This is the time of year that everyone starts counting their blessings and mentioning things they are thankful for. Comes to mind at once...Family and Friends and Home and on and on. Today I'm thankful for something else. Something other than the familiar list we each recall at this beautiful time of year.
Today I realized that I'm thankful for the things I've read and learned and studied and thought and pondered about the gospel, from the doctrinal viewpoint. I'm thankful for the hours and years of opportunities to teach Gospel centered lessons because it increased my learning. I've had this unreachable itch, practically since I joined the Church, to learn from authoritative sources. Manual sources-- Manuals I have trusted in preparing lessons...Seminary and Institute and Gospel Doctrine and Gospel Principles and Temple Preparation and Relief society and Young Women.
Added to that, mentioned in all of the above manuals, are the Scriptures that I believe and embrace and read and love....The Holy Bible (King James version) ...The Book of Mormon...General Conference talks...the Hymnal...Doctrine and Covenants...The Articles of Faith.
In the Book of Mormon we are told to let these Scriptures be for our profit and learning. That brings me to why I feel filled with thanks.
These last couple of weeks have been tough for me. Terry has suffered and when one you love suffers, you can't help but absorb that in ways deep inside. I wasn't feeling real swift myself and felt it was probably the stress and just the challenges of my life right now. I really didn't feel like studying except for reading one chapter in the Book of Mormon.
I prayed and pleaded for direction and some relief and sat down and just relaxed and closed my eyes and allowed my thoughts to just wander. It made me feel filled with thanks as scriptures and hymns, and connected thoughts of comfort, just slowly and lovingly meandered through my musings. It was like refreshing reassuring cool water.
I remember driving on a Sunday with my parents, as a girl, traveling on Turnagain Arm's winding road and my Daddy stopping the car and we all got out and drank ice cold water that seemed to gush from the rocky mountain side. I remember them telling Dixie and I- this is the real thing. it doesn't get better than this! I remember him cupping his hands and pouring it in his mouth the best that he could and making the most satisfying Ahhhhh and slapping the water off his hands on the sides of his legs.
I thought of never taking water for granted even to this time, after years of Alaska living and hand hauling drinking water many times.
Of course I thought of the Savior. The Living Water. Yes. All of these jumbled precious thoughts just cocooned me and even though nothing had changed outwardly, inwardly I was so soothed. That was when it hit me that I was glad I had things in my head, from my love of gospel learning, that the Holy Ghost could draw and bring those needed specific learnings to my mind. I became filled with thanks.
Eventually solutions did surface over a short few days. Terry's Rx started to work. Our son figured out how to help lessen the pain when it kicked up. I found out I have bronchitis and so I'm now 2 days into Rx. So things have lightened up. Somewhat.
I still relish that experience happening with such specificity and I am filled with thanks. Thanks- for prayers being answered...& things learned and studied in the past, being brought to my mind, to help me when I most needed reminding of the power of the Gospel but was to tired and overwhelmed for any serious study.
My heart is thankful and I truly am filled.
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