CHAPTER 15
Patience is related almost directly to faith and hope, and if we have
these qualities, we are really just showing God our trust in him and
his timetable.
1 Orson F. Whitney said: “No pain that we suffer, no trial that we
experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the
development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude and
humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when
we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts,
expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more
worthy to be called the children of God … and it is through sorrow and
suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we
come here to acquire and which will make us more like our Father and
Mother in heaven” (cited in Spencer W. Kimball, Faith Precedes the
Miracle, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1972, p. 98).
2 Dictionaries define patience in such terms as bearing pain or sorrow
calmly or without complaint; not being hasty or impetuous; being
steadfast despite opposition, difficulty, or adversity.
3 Even so, the Lord has made no secret of the fact that He intends to
try the faith and the patience of His Saints. (See Mosiah 23:21.) We
mortals are so quick to forget the Lord: “And thus we see that except
the Lord doth chasten his people with many afflictions … they will not
remember him.” (Hel. 12:3.) However, the Lord knows our bearing
capacity, both as to coping and to comprehending, and He will not give
us more to bear than we can manage at the moment, though to us it may
seem otherwise. (See D&C 50:40; D&C 78:18.) Just as no temptations
will come to us from which we cannot escape or which we cannot bear,
we will not be given more trials than we can sustain. (See 1 Cor.
10:13.) Therefore, given the aforementioned grand and overarching
reasons to rejoice, can we not “be of good cheer” in spite of stress
and circumstance?
4 Patience is the capacity to endure delay, trouble, opposition, or
suffering without becoming angry, frustrated, or anxious. It is the
ability to do God’s will and accept His timing. When you are patient,
you hold up under pressure and are able to face adversity calmly and
hopefully. Patience is related to hope and faith--you must wait for
the Lord’s promised blessings to be fulfilled.
5 Paul wrote of how, even after faithful disciples had “done the will
of God,” they “[had] need of patience.” (Heb. 10:36.) How many times
have good individuals done the right thing initially only to break
under subsequent stress? Sustaining correct conduct for a difficult
moment under extraordinary stress is very commendable, but so is
coping with sustained stress subtly present in seeming routineness.
Either way, however, we are to “run with patience the race that is set
before us” (Heb. 12:1), and it is a marathon, not a dash. When you and
I are unduly impatient, we are suggesting that we like our timetable
better than God’s. And thus, while the scriptural phrase “in process
of time” means “eventually,” it also denotes an entire spiritual
process: “The Lord showed unto Enoch all the inhabitants of the earth;
and he beheld, and lo, Zion, in process of time, was taken up into
heaven.” (Moses 7:21)
6 Ye are not able to abide the presence of God now, neither the
ministering of angels; wherefore, continue in patience until ye are
perfected.
7 From Harry Emerson Fosdick we read, “The most extraordinary thing
about the oyster is this. Irritations get into his shell. He does not
like them. But when he cannot get rid of them, he uses the irritation
to do the loveliest thing an oyster ever has a chance to do. If there
are irritations in our lives today, there is only one prescription:
make a pearl. It may have to be a pearl of patience, but, anyhow, make
a pearl. And it takes faith and love to do it.” (In The Treasure
Chest, ed. Charles L. Wallis, New York: Harper & Row).
8 “Being human, we would expel from our lives physical pain and mental
anguish and assure ourselves of continual ease and comfort, but if we
were to close the doors upon sorrow and distress, we might be
excluding our greatest friends and benefactors. Suffering can make
saints of people as they learn patience, long-suffering, and
self-mastery.” (Faith Precedes the Miracle, Deseret Book Co., 1973,
pp. 97–98.)
9 He is well disciplined who develops patience in his dealings with
his fellowmen. In conversation he is considerate and knows how to
listen. A courteous conversationalist is not a boaster, a babbler, or
a boor. Wise is the man who says what needs to be said, but not all
that could be said.
10 Have you ever been following a slowpoke car that is doddering along
with the driver looking at everything along the way, and you know that
if he doesn’t speed up you are never going to get through on that
green light? But then he does speed up--just enough to get through on
the yellow light--and you have to stop. This has a great tendency to
test the patience. Sometimes we even start thinking rather
derogatorily about him as he drives away. However, it just may be that
the Lord is protecting us from an accident two miles down the road
because we stopped at that light, even though we did it reluctantly.
If you entertain these kinds of thoughts, it may have a tendency to
make you thankful instead of irate or angry, which is much better for
your digestion.
11 George Q. Cannon wrote in Gospel Truths: “So it is with all of us.
We have great afflictions from time to time. It seems to be necessary
that we should be tried and proved to see whether we are full of
integrity or not. In this way we get to know ourselves and our own
weaknesses; and the Lord knows us, and our brethren and sisters know
us. Therefore, it is a precious gift to have the gift of patience, to
be good-tempered, to be cheerful, to not be depressed, to not give way
to wrong feelings and become impatient and irritable. It is a blessed
gift for all to possess.” (Jerreld L. Newquist, ed., Salt Lake City:
Deseret Book Co., 1957, 2:198.) Yes, there are obstacles and
challenges. Men sometimes become cynical. Some despair and lose hope
and faith in the future, but the message stands: do not abandon, for
the Lord lives. He is our Savior and Redeemer; he is the Prince of
Peace. The great assurance of life, the great reason for eternal life,
is the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no other way.
12 Then, my brethren, ye shall reap the rewards of your faith, and
your diligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for the tree
to bring forth fruit unto you.
13 Again, as one reviews the various areas of life’s activities and
appreciates the many human inadequacies, the great value of patience
is seen as an important part of being a peacemaker. Sometimes we are
misunderstood, even by those who are closest to us. Under such
circumstances, patience will develop within us the capacity to accept
criticism if warranted or not. The ability to exercise forbearance
under provocation means that we are following the Savior’s teachings
to do good to those that despitefully use us and to turn the other
cheek. (See Matt. 5:39, 44.) Patience is truly a mighty virtue and can
be developed as we become peacemakers and make up our mind to be
patient within our own life as well as with others. I am grateful that
the restored gospel of Jesus Christ incorporates the remarkable
principle of patience. I am most thankful for the patience my Father
in Heaven has evidenced with me in my life.
14 And now my beloved brethren, I would exhort you to have patience,
and that ye bear with all manner of afflictions; that ye do not revile
against those who do cast you down, lest ye become sinners like unto
them; but that ye have patience, and bear with those afflictions, with
a firm hope that ye shall one day rest from all your afflictions.
15 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that
tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and
experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God
is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
16 Friends and loved ones often offer strength and support when our
own resolve is weak. In turn, our own strength and capacity will be
doubled when we help others endure. I pray that God will help us to
endure well, with purpose and power. When we so do, the meaningful
declaration in 2 Tim. 4:7 will take on a new dimension: “I have fought
a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.”
17 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great
recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye
have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
18 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud
of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so
easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set
before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith;
who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising
the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Younger Elder Brooksby
1-“After Much Tribulation Come the Blessings” by Adney Y. Komatsu,
October 1979 General Conference
2-Patience, a Key to Happiness by Joseph B. Wirthlin, April 1987
General Conference
3-“Be of Good Cheer” by Neal A. Maxwell, October 1982 General Conference
4-Preach My Gospel Chapter 6: How Do I Develop Christlike Attributes?
5-“Endure It Well” by Neal A. Maxwell, April 1990 General Conference
6-D&C 67:13
7-Adversity and You by Marvin J. Ashton, October 1980 General Conference
8-Gifts of the Spirit by James A. Cullimore, October 1974 General Conference
9-Proper Self-management by Marvin J. Ashton, October 1976 General Conference
10-That Ye May Have Roots and Branches by Hartman Rector, Jr., April
1983 General Conference
11-To Follow or Not, That Is the Question by Charles Didier, October
1981 General Conference
12-Alma 32:43
13-Be a Peacemaker by Franklin D. Richards, October 1983 General Conference
14-Alma 34:40-41(edited)
15-Romans 5:3-5
16-“If Thou Endure It Well” by Marvin J. Ashton, October 1984 General Conference
17-Hebrews 10:35-36
18-Hebrews 12:1-2
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Sunday, September 28, 2014
The Book of Brooksby, Chapter 14
CHAPTER 14
If we can be grateful for all of God's creations, from wonderful
sights to the slums of the earth, from man's best friend to
mosquitoes, from times of blessings to times of trial, we will never
encounter a problem again, because there will be nothing left with
power to affect our minds and spirits but for good.
1 A grateful heart is a beginning of greatness. It is an expression of
humility. It is a foundation for the development of such virtues as
prayer, faith, courage, contentment, happiness, love, and well-being.
2 Everyone’s situation is different, and the details of each life are
unique. Nevertheless, I have learned that there is something that
would take away the bitterness that may come into our lives. There is
one thing we can do to make life sweeter, more joyful, even glorious.
We can be grateful! It might sound contrary to the wisdom of the world
to suggest that one who is burdened with sorrow should give thanks to
God. But those who set aside the bottle of bitterness and lift instead
the goblet of gratitude can find a purifying drink of healing, peace,
and understanding.
3 We need to be more grateful. I think there’s no true character
without gratitude. It’s one of the marks of a real strong character,
to have a feeling of thanksgiving and gratitude for blessings that are
ours. We need more of that spirit in our homes, in our daily
associations, in church, everywhere. It doesn’t cost anything. It’s so
easy to cultivate the spirit of appreciation and gratitude. And it’s
so easy, also, to be dissatisfied and to be envious of other people.
4 One of the evils of our time is taking for granted so many of the
things we enjoy. This was spoken of by the Lord: “For what doth it
profit a man if a gift is bestowed upon him, and he receive not the
gift?” (D&C 88:33.) The Apostle Paul described our day to Timothy when
he wrote that in the last days “men shall be lovers of their own
selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to
parents, unthankful, unholy.” (2 Tim. 3:2.) These sins are fellow
travelers, and ingratitude makes one susceptible to all of them.
5 “I believe,” said President Joseph F. Smith many years ago, “that
one of the greatest sins of which the inhabitants of the earth are
guilty today is the sin of ingratitude, the want of acknowledgment, on
their part, of God and his right to govern and control. We see a man
raised up with extraordinary gifts, or with great intelligence, and he
is instrumental in developing some great principle. He and the world
ascribe this great genius and wisdom to himself. He attributes his
success to his own energies, labor and mental capacity. He does not
acknowledge the hand of God in anything connected with his success,
but ignores him altogether and takes the honor to himself; this will
apply to almost all the world. In all great modern discoveries in
science, in the arts, in mechanics, and in all the material
advancement of our age, the world says, ‘We have done it.’ The
individual says, ‘I have done it,’ and he gives no honor and credit to
God. Now, I read in the revelations through Joseph Smith, the prophet,
that because of this, God is not pleased with the inhabitants of the
earth but is angry with them because they will not acknowledge his
hand in all things.” (Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed., Salt Lake City:
Deseret Book Co., 1939, pp. 270–71.)
6 But ye are commanded in all things to ask of God, who giveth
liberally; and that which the Spirit testifies unto you even so I
would that ye should do in all holiness of heart, walking uprightly
before me, considering the end of your salvation, doing all things
with prayer and thanksgiving, that ye may not be seduced by evil
spirits, or doctrines of devils, or the commandments of men; for some
are of men, and others of devils.
7 That ye contend no more against the Holy Ghost, but that ye receive
it, and take 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 blessings which he doth bestow upon you.
8 When we understand this principle, that God offers us opportunities
for blessings and blesses us through our own adversities and the
adversities of others, we can understand why He has commanded us again
and again to “thank the Lord thy God in all things” (D&C 59:7).
9 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.
10 When we contemplate what the Lord has done for us in the past, our
present surroundings, and our future prospects, what a blest people we
are! I have thought sometimes that one of the greatest virtues the
Latter-day Saints could possess is gratitude to our Heavenly Father
for that which He has bestowed upon us and the path over which He has
led us. It may be that walking along in that path has not always been
of the most pleasant character; but we have afterwards discovered that
those circumstances which have been very unpleasant have often proved
of the highest advantage to us.
11 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it
be received with thanksgiving:
12 How blessed we are if we recognize God’s handiwork in the marvelous
tapestry of life. Gratitude to our Father in Heaven broadens our
perception and clears our vision. It inspires humility and fosters
empathy toward our fellowmen and all of God’s creation. Gratitude is a
catalyst to all Christlike attributes! A thankful heart is the parent
of all virtues.
13 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto
God.
14 And it came to pass that we were about to be swallowed up in the
depths of the sea. And after we had been driven back upon the waters
for the space of four days, my brethren began to see that the
judgments of God were upon them, and that they must perish save that
they should repent of their iniquities; wherefore, they came unto me,
and loosed the bands which were upon my wrists, and behold they had
swollen exceedingly; and also mine ankles were much swollen, and great
was the soreness thereof. Nevertheless, I did look unto my God, and I
did praise him all the day long; and I did not murmur against the Lord
because of mine afflictions.
15 Though the sun shines and the rain falls alike upon the just and
the unjust, the righteous man is grateful for these blessings; the
ungodly man receives the benefits as a matter of course with a soul
incapable of gratitude. The capacity to be grateful is a blessing, for
the possession of which we should be further grateful.
16 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. And thus they were driven forth; and no monster of
the sea could break them, neither whale that could mar them; and they
did have light continually, whether it was above the water or under
the water.
17 We rejoice because the Lord is ours, because we are sown in
weakness for the express purpose of attaining to greater power and
perfection. In everything the Saints may rejoice--in persecution,
because it is necessary to purge them, and prepare the wicked for
their doom; in sickness and in pain, though they are hard to bear,
because we are thereby made acquainted with pain, with sorrow, and
with every affliction that mortals can endure, for by contact all
things are demonstrated to our senses. We have reason to rejoice
exceedingly that faith is in the world, that the Lord reigns, and does
his pleasure among the inhabitants of the earth. Do you ask if I
rejoice because the Devil has the advantage over the inhabitants of
the earth, and has afflicted mankind? I most assuredly answer in the
affirmative; I rejoice in this as much as in anything else. I rejoice
because I am afflicted. I rejoice because I am poor. I rejoice because
I am cast down. Why? Because I shall be lifted up again. I rejoice
that I am poor because I shall be made rich; that I am afflicted,
because I shall be comforted, and prepared to enjoy the felicity of
perfect happiness, for it is impossible to properly appreciate
happiness except by enduring the opposite (DBY, 228).
18 I say unto you, my brethren, that if you should render all the
thanks and praise 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 you 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 from that which he
hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you
and prosper you.
19 This is a wonderful time to be living here on earth. Our
opportunities are limitless. While there are some things wrong in the
world today, there are many things right, such as teachers who teach,
ministers who minister, marriages that make it, parents who sacrifice,
and friends who help. 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. If ingratitude be numbered
among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the
noblest of virtues.
20-Elder Richard L. Evans once said, “Gratefully we acknowledge the
infinite mind of our Maker, and gratefully ought to offer our tithes
and offerings, and earnestly consistent service, in thanks for all
that God has given, and keep his commandments in remembrance of the
love and providence and purpose of the Creator, the God and Father of
us all, the organizer and operator of heaven and earth, without whom
all these things would not be so. Thank God for all this: for life and
what sustains it, for loved ones that make it meaningful, for faith
and purpose and continuance, always and forever. Thank God for all of
this--and much, much more.” (“Thanks: for the Organization and
Operation of the Earth,” Improvement Era, Feb. 1968, p. 74; KSL “The
Spoken Word” broadcast, Nov. 19, 1967.) Now, brethren and sisters, I
bear my testimony to you that the Lord wants us to be grateful and
thankful unto him. And if we do these things which he has advised us
to do, we will be the happiest people who dwell upon the earth, for
this is the way to the presence and society of our Father in heaven. I
so testify, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Younger Elder Brooksby
1-Gratitude As a Saving Principle by James E. Faust, April 1990
General Conference
2-Grateful in Any Circumstances by Dieter F. Uchtdorf, April 2014
General Conference
3-Receive All Things with Thankfulness by Ezra Taft Benson, February
1978 Liahona
4-Gratitude As a Saving Principle by James E. Faust, April 1990
General Conference
5-Gratitude and Thanksgiving by Marion G. Romney, October 1982 General
Conference
6-D&C 46:7
7-Alma 34:38
8-Give Thanks in All Things by Dallin H. Oaks, April 2003 General Conference
9-D&C 78:19
10-Teachings of the Presidents-Lorenzo Snow, Chapter 7: Faithfulness
in Times of Trial: “From the Shadows into the Glorious Sunshine”
11-1 Timothy 4:4
12-Grateful in Any Circumstances by Dieter F. Uchtdorf, April 2014
General Conference
13-Philippians 4:6
14-1 Nephi 18:15-16
15-Jesus the Christ by James E. Talmage, Chapter 17: The Sermon on the Mount
16-Ether 6:9-10
17-Teachings of the Presidents-Brigham Young, Chapter 25: Cultivating
Gratitude, Humility, and Honesty
18-Mosiah 2:20-22
19-An Attitude of Gratitude by Thomas S. Monson, April 1992 General Conference
20-Gratitude and Thanksgiving by Marion G. Romney, October 1982
General Conference
If we can be grateful for all of God's creations, from wonderful
sights to the slums of the earth, from man's best friend to
mosquitoes, from times of blessings to times of trial, we will never
encounter a problem again, because there will be nothing left with
power to affect our minds and spirits but for good.
1 A grateful heart is a beginning of greatness. It is an expression of
humility. It is a foundation for the development of such virtues as
prayer, faith, courage, contentment, happiness, love, and well-being.
2 Everyone’s situation is different, and the details of each life are
unique. Nevertheless, I have learned that there is something that
would take away the bitterness that may come into our lives. There is
one thing we can do to make life sweeter, more joyful, even glorious.
We can be grateful! It might sound contrary to the wisdom of the world
to suggest that one who is burdened with sorrow should give thanks to
God. But those who set aside the bottle of bitterness and lift instead
the goblet of gratitude can find a purifying drink of healing, peace,
and understanding.
3 We need to be more grateful. I think there’s no true character
without gratitude. It’s one of the marks of a real strong character,
to have a feeling of thanksgiving and gratitude for blessings that are
ours. We need more of that spirit in our homes, in our daily
associations, in church, everywhere. It doesn’t cost anything. It’s so
easy to cultivate the spirit of appreciation and gratitude. And it’s
so easy, also, to be dissatisfied and to be envious of other people.
4 One of the evils of our time is taking for granted so many of the
things we enjoy. This was spoken of by the Lord: “For what doth it
profit a man if a gift is bestowed upon him, and he receive not the
gift?” (D&C 88:33.) The Apostle Paul described our day to Timothy when
he wrote that in the last days “men shall be lovers of their own
selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to
parents, unthankful, unholy.” (2 Tim. 3:2.) These sins are fellow
travelers, and ingratitude makes one susceptible to all of them.
5 “I believe,” said President Joseph F. Smith many years ago, “that
one of the greatest sins of which the inhabitants of the earth are
guilty today is the sin of ingratitude, the want of acknowledgment, on
their part, of God and his right to govern and control. We see a man
raised up with extraordinary gifts, or with great intelligence, and he
is instrumental in developing some great principle. He and the world
ascribe this great genius and wisdom to himself. He attributes his
success to his own energies, labor and mental capacity. He does not
acknowledge the hand of God in anything connected with his success,
but ignores him altogether and takes the honor to himself; this will
apply to almost all the world. In all great modern discoveries in
science, in the arts, in mechanics, and in all the material
advancement of our age, the world says, ‘We have done it.’ The
individual says, ‘I have done it,’ and he gives no honor and credit to
God. Now, I read in the revelations through Joseph Smith, the prophet,
that because of this, God is not pleased with the inhabitants of the
earth but is angry with them because they will not acknowledge his
hand in all things.” (Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed., Salt Lake City:
Deseret Book Co., 1939, pp. 270–71.)
6 But ye are commanded in all things to ask of God, who giveth
liberally; and that which the Spirit testifies unto you even so I
would that ye should do in all holiness of heart, walking uprightly
before me, considering the end of your salvation, doing all things
with prayer and thanksgiving, that ye may not be seduced by evil
spirits, or doctrines of devils, or the commandments of men; for some
are of men, and others of devils.
7 That ye contend no more against the Holy Ghost, but that ye receive
it, and take 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 blessings which he doth bestow upon you.
8 When we understand this principle, that God offers us opportunities
for blessings and blesses us through our own adversities and the
adversities of others, we can understand why He has commanded us again
and again to “thank the Lord thy God in all things” (D&C 59:7).
9 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.
10 When we contemplate what the Lord has done for us in the past, our
present surroundings, and our future prospects, what a blest people we
are! I have thought sometimes that one of the greatest virtues the
Latter-day Saints could possess is gratitude to our Heavenly Father
for that which He has bestowed upon us and the path over which He has
led us. It may be that walking along in that path has not always been
of the most pleasant character; but we have afterwards discovered that
those circumstances which have been very unpleasant have often proved
of the highest advantage to us.
11 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it
be received with thanksgiving:
12 How blessed we are if we recognize God’s handiwork in the marvelous
tapestry of life. Gratitude to our Father in Heaven broadens our
perception and clears our vision. It inspires humility and fosters
empathy toward our fellowmen and all of God’s creation. Gratitude is a
catalyst to all Christlike attributes! A thankful heart is the parent
of all virtues.
13 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto
God.
14 And it came to pass that we were about to be swallowed up in the
depths of the sea. And after we had been driven back upon the waters
for the space of four days, my brethren began to see that the
judgments of God were upon them, and that they must perish save that
they should repent of their iniquities; wherefore, they came unto me,
and loosed the bands which were upon my wrists, and behold they had
swollen exceedingly; and also mine ankles were much swollen, and great
was the soreness thereof. Nevertheless, I did look unto my God, and I
did praise him all the day long; and I did not murmur against the Lord
because of mine afflictions.
15 Though the sun shines and the rain falls alike upon the just and
the unjust, the righteous man is grateful for these blessings; the
ungodly man receives the benefits as a matter of course with a soul
incapable of gratitude. The capacity to be grateful is a blessing, for
the possession of which we should be further grateful.
16 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. And thus they were driven forth; and no monster of
the sea could break them, neither whale that could mar them; and they
did have light continually, whether it was above the water or under
the water.
17 We rejoice because the Lord is ours, because we are sown in
weakness for the express purpose of attaining to greater power and
perfection. In everything the Saints may rejoice--in persecution,
because it is necessary to purge them, and prepare the wicked for
their doom; in sickness and in pain, though they are hard to bear,
because we are thereby made acquainted with pain, with sorrow, and
with every affliction that mortals can endure, for by contact all
things are demonstrated to our senses. We have reason to rejoice
exceedingly that faith is in the world, that the Lord reigns, and does
his pleasure among the inhabitants of the earth. Do you ask if I
rejoice because the Devil has the advantage over the inhabitants of
the earth, and has afflicted mankind? I most assuredly answer in the
affirmative; I rejoice in this as much as in anything else. I rejoice
because I am afflicted. I rejoice because I am poor. I rejoice because
I am cast down. Why? Because I shall be lifted up again. I rejoice
that I am poor because I shall be made rich; that I am afflicted,
because I shall be comforted, and prepared to enjoy the felicity of
perfect happiness, for it is impossible to properly appreciate
happiness except by enduring the opposite (DBY, 228).
18 I say unto you, my brethren, that if you should render all the
thanks and praise 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 you 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 from that which he
hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you
and prosper you.
19 This is a wonderful time to be living here on earth. Our
opportunities are limitless. While there are some things wrong in the
world today, there are many things right, such as teachers who teach,
ministers who minister, marriages that make it, parents who sacrifice,
and friends who help. 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. If ingratitude be numbered
among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the
noblest of virtues.
20-Elder Richard L. Evans once said, “Gratefully we acknowledge the
infinite mind of our Maker, and gratefully ought to offer our tithes
and offerings, and earnestly consistent service, in thanks for all
that God has given, and keep his commandments in remembrance of the
love and providence and purpose of the Creator, the God and Father of
us all, the organizer and operator of heaven and earth, without whom
all these things would not be so. Thank God for all this: for life and
what sustains it, for loved ones that make it meaningful, for faith
and purpose and continuance, always and forever. Thank God for all of
this--and much, much more.” (“Thanks: for the Organization and
Operation of the Earth,” Improvement Era, Feb. 1968, p. 74; KSL “The
Spoken Word” broadcast, Nov. 19, 1967.) Now, brethren and sisters, I
bear my testimony to you that the Lord wants us to be grateful and
thankful unto him. And if we do these things which he has advised us
to do, we will be the happiest people who dwell upon the earth, for
this is the way to the presence and society of our Father in heaven. I
so testify, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Younger Elder Brooksby
1-Gratitude As a Saving Principle by James E. Faust, April 1990
General Conference
2-Grateful in Any Circumstances by Dieter F. Uchtdorf, April 2014
General Conference
3-Receive All Things with Thankfulness by Ezra Taft Benson, February
1978 Liahona
4-Gratitude As a Saving Principle by James E. Faust, April 1990
General Conference
5-Gratitude and Thanksgiving by Marion G. Romney, October 1982 General
Conference
6-D&C 46:7
7-Alma 34:38
8-Give Thanks in All Things by Dallin H. Oaks, April 2003 General Conference
9-D&C 78:19
10-Teachings of the Presidents-Lorenzo Snow, Chapter 7: Faithfulness
in Times of Trial: “From the Shadows into the Glorious Sunshine”
11-1 Timothy 4:4
12-Grateful in Any Circumstances by Dieter F. Uchtdorf, April 2014
General Conference
13-Philippians 4:6
14-1 Nephi 18:15-16
15-Jesus the Christ by James E. Talmage, Chapter 17: The Sermon on the Mount
16-Ether 6:9-10
17-Teachings of the Presidents-Brigham Young, Chapter 25: Cultivating
Gratitude, Humility, and Honesty
18-Mosiah 2:20-22
19-An Attitude of Gratitude by Thomas S. Monson, April 1992 General Conference
20-Gratitude and Thanksgiving by Marion G. Romney, October 1982
General Conference
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