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Gratitude
The gift of our calling
It was five years, almost to the day, but if you saw a picture of that Bishop from the start of his term, you'd be forgiven for thinking 15 or 20 years had passed. The marital disputes, the midnight runs to the chapel to forestall eviction, and the last-second interviews had taken their toll on both his hairline and his beltline. "Busy as a man can be," indeed. But finally, it was time to pass the baton. The new Bishop took the stand to bear his testimony. "Brothers and sisters, during this season of the year we express gratitude for gifts. I want to start by thanking our Bishop for the gift of his devoted service in our ward." A moment of silence follows-- the Latter-day Saint chapel equivalent to hearty applause. "I thank my wife and children for the gift of accepting the call to sustain me without hesitation." Another well-deserved round of silent mental clapping. "And I especially want to thank God for His gift of calling to me to be the new Bishop." Wait... what?
Dumpster fire? No, 2020 was a great year!
All through the year, our news feeds have been inundated with messages like:"Kobe Bryant, Alex Trebek, Sean Connery, and RGB? This year can't get any worse." "First COVID and now murder hornets? Lord, just take me now." "This is crazy. I can't imagine bringing kids into this world." "2020 is a dumpster fire of a year. Wake me up with 2020 is over."Amid such gloom, Pres. Nelson invited us to #GiveThanks and flood social media with gratitude. Surprisingly, many even in the Church criticized this prophetic counsel, arguing that it's insensitive to ask people to give thanks when things are so bleak. Words of gratitude in a year like this one would just be hollow and empty. To anyone who thinks this year was a dumpster fire, let me set the record straight. That attitude is not just depressing and unhelpful-- it's factually wrong. 2020 was a great year. You'll see what I mean if you choose to remember.
#GiveThanks and #AskNothing
On Friday, the Prophet invited us to "turn social media into your own personal gratitude journal. Post every day about what you are grateful for… flood social media with a wave of gratitude that reaches the four corners of the earth." That invitation couldn’t have come at a better time, and I’m grateful to accept it. However, I was also prompted to add a little something extra to my search for gratitude. Let me explain why President Nelson’s address hit me so hard.