I sat in church today, feeling especially grateful for the blessings that are showered upon me in my life. My Heavenly Father, and His Son, care about me a great deal--and I can feel it.
I need to mention a couple of personal things that I feel in my heart.
This Wednesday, my oldest niece enters the Missionary Training Center, in Provo, Utah. She is about to embark on one of the greatest adventures she will ever have. It will be her privilege to serve as a full-time missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, called to labor in the Indiana Indianapolis Mission. I love her and I am extremely grateful that she has decided to go and serve.
Because of her upcoming opportunity, I have thought about some of my own experiences as a missionary.
I attended a missionary conference where Elder Robert Dellanbach, who was a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy. When he spoke, he reminded me of my own dad. He was loving and sincere in the delivery of his message. He challenged us to go home, that evening, and express our gratitude for all that we had in our lives, in our personal prayers.
I accepted his challenge. I knelt down on my knees and began to thank my Heavenly Father for everything that He had blessed me with. When I closed my prayer and opened my eyes, the night had passed completely and the sun was beginning to rise. I had spent the night on my knees in prayer. I still had energy to go throughout the day. I felt grateful to have had that experience. It taught me that I was extremely blessed.
No matter what the circumstances are in life and no matter how difficult things seem to be, Elder Dellenbach's challenge is still very real. Take the opportunity to thank heaven for all of the good that you have in your life. You might be very surprised.
I am committed to move forward, in faith.
