Thursday, November 26, 2009

We Thank Thee...


A. gave this talk in September in church to all the children 3-7. I love how it simplifies what I believe about a living prophet on the earth today. I am thankful for the prophet's guidance in these days. It helps me know how to guard my children from the many things that could rob them of peace and security.



"Last weekend, my family went camping. It got very dark after the sun went down. My dad brought a flashlight so we could see through the darkness. It would have been really hard to find our way without the light.

We live in a world with lots of darkness. Satan wants us to get lost so that we cannot find our way. Heavenly Father knows we can't make it on our own, so he sent a family to help us. But to see which way to go, he gives us a Prophet.

A prophet is a man that speaks to Heavenly Father and teaches us what to do to go to live with Heavenly Father again someday. The prophet has all the keys of the Priesthood to lead Christ's church. He shows us how to follow Jesus and walk in His light. He will speak to us at General Conference next month. It is important that we listen carefully to what he says so we know what Heavenly Father wants us to do. We can share his counsel with our family and follow his instructions and all he says.

I know that President Monson is a prophet and that he teaches us what we need to know. If we follow him, our family can go the right way and get closer to our Heavenly Father."



So here is a bit of what President Monson taught this October.
"My beloved brothers and sisters, I greet you this morning with love in my heart for the gospel of Jesus Christ and for each of you. I am grateful for the privilege to stand before you, and I pray that I might effectively communicate to you that which I have felt prompted to say.

A few years ago I read an article written by Jack McConnell, MD. He grew up in the hills of southwest Virginia in the United States as one of seven children of a Methodist minister and a stay-at-home mother. Their circumstances were very humble. He recounted that during his childhood, every day as the family sat around the dinner table, his father would ask each one in turn, “And what did you do for someone today?”

The children were determined to do a good turn every day so they could report to their father that they had helped someone. Dr. McConnell calls this exercise his father’s most valuable legacy, for that expectation and those words inspired him and his siblings to help others throughout their lives. As they grew and matured, their motivation for providing service changed to an inner desire to help others.My heart is full now as I speak of the experience and contemplate the lives which have been blessed as a result, for both the giver and the receiver...

The words from the 25th chapter of Matthew come to mind:
“Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

My brothers and sisters, may we ask ourselves the question which greeted Dr. Jack McConnell and his brothers and sisters each evening at dinnertime: “What have I done for someone today?” May the words of a familiar hymn penetrate our very souls and find lodgment in our hearts:

Have I done any good in the world today?
Have I helped anyone in need?
Have I cheered up the sad and made someone feel glad?
If not, I have failed indeed.
Has anyone’s burden been lighter today
Because I was willing to share?
Have the sick and the weary been helped on their way?
When they needed my help was I there?

That service to which all of us have been called is the service of the Lord Jesus Christ. As He enlists us to His cause, He invites us to draw close to Him..."

1 comment:

  1. That's a great talk for such a little boy. What a wonderful testimony he has. Thanks for reminding us of the prophet's words too. Good work as his parents.

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