Lisa Schoonover taught our lesson today. She began by welcoming everyone to share a good news minute. (We haven't had those in Relief Society lately, but they sure are fun.)
MaKenzie Egbert is engaged to Austin, and they plan to get married this December. Kathy Roberts has a child who recently moved back to Utah from San Fransisco. Pearl Wilding went camping in Idaho with 102 family members for a recent family reunion. And Lisa Schoonover just got her first grandbaby on Monday, a little girl named Peyton. Congratulations & thanks for sharing, everyone!
The lesson was based on Elder Russell M. Nelson's April 2012 General Conference talk, "Thanks Be to God." Elder Nelson said that "our degree of gratitude is a measure of our love for [God]."
We have so much to be thankful for! Elder Nelson touched on three types of gifts from our Heavenly Father: physical gifts, spiritual gifts, and gospel gifts.
Our bodies are an amazing physical gift. Our eyes, hearts, defense system, and our body's ability to renew itself are truly remarkable. However, a perfect body isn't needed to achieve our divine destiny. "In fact," Elder Nelson said, "some of the sweetest spirits are house in frail or imperfect bodies."
Lisa said she watched a story on KSL last night about a boy from India who learned to play baseball.
Joanie Quigley mentioned her Aunt Kitty who was a dwarf but served faithfully in the temple three days a week, taking the bus across town to do it.
Pearl Wilding said her great-great-granddaughter was born without a hand. She asked her dad if she'd have a hand after the resurrection, and he said yes. She said, "But I like my arm just like this!"
Annette Bradshaw had a boy in her Primary class once who was born with muscles that didn't work right from his neck down. He taught himself to climb. He learned to play the piano by swinging his arms and using his shoulder. He eventually graduated from college and married a blind woman.
Lacey Denson said there was a blind lady in one of her previous wards who crocheted granny squares and put them together to make things and give them to people.
Amara Doxey said she admires a storyteller at the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival named Kevin Kline. He was born with a dysfunctional arm. Then he lost use of the other arm in a motorcycle accident. Nonetheless, he's a delightful, hilarious, and inspirational storyteller.
Leslie Weber pointed out that all these stories involve people who are grateful for what they have, even though they have challenges that most of us don't have. We are all beautiful in our own way--and we should be grateful for that!
These stories can inspire us to try a little harder, be a little better.
As important as our bodies are, they are of lesser importance than our spirits. "Because one's spirit is so important, its development is of eternal consequence. ...The attributes by which we shall be judged one day are all spiritual."
Lisa told of one of her dad's journal entries. He had written that he looked forward to kneeling in front of our Heavenly Father and Jesus and thanking them for this earthly life. His journal entry was so important and meaningful to his family when Lisa's father passed away.
We also have gospel gifts. We are so fortunate to have the gospel to guide us. We need to share the gospel and awaken people to an awareness of God. "Each day, our is the challenge to access the power of the Atonement so that we can truly change, become more Christlike, and qualify for the gift of exhaltation and live eternally with God, Jesus Christ, and our families. For these powers, privileges, and gospel gifts, thanks be to God!
