Eyring - Remembrance and Gratitude - October 1989

President Eying speaks as the first counselor in the Presiding Bishopric.  He speaks of remembrance and gratitude for the things that God has give to us.  He starts by telling about the early saints in Orderville, Utah where early saints tried living the new order..  All were living in common conditions and all things were overseen by the community.  Everyone shared everything and all was given to the group to supply for the community needs.  Over time, the saints that settled there began to forget the dire circumstances they came from and started to be prideful.  Eventually, the new order fell apart and the way of life ended.  But is was all because they forgot to remember where they came from and to show gratitude to God.

President Eyring shares that we need to remember we were born with nothing and that life is a gift from God.

• We so easily forget that we came into life with nothing. Whatever we get soon seems our natural right, not a gift. And we forget the giver. Then our gaze shifts from what we have been given to what we don’t have yet.

He warns us that not repenting and forgiving people will end in misery for us.  On the other hand, repenting and forgiving others will lead us to happiness.

• Unforgiven sin will bring us unending torment. And he described the gift we all have been offered: those whose faith in Jesus Christ leads them to repentance and forgiveness will live in never-ending happiness.

The Holy Ghost pays a key role in helping us remember the things God has given to us.

• The Holy Ghost brings back memories of what God has taught us. And one of the ways God teaches us is with his blessings; and so, if we choose to exercise faith, the Holy Ghost will bring God’s kindnesses to our remembrance.

He quotes one of my favorite quotes from Joseph Smith.  It reminds me that the lack of gratitude in our lives will damage us spiritually.

• “The Prophet Joseph said at one time that one of the greatest sins of which the Latter-day Saints would be guilty is the sin of ingratitude. I presume most of us have not thought of that as a great sin. There is a great tendency for us in our prayers and in our pleadings with the Lord to ask for additional blessings. But sometimes I feel we need to devote more of our prayers to expressions of gratitude and thanksgiving for blessings already received. We enjoy so much.”

President Eyring gives us advice on how to turn our hearts to God and remember the blessings in our lives and be more grateful for the things that we have been given.  The Holy Ghost plays a big role in us turning around.

• You could have an experience with the gift of the Holy Ghost today. You could begin a private prayer with thanks. You could start to count your blessings, and then pause for a moment. If you exercise faith, and with the gift of the Holy Ghost, you will find that memories of other blessings will flood into your mind. If you begin to express gratitude for each of them, your prayer may take a little longer than usual. Remembrance will come. And so will gratitude.

Remembrance and gratitude are connected.  One will naturally lead you to the other.  But both are needed to express your love for God.

• Remembrance is the seed of gratitude which is the seed of generosity. Gratitude for the remission of sins is the seed of charity, the pure love of Christ. And so God has made possible for you and me this blessing, a change in our very natures: “And the remission of sins bringeth meekness, and lowliness of heart; and because of meekness and lowliness of heart cometh the visitation of the Holy Ghost, which Comforter filleth with hope and perfect love, which love endureth by diligence unto prayer, until the end shall come, when all the saints shall dwell with God.” ( Moro. 8:26 .)

He concludes with a simple prayer that we will do the right things and that the Holy Ghost will help us.

• I pray that we may make the simple choices which will lead us there to dwell with Him. And I pray that we will remember and be grateful for the gift of the Atonement and the gift of the Holy Ghost, which make that journey possible.

I have been studying about gratitude lately.  Around my house, I think we have an issue with appreciating the things that other do for us.  As I try to raise my children, it is vital that they learn to say thank you and acknowledge when others do things for them.  I continue to share with them that unless we are grateful for the blessings we have, it is hard to identify them and thank God for them.  If we fail to thank God for the blessings we have in our lives, I think we are less inclined to know that all our gifts come from Him and we start to feel like we did something on our own to earn them.  But being humble, acknowledging God's hand in our lives, and expressing gratitude for our blessings are all things that I have found, bring peace and happiness into my life.