An Attitude of Gratitude

I had the wonderful experience of listening to a talk from General Conference on the way into work today that touched me even more so maybe than the first time I heard it. It was "Grateful in Any Circumstances" by Dieter F. Uchtdorf. The wonderful thing about listening to this talk again was how I was able to experience it. Just like the first time I heard it, I was confused when he said "I'm suggesting that instead of being thankful for things..." about any other way of being thankful until he finished with "...we focus on being thankful in our circumstances--whatever they may be."

Wow. So true. It indeed really is easier to be thankful for things when life seems to be going our way, but the Lord does not command us to only be thankful then. Rather to always be thankful. I love that. I try sometimes to remember to be thankful for my trials as they are frequently blessings in a form I might not have otherwise chosen, but I should also be thankful in my trials. Man I love that.

I basically just want to reword and write everything from that talk because it meant so much to me, but instead I will focus on one other thing.

Especially as of late as my faith has been tested, I have obsessed over and feared death more than ever before in my life. But this quote addresses this and deserves to be put here in it's entirety.

"In light of what we know about our eternal destiny, is it any wonder that whenever we face the bitter endings of life, they seem unacceptable to us? There seems to be something inside of us that resists endings.

"Why is this? Because we are made of the stuff of eternity. We are eternal beings, children of the Almighty God, whose name is Endless and who promises eternal blessings without number. Ends are not our destiny.

"The more we learn about the gospel of Jesus Christ, the more we realize that endings here in mortality are not endings at all. They are merely interruptions--temporary pauses that one day will seem small compared to the eternal joy awaiting the faithful.

"How grateful I am to my Heavenly Father that in His plan there are no true endings, only everlasting beginnings."

We are loved. We are eternal. When people say death is only the beginning, really death was never the beginning or end. It is merely a step along our eternal path that gives us pause.