Musings on Gratitude

So, on Sunday(November 28) in Priesthood we had a lesson on talks given by Jeffery R. Holland and President Monson from the October General Conference, and I was listening to President Monson's talk he gave on gratitude. I got to thinking, which is dangerous I know but I can't help myself, and so as I was thinking thoughts keeped coming to my mind and as the thought often has crossed my mind that I could have done a lot better on my mission with many of the things. like things I did not do, or finish, or even over come. But as the Holy Ghost and the words of the prophet have a way doing, the words sank into my soul and some interesting thoughts came to mind on gratitude. For instance the unintentional limits we place on what we can be grateful for, like home, love, and  family. While all of these things are great things to be thankful for, we can and should try to expand our minds, like my mind was expanded on Sunday. For instance the thoughts that came to mind were that I should be grateful for all of the times when I did succeed at overcoming a challenge and rising above myself,  while those may or may not be few they are a testimony of what can be done with God's help, and what I should always be striving for. They are God's way of showing me what I can be and what he wants me to be, so I am grateful for the times when I did push through and overcome, rise above myself and do some good. It was said on Sunday, and I can't remember it exactly, or who the quote was by, but it was: "To be ungrateful is to turn your back on God". When I think about that it is true, when we are not grateful we have blinded ourselves to what God has given us and we be come blind to him. God has said: "And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his commandments." (Doctrine and Covenants 59:21) Joseph Smith also said: "If you get on your knees every night and thank the Lord for all of the blessings of that day you will eventually find your self Exalted in the Celestial Kingdom of God" To me gratitude is one of the noblest virtues and one I am constantly working on. It is also and action word not something that is passive we need to show our gratitude by our actions, words, and the way we live our lives. A life lived in the act of being grateful, is a life lived in perpetual happiness, of this I testify in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.