In the past couple of years, we started to have car trouble with our minivan. I live in a household with my mom, dad, and sister. My two older brothers are moved out. At first, the van started having small issues like leaking oil, or squeaking breaks. More recently, our transmission went out and now the spark plugs are being leaked on by oil and anti-freeze. My family doesn't have the money to buy a new car and we need the car to last me until I go on my 2 year mission for the church. Even though its hard to notice, the Lord has had his hand in the blessings of our lives from the beginning. Ever since we've had the van, no one has gotten into any accidents and we were just recently blessed with a missionary in our ward who was a mechanic back home. He is an angel to our family and has fixed our van a countless number of times and it has blessed our lives immensely.
As an Aaronic Priesthood holder in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I had the opportunity today to be called by my bishop as the First Assistant of the Priest Quorum in my ward. This is a big responsibility for a young man of my age. I have the responsibility to lead our weekly meetings, bless the sacrament, and take charge where leadership is needed. In our lesson today, we were given the topic of Gratitude. We went around in a circle and were asked to name one thing, ascending alphabetically, that we were grateful for. Many of the young men suggested things like food, video games, or something of that nature. I really tried to ponder the meaning of this lesson and what sort of message our teacher was trying to get across to us. As it came around the circle to me, I was in charge of providing an answer starting with the letter D. I thought for a minute in silence, then I said, "I am grateful for Dads."
My father has always been there for me. From the first time I took a breath in the hospital to needing help when writing a paper for my English class. He has always been a great example to me an shown his Priesthood authority by giving me a Father's Blessing every year before school. When a friend of ours, Ralph Cordell, was in the hospital, my dad would take me at least twice a week to the hospital to go and see Ralph. I didn't realize it at the time, but later my dad told me the purpose of visiting him. It was to show Ralph that he was still loved. Personally, I have never been in the hospital for any period of time. My dad has had some experience with this. When my dad had to stay in the hospital for three days, he told me it was the loneliest three days of his life and how you feel like no one loves you and everyone just forgot you were there. I then started to notice how every time me and my dad walked into the room, Ralph's face would just light up! He was so excited to see us. His wife later told me that he would get so excited after we left and say things like, "Then haven't forgot me!" We would get him into his wheel chair and walk him around outside, eat meals with him, and just sit and have a good chat. Ralph was one of my Priest Quorum advisers. He was one of the best teachers I ever had. Ralph died shortly after he was released from the hospital of diabetes. At his funeral, me and my dad participated in a men's choir singing "Praise to the Man". I think this was one of the most heart felt moments I ever had with my father. As the song progressed, tears streamed down our faces. I grabbed my dad's hand and we both sang strong and tried to make it to the end of the song. As I would squeeze tight, my dad would squeeze tighter. I'll never forget that day and the look on my dad's face. He also shared with me a scripture that made me think of service in a different way. That scripture was James 1: 27.
I'm grateful for the Priesthood example that my dad shows me everyday and the opportunity I had to visit Ralph while he was in the hospital. Although God took an angel from my life, I'm grateful for the chance I had to know Ralph and the lessons of knowledge and truth he provided me.
When attending school everyday and seeing the work of the devil walk the hallways and hearing the things people are saying to each other, it is hard to remember sometimes where I stand and the role Jesus Christ plays in my life. Sometimes when I have thoughts pop into my head that I shouldn't be thinking of, I like to take a scripture, such as Moses 1: 16 and repeat it in my head. "Get thee hence Satan!" If we are faithful, the Lord will fill our thoughts with peaceful and nourishing ones. In Boyd K. Packers talk in 1973, "Worthy Music, Worthy Thoughts", he talks about our minds being like a stage and we are the director. We control what goes on and off the stage and what is said. Satan uses all his power to send things onto the stage that shouldn't be there. Since we are the directors, we need to use all of our power to get those bad things off the stage and replace them with good things. I know that Boyd K. Packer is an apostle of God and that he was called to testify of the Lord's work and I am grateful for him and all of the other apostles and Quorums of the 70.
As you go about your life for the rest of the week, month, year, whatever it may be, I encourage you to think of not just the little things you are grateful for, but of all the things you have been blessed with. The season of Thanksgiving is not the only time we need to recognize blessings in our lives. Show your gratitude to those around you and do things for others to strengthen their testimonies. I have a testimony of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the leaders of it. I know that Joseph Smith is the founder of this church and Jesus Christ sits at the head. I love my family, friends, and my Savior and am grateful for all the things that I am provided with. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Have I seen His hand in my life?
