Thanksgiving Thought on Gratitude

"May we be found among those who give our thanks to our Heavenly Father. If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues."

—Thomas S. Monson, "Finding Joy in the Journey"

Our Purpose

The purpose of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is to help all of the children of God understand their potential and achieve their highest destiny. This church exists to provide the sons and daughters of God with the means of entrance into and exaltation in the celestial kingdom. This is a family-centered church in doctrine and practices. Our understanding of the nature and purpose of God the Eternal Father explains our destiny and our relationship in his eternal family. Our theology begins with heavenly parents. Our highest aspiration is to be like them. Under the merciful plan of the Father, all of this is possible through the atonement of the Only Begotten of the Father, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. As earthly parents we participate in the gospel plan by providing mortal bodies for the spirit children of God. The fulness of eternal salvation is a family matter.

It is the reality of these glorious possibilities that causes us to proclaim our message of restored Christianity to all people, even to good practicing Christians with other beliefs. This is why we build temples. This is the faith that gives us strength and joy to confront the challenges of mortal life. We offer these truths and opportunities to all people and testify to their truthfulness in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks, April 1995 "Apostasy and Restoration"

First Snow Fall!

I am NOT ready for Winter but cannot complain about this Fall's weather.  Snow flurries began this morning and stuck to the ground and so the children decided it was time for some snow fun and later hot coca with marshmallows!

For Whom the Bell Tolls

John Donne: Poems

For Whom the Bell Tolls  (No man is an island) by John Donne
		No man is an island, Entire of itself. Each is a piece of the continent, A part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less. As well as if a promontory were. As well as if a manor of thine own Or of thine friend's were. Each man's death diminishes me, For I am involved in mankind. Therefore, send not to know For whom the bell tolls, It tolls for thee.

UPDATE: Missing Provo teen found, later dies

Kurt Hanson Daily Herald

Jenna Ivins. Photo courtesy of Instagram.

44 minutes ago  •  Kurt Hanson Daily Herald

PROVO — A 14-year-old girl who was missing for 24 hours before being found Tuesday morning has now died.
Jenna Ivins went missing at about 8:30 a.m. Monday morning in the neighborhood behind the Walmart Neighborhood Market in Provo and was found in a canal near her home Tuesday.
Ivins never made it back from school, according to Detective Chris Chambers.  A post on Instagram says she also has Asperger’s. Chambers said the police believed she was a runaway child.
But she was found at about 10:45 a.m. Tuesday morning. Police reports state she was very cold when found. A member of the family reported she died shortly after.
More information will come as it is made available.

Kurt Hanson is the Breaking News and Courts reporter for the Daily Herald. He can be reached at (801) 344-2560 or khanson@heraldextra.com. Follow him on Twitter: @kthehanson.

Hannah called around noon.  "Mom, have you been listening to the news?"  I hadn't as preschool was just over and I was sitting down to lunch with Liam and Eva.
"Did you hear about the Provo High Student?  The one that went missing.  She's dead."  "I have seen her."  "I have treated her in the Sport's Room.  I never knew her name."  "She looked sad."

Isn't it interesting how little we think we impact other's lives, until we die? 
Maybe this will be a point of change for us.
We can look out for, smile, and get to know other's names and perhaps share some of another person's pain while traveling through this life journey together.

Later this evening while talking to Hannah who had had a long day she said, "I just want to forget it! (Jenna's death?)"  While we may feel that way when someone else dies and in the beginning we are shocked and then mourn and then want to move on with "our life" to do so, to do nothing, means that the person who died means nothing and that the grieving loved ones mean "nothing" to.

I was talking to a neighbor, Anne, about a lesson she learned after my brother Michael passed away two years ago.  She said, "I learned something visiting your parents with Clark and Colleen.  They were there to support Keith and Connie...to listen if they felt like talking or to be still if they did not,  to give a hug, and simply BE THERE for them."  How sweet!  Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could simply BE THERE for another in his/her grief!?  DO something.  Anything!  
I wonder often what is the right thing to do or say in a given circumstance?

A strong impression came to me today that if we act on Spiritual promptings to do something to share someone else' pain, we are uplifted and share in Christ' suffering and compassion.  in contrast, if we choose to do nothing, we are somewhat diminished because we did not act on the light and knowledge that came and now we are less likely to respond to a promt should it come again.  We do not share in mankind's burden.

How I wish in my life I would have know the comfort of someone just being there  for me.  Through late miscarriages, child accidents, brother/sister passings, cancer of a loved one, etc. the fact that someone was "praying" for me, or sent a card, or gave me a hug, or brought me flowers would have made a huge difference in helping me feel the love that Heavenly Father has for me/us but is difficult to find when a loved one dies.  Life goes on.  That can be one of the hardest things to deal with.  Life goes on (without ______).

We pray for the Ivins family and also to know what might bring any comfort at this tragic time.  We did not know them personally but our heart breaks for their pain.