"And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious" (D&C 78:19)

Day #30

I am grateful for this scripture that teaches me about gratitude and the blessings that are given to those who express such:

"And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; 

and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, 

even an hundred fold, yea, more."

(D&C 78:19)

I love this scripture! As I have been practicing being thankful for all that I have been given, including the struggles and challenges, I have had an increase of the Spirit in my life and I have been so much happier! I wish I could express what it has been like as I have consciously tried to receive "all things with thankfulness" and the change that has come to my heart.

God promises that the "earth shall be added unto [us]" as we receive all that He wants to bless us with. This past month this phrase has been going through my head, "...all these things shall give thee experience" (D&C 122:7). I had to ask, "Experience in what?" I can honestly say I have had more experience in patience, in being diligent, in trusting in God and His power- and so many more things. The rest of that verse says, "...and shall be for thy good" (D&C 122:7).

I testify, from my own experience, that God blesses us as we receive "all things with thankfulness" (D&C 78:19). I encourage you to give it a try, be open to all that God has for you and receive it with a thankful heart. As you do, there will come into your life a joy and peace that is more than the world can offer, "yea, more". (D&C 78:19) This I testify. 

This morning the sunrise was incredible! He has so much for us to receive.

When we receive all things with thankfulness more joy and peace comes. "Yea, more".

"If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man" (James 3:2)

Day #11

I'm thankful for this scripture as it gives me hope that I will be able to accomplish the control of my tongue someday. Till' then, I will keep working on it. (It's a daily work for sure.)

"For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body." (James 3:2)

No one is perfect, but that doesn't give me the right to find fault with another. Rather, I not only practice keeping my tongue in its proper place, I also get to practice forgiving others when their tongue is a little out of place.

I love what Elder Jeffrey R. Holland says about the way of finding good and speaking it. He says, "Speak hopefully. Speak encouragingly, including about yourself. Try not to complain and moan incessantly. As someone once said, 'Even in the golden age of civilization someone undoubtedly grumbled that everything looked too yellow'. (The Tongue of Angels)

Keep trying. It's worth the effort.

"And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious..." (D&C 78:19)

There was a time in my life where I would walk and walk and walk. I would walk for miles. I would walk because I was so hurt and I had, for many years, centered my life in a place that I could no longer stay. I was so sad and I didn't know what else to do. Walking was my way of dealing with being in a "wilderness", a place I felt completely alone and lost. As I look back on that time in my life I can now see that even though I was in a wilderness, so to speak, I wasn't alone and I wasn't really walking aimlessly. I was being led to something better. I was being led to a "promised land".

In all our lives, no matter if we live in the United States, in Russia, in Mexico, in Turkey, in Malaysia, or where ever we live, there will be times we feel as though we are in the wilderness, alone, and walking aimlessly. But if we allow ourselves to trust, and to "feel after Him" (Acts 17:27), not just in our hard times, but also in our times of peace (see D&C 101:8) we will see that He is leading us, that we are "led by the power of His arm, through the wilderness" (Omni 1:13). The Lord says: "I will also be your light in the wilderness; and I will prepare the way before you; if it so be that ye shall keep my commandments; wherefore, inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall be led towards the promised land; and ye shall know that it is by me that ye are led" (1 Nephi 17:13). Not only will He lead us, but He will make sure we have "light" and we will be able to discern that it is by His power we are being led. I felt this power as I walked. Even though I was horribly sad, I had a sense of peace and calm that slowly filled up that emptiness as I "felt after Him" (Acts 17:27).

When I was walking and walking, little did I know that I was walking away from something good, to something better. Sometimes we think we know what is best and then we are hit with a really difficult challenge that makes us question everything and even wonder if there is any good at all out in the world. But if we are paying attention we can hear and feel His voice, "because [His] voice is Spirit" (D&C 88:66) and we will hear, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye are little children, and ye have not as yet understood how great blessings the Father hath in His own hands and prepared for you; And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along...And he (and she) who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him (and her), even an hundred fold, yea, more" (D&C 78:17-19). We can hear His voice as we listen to the Spirit and follow the promptings we get during our difficult times as well as peaceful times. The real challenge might not be the "wilderness", but to "receiveth all things with thankfulness" (D&C 78:19 bold added)

Just as the children of Israel had to walk through the wilderness to get to the Red sea (see Exodus 13:18) and then were in the wilderness for forty years, the Lord was ever with them, taking care of all their needs (see Nehemiah 9:19-21), leading them along~ He is doing the same for us as we "receiveth all things with thankfulness" (D&C 78:19), this includes in our "wildernesses". I must use the words of Ammon to say how I feel: "I say, blessed be the name of my God, who has been mindful of us, wanderers in a strange land. Now my [friends], we see that God is mindful of every people, whatsoever land they may be in; yea, he numbereth His people, and his bowels of mercy are over all the earth. Now this is my joy, and my great thanksgiving; yea, and I will give thanks unto my God forever" (Alma 26:36-37). Give thanks for everything, for "He will never...forsake [us]" (Hebrews 13:5) not even in the wilderness. This I testify.

"Do all things without murmurings and disputings." Philippians 2:14

There is something I have been working on lately. Some days I am better at it than others. It is to not murmur, but to give thanks. I know I talk about giving thanks a lot, but I haven't mentioned murmuring. It is so easy to find the negative, and forget to find the positive in life. What I really want is for it to just come automatically, giving thanks, not murmuring. When I want to change a habit or do something better I often find scriptures to memorize that will help me develop those habits. There is a scripture that has helped me with this. It is Philippians 2:14. It reads: "Do all things without murmurings and disputings."

My kids will spend so much time complaining about doing their homework that they could have completed it in the time of all their murmuring. I point this out to them and they don't really like it. I think this is the same with keeping the commandments.. If we just quit complaining about what we "can't do" and focus on all the things we can do and the blessing we will receive, then the keeping will have been completed. It simply comes down to how do I want to spend my time and where is my heart? I am still working on it all.

Elder Maxwell says it like this: "Perhaps when we murmur we are unconsciously complaining over not being able to cut a special deal with the Lord. We want full blessings but without full obedience to the laws upon which those blessings are predicated. For instance, some murmurers seem to hope to reshape the Church to their liking by virtue of their murmuring. But why would one want to belong to a church that he could make in his own image, when it is the Lord's image that we should come to have in our countenances? (See Alma 5:19.)

The doctrines are His, brothers and sisters, not ours. The power is His to delegate, not ours to manipulate!" (October 1989 Addresses/ "Murmur Not")

Rather than murmur..."live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings he doth bestow upon you" (Alma 34:38.) We truly have been given so much! It is all around us, even if it appears we may have little. I have been truly blessed by my Savior Jesus Christ. Because of Him I truly live, have a life filled with the things that matter most. Because of Him, I can change every day, bit by bit and that is an incredible gift to have been given. This I testify is nothing to murmur about, but to "rejoice evermore! (1 Thes. 5:16)

"In every thing give thanks." 1 Thess. 5:18

It has been a great day. I have many blessings to count, and count them I did. At the end of the great day, it was almost ruined by an attitude, but was save by gratitude. It was a great blessing to feel the change take place as I prayed with my husband and just said thanks to Heavenly Father for all the blessings I had been given, all the "birthday gifts" if you will. (Sept. 21st is my birthday:) The list is long and wonderful and very humbling really. I have to much to be thankful and grateful for. As I started the prayer I was rather frustrated because of something that had taken place with one of our children just a few minutes earlier and I was suddenly in a bad mood. I didn't want to go to bed like this, so as I prayed, I only said thanks for all the "gifts" that I have been given, such as: My incredible husband who loves me supports me and is a wonderful father to our children. Our four amazing children who are learning for themselves the value of truth, hard work, faith, and so much more. The gift of having good friends and extended family close by to love and support me and our family. The gift of our home where we are safe and free from the world. The gift of good health. The gift of the gospel. The gift of Jesus Christ, my Savior and Redeemer. The gift of having scriptures to read so easily and having them so readily available. The gift of having a prophet to lead and guide us in these days of constant change and turmoil. The blessing and gift of Jeff's employment and that he likes what he does and where he works. The gift of knowledge and ability to make choices as to whether or not I want to apply that knowledge. Wow! I have received so many gifts!!! It has been an amazing birthday.

You know, it comes back to receiving again. There are just two quick scriptures that I will share about this an then I will let you ponder them and apply them as you will. As a receiver of gifts today, I realize that a gift is only as good as it is received. Better said:

"They who remain shall...enjoy that which they are willing to receive, because they are not willing to enjoy that which they might have received.

For what doth it profit a man if a gift is bestowed upon him, and he receive not the gift? Behold, he rejoices not in that which is given unto him, neither rejoices in him who is the giver of the gift." 

(D&C 88:32-33)

We are going to receive that which we are only willing to enjoy. As a kid, we wouldn't have liked it if our parents got us a really complicated game that we couldn't play~ unless we were willing to take the time to learn the rules, that means we had to be will to receive it and all the responsibility with it of learning how to play the game. But if we don't want to take the time to learn all of those rules then the game just becomes a burden and is left alone and more of a pain rather than a true gift. And the giver of the gift isn't appreciated either. 

Gratefully, in this life we have ample opportunity to learn to be good receivers. And one of the greatest gifts we can receive each day is the gift of gratitude. Start by "[counting] all your blessings, name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done." (Count Your Blessings). I promise that you will notice a difference in your day as you do this simple task of counting your blessings, seeing the good around you. As you do this your perspective will change and you will be filled with the Spirit. You will develop "an attitude of gratitude". "Let us follow Him. Let us emulate His example. Let us obey His word. By doing so, we give to Him the divine gift of gratitude." (Thomas S. Monson) This I testify will make a difference in all the gifts you receive.

"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication let your requests be made known unto God." Philippians 4:6

Last night after writing about "receiving" I kept thinking about it. I would wake up and think about it and in the morning I was thinking about it. In the Topical Guide under "receive" it says: "see also Accept". So, perhaps what I need to be asking myself about receiving is, "what am I willing to accept" and "what do I want to accept?" There are a lot of things I think I want, but then I get them and they are a lot of responsibility and I wish I hadn't received or accepted them. Or there have been things that I have not wanted and then received and thought, "why did I wait so long?"

I know that Heavenly Father lets us totally choose what we want to receive. He will never give us more than we can bear (see 1 Cor. 10:13, Alma 13:28) and He will also give us what we want. The question really is, do we really want the responsibility that comes with what we ask for? We are told 33 times in the scriptures "ask and ye shall receive". I am sure there are other forms of asking and receiving as well, such as " ask and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you" (Matt. 7:7). I think sometimes we ask, but not with real intent, meaning we really don't intend to do anything about the stuff we are asking about, we are just saying words, and then we go about our day.

For example, do I really want to have a relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ? And if I do, what am I willing to do about it? Am I willing to actually read the scriptures everyday? How about trying to live as they live? What am I willing to give up so that I can feel the Spirit more frequently in my life so I can have the Spirit with me and therefore have better communication with my Father in Heaven? It requires sacrifice. So, if I pray to have a better relationship with Heavenly Father, am I just saying words or do I really want to have a better relationship with Him? What do I intend to do about it?

Another example. I want to learn a new skill, such as playing the piano. I hear people all the time say, "I wish I could play like that." Do they really? Because it takes hours of practice and sacrifice of time and money to become a good piano player. It is never too late to begin to play...my dad, who is 71 years old, started to take piano lessons at the age of 70. He is doing pretty darn well. He had a desire to learn and asked for guidance, has put in the effort and practiced, and taken lessons and the doors have been opened for him to learn to play the piano at age 71! I know that receiving isn't just about getting what we want when we want it and doing nothing for it. Most often what we really want requires sacrifice...and I promise that sacrifice is so worth it in the long run!

One of my favorite scriptures is D&C 82:10 which reads, "I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise." He is totally bound to us when we keep His commandments. He is committed to us and has to do as we ask of Him when we are obedient to His commandments. That is very powerful! He will give us the desires of our hearts! The question to ask isn't, "what will He give me', because He is going to give it to you, but "What do I really want to accept?"

My last thought about receiving for the night/day is this: "Be careful for nothing (because He is always giving us something, remember the question is, what did I receive or perhaps chose not to receive from the challenge? Was it the blessing of kindness? Honesty? Service? Perhaps patients?) but in every thing  by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." (Philip. 4:6) You will receive what you ask for, make sure it is what you really want. This I testify is how to get what you really want out of life. Because life is literally filled with blessings just waiting for us to "accept" them. 

"Verily, I say unto you, my friends, fear not, let your hearts be comforted; yea, rejoice evermore, and in everything give thanks." D&C 98:1

Today was interesting to say the least...made gluten free zucchini mini-muffins for breakfast for the kids had a really hard time getting them out of the pan, but tasted awesome. Had one of my children get very angry with me because I got him up for school, refused to eat and almost missed the bus. Another child refused to get out of the car to go to school until a teacher told us that we couldn't park in the drop-off zone. Had a migraine all day. Had a gallon of gasoline spill in my car (don't ask) -my car is 3 months old...now instead of smelling new, it gets to smell of gas (ha ha, Ohhh funny!) I burned my finger while cooking dinner. And a bunch of other things that seemed quite small but overwhelming.


You know, there were moments that I just couldn't keep my emotions in check to be honest, which bugs me because then I have a harder time discerning the Spirit. Out of sheer desperation I started to clean out from under my bed and came across this scripture that I had printed out. It changed my whole perspective.

"And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more." (D&C 78:19) 

Things just changed after that. Gasoline happens. Kids have grumpy mornings. And then they come home and tell me they are sorry and they love me. Things have a way of working out. The trick is to "receive all things" with thankfulness not just the happy things or the expensive things or the things that make life easy. But all things.  And to receive them, because they are all gifts. I get to learn from the challenges of having spilled gasoline in my car. I get to learn from having a migraine every day, yup, I do, not that I want to, but I get to, and in reality, it is a blessing rather than a curse.


Why you may ask. Let me tell you why. It brings me to my knees more often and I get to talk with my Father in Heaven more frequently. I have a more understanding heart of those who suffer pain and I appreciate my pain that it isn't greater, for there are those who have much greater and worse pain than I do (so what is a little burn from cooking dinner?) Spilled gasoline in my car...yup, it smells. But in reality, it is just a car. Expensive, but my child is way more important than a car and it was an accident. "I'm sorry" immediately came forth from the offenders mouth. Gasoline will dissapate, but unkind words or anger takes longer to heal. I am so grateful I was able to just keep my mouth shut and clean up the mess. Through all of this, I am able to draw closer to my Savior who suffered things I can't even begin to comprehend. And my appreciation and love for Him grows and deepens even more for "the Son of Man hath descended below all things" (D&C 122:8).


"[Receiving] all things with thankfulness" is a great way to live. My mom said something today that has stuck with me as well. She said so wisely, it is one thing "to say" and another thing "to do". Sometimes I know something, but I don't always do it. I know this is what James was talking about in James 1:22 "Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." I know that as we "receive" the gifts we are given throughout our day, no matter what shape they come in, we will feel better. I know I did. And we then not only get to talk or say something, but actually do it~ the doing is to receive Christ into our lives.  And it feels so good! This I testify really works. Try it. I promise it will change your world!