Can I Really be Grateful for Difficulties?
Yesterday was Thanksgiving Day in the United States and President Chipman and I were invited to the apartment of our senior couple to share a meal. It didn’t look like the traditional Thanksgiving fare because the foods are different and we all missed our families, but it was delicious–especially with a few marshmallows and rolls. After Dinner, we decided to share what we are grateful for this year. It surprised me when I realized that the first thing that popped into my head was that I am grateful for the opportunity to live in Peru and to serve as a mission leader. “Wow!” I thought, “Had I really progressed to this point?”
At the beginning, the mission was very overwhelming with the new language, culture, and responsibilities. But, as I have embraced these things, I now realize that this is an amazing opportunity that will be over before I know it. I am learning and changing in ways that I never thought possible. I feel more deeply, I see more clearly, and I look at the world and God from a better perspective. My life is richer, and I am very happy. I don't know why we were selected for this opportunity during this time, but I am so glad, and I plan to take full advantage of it.
Now this doesn’t mean that we have got this whole mission thing figured out, because I don’t think that this is that kind of assignment. Everyday introduces constant and unexpected challenges and a lot of crazy. We often wonder if we are failing, and we see much heartache. But, as we continue to try our best, we also get to see progress and miracles in the lives of others, and this is very satisfying!
Elder Uchtdorf said, ”We sometimes think that being grateful is what we do after our problems are solved, but how terribly shortsighted that is. How much of life do we miss by waiting to see the rainbow before thanking God that there is rain?”
“True gratitude is an expression of hope and testimony. It comes from acknowledging that we do not always understand the trials of life but trusting that one day we will.”
I have a testimony of this. I know that God has a plan for each of his children and even though I don’t understand everything, I know that our Savior does, and through His atonement He will make everything right in His timing.
May you all have this same hope as we celebrate our Savior’s birth during this holiday season.
On Sunday, December 4, the Church of Jesus Christ will have a Christmas Devotional at 4 pm MST. You can learn more about watching it live or anytime afterwards from this link:
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/event/2022-first-presidency-s-christmas-devotional
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Here are some scriptures I that came to my mind as I thought about this post:
“He who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious” (Doctrine and Covenants 78:19).
“For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so,..... righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; ….having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility.” (Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 2:11).
