile; sometimes we are met with rejection. I feel so much love and gratitude for these people and to my God for letting little, imperfect me preach the feelings of my heart. How great is our calling! How precious our responsibility. I couldn't explain to you in words the way I felt when I began knocking doors after two days of "rest". I felt whole again. I felt right. It just felt good.

Mosiah 26:39 And they did admonish their brethren; and they were also admonished, every one by the word of God, according to his sins, or to the sins which he had committed, being commanded of God to pray‍ without ceasing, and to give thanks‍ in all things."

Why Gratitude and Prayer? Why is this commanded of us?  

Gratitude forces us to be positive and to recognize the Lord's hand in our lives. It helps us to feel hope within ourselves for the future of good things to come as we notice the good we already have. We are naturally led to a greater humility because of the recognition of our Father's hand and will be greater instruments for His purposes as we learn to recognize Him more.  

Rainstorm!

Prayer invites us to be positive and to recognize the Lord's hands in our lives. It helps us to feel heard and understood. We may be grateful for our circumstances but we also need the reassurance of a Father above listening to our words of pain, discomfort, or joy. We don't always have a complete understanding of WHY we are passing through certain things - whether good or bad - and humble prayer leads us to answers. We can never know of spiritual truths unless we plead for it from our Father in Heaven. God's character does not change. If we desire to understand our lives and your Creator. 

Caught in a deluge!

A darling child of our investigator!
 

Together, these small and simple things bring about one of the hardest, greatest, and most rewarding changes in our human life. That of HUMILITY.  

When we are grateful and turn to the Lord daily, our lives are calmer. More organized. We have hope that when we do all we can, He can fill in the rest. Even when we offer our all to God, He gives us so much more in return. How often do we misinterpret our struggles for a punishment or lose sight of the reason for why we have them? God gave us the blessing of the Book of Mormon to bring our sight back on track.  

Alma's people in Mosiah were a righteous people. They fled from the wicked King Noah and desired refuge through the Lord's gospel given through His prophet, Alma. They fully repented and were baptized. Later, Lamanites came upon them and placed them in bondage and put heavy burdens upon their backs.

 

Mosiah 23:21 Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten‍ his people; yea, he trieth their patience‍ and their faith.

 22 Nevertheless—whosoever putteth his trust‍ in him the same shall be lifted up‍ at the last day. Yea, and thus it was with this people.

Gratitude doesn't change the situation or fix the problem but it does give us understanding that comes through humility. God will send us hard times. God will give us a lot of challenges; however, He has promised that if we humble ourselves and allow God to "take the wheel", we will be happier, healthier, and a much more relaxed. AND heck, it's about the journey not just the destination....lighten up!  Look for one blessing everyday and I PROMISE it will make a world of change.

I love you!
Hna Lake