IS THANKSGIVING IN YOUR HEART OR STOMACH?

 Freedom From Want painting by Norman Rockwell

 

Although the holiday we call Thanksgiving is based upon a three-day feast that was first celebrated in New England by the English Pilgrims and the local Wampanoag Indian tribe including their chief, Massasoit, in 1621, it did not immediately become an annual celebration or holiday. It wasn't until October 1777 that all 13 colonies individually celebrated a day of Thanksgiving. The very first national day of Thanksgiving was held in 1789, when President George Washington proclaimed Thursday, November 26 to be "a day of public thanksgiving and prayer," to especially give thanks for the opportunity to form a new nation and the establishment of a new constitution.

We owe the modern concept of Thanksgiving to a woman named Sarah Josepha Hale (1788-1879). Hale, editor of Godey's Lady's Book and author of the famous "Mary Had a Little Lamb" nursery rhyme. She spent 40 years advocating for a national, annual Thanksgiving holiday. In the years leading up to the Civil War, she saw the holiday as a way to infuse hope and belief in the nation and the constitution. So, when the United States was torn in half during the Civil War and Lincoln was searching for a way to bring the nation together, he discussed the matter with Hale.

On October 3, 1863, Lincoln issued a Thanksgiving Proclamation that declared the last Thursday in November (based on Washington's date) to be a day of "thanksgiving and praise." For the first time, Thanksgiving became a national, annual holiday with a specific date.

 

Neither Lincoln nor his successors, however, made the holiday a fixed annual event. A President still had to proclaim Thanksgiving each year, and the last Thursday in November became the customary date. In a controversial move, Franklin Delano Roosevelt lengthened the Christmas shopping season by declaring Thanksgiving for the next-to-the-last Thursday in November. Two years later, in 1941, Congress responded by permanently establishing the holiday as the fourth Thursday in the month.

So do we personally celebrate Thanksgiving in our hearts or in our stomachs? While having second helpings of turkey, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie may address our temporal need (or desire) for food, offering sincere prayers of thanks will feed the soul. Many of us have a tendency to overeat on Thanksgiving day (perhaps on some other days as well), but I have yet to meet anyone who has expressed too much gratitude for the blessings so abundantly provided by Our Father in Heaven to us each and every day.

Thomas S. Monson, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints tells us, ". . . to express gratitude is gracious and honorable, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live with gratitude ever in our hearts is to touch heaven. It is my prayer that in addition to all else for which we are grateful, we may ever reflect our gratitude for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. His glorious gospel provides answers to life’s greatest questions: Where did we come from? Why are we here? Where do our spirits go when we die? That gospel brings to those who live in darkness the light of divine truth."

God has two dwellings; one in heaven, and the other in a meek and thankful heart.

                                                                                                                -Izaac Walton

A TURKEY FROM HEAVEN

This frozen turkey has been on the move today!

 

Once again this coming week, many of us will sit down at the table to enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving meal with family members and friends. It is a time to express gratitude for the blessings that we so abundantly enjoy by acknowledging God's hand in our lives.

The Saturday before Thanksgiving is the busiest day of the year at the Bishop's Storehouse in downtown Baltimore. This is the second Thanksgiving that Sister Lindsay and I have been on our mission, and it was my privilege to once again serve as a volunteer at the storehouse helping to distribute food to those in need. In the space of about four hours today, about 50 Church volunteers filled food orders for 151 families, including more than 100 frozen turkeys, 50 turkey breasts, and several thousand pounds of fresh produce, vegetables, dairy products, and canned goods at no cost to those who received these items. All of the food at the Bishop's Storehouse is paid for by the voluntary financial contributions of Church members.

Most of those families who were provided with a food order today were not present when these goods were assembled and boxed. Local leaders from 26 separate congregations in Maryland and south central Pennsylvania delivered the food directly to homes this afternoon. The expressions of gratitude, however, from those families who had come to the Bishop's Storehouse themselves was heart-warming and sincere. In following the admonition of the Savior, who said ". . . by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another" (see John 13:35), there was no sense of judgment or pity expressed towards those who were given the food on the part of the volunteers who found real joy in serving their brothers and sisters in the gospel.

When the Bishop's Storehouse closed this afternoon, the facility manager who was very gracious and kind in expressing his thanks for my service handed me a large frozen turkey. When I arrived back at our apartment, my wife and I immediately contacted two sister missionaries in Cockeysville with some good news. They had told us a few days ago that a man in his twenties whom they have been teaching about the restored gospel has recently lost his father. The young man lives with his aunt, and she had asked the missionaries if there was any way the Church could assist their family by helping them obtain a turkey for Thanksgiving.

And so, the frozen turkey I had been given earlier in the afternoon was delivered on Saturday evening to the sister missionaries who in turn will present the bird anonymously to the family that needs a turkey from heaven for Thanksgiving dinner. We love being able to give a gift to someone who has no way of identifying us. Our Thanksgiving dinner will taste even better now that we have given our turkey away!

WE BECOME WHAT WE WANT TO BE . . .

 

 We come into this world as innocent beings

 

To believe as some other churches teach that everyone who is born into this life has to bear the burden of responsibility for the "original sin" or transgression committed by our first earthly parents, Adam and Eve, is to deny the precious atonement of Jesus Christ. 

Can we honestly believe that Our Heavenly Father would punish little children for an act of disobedience that they did not do? None of us who currently live on the earth was even born at that time. Heaven surely knows that during our own mortal lifetime, all of us have committed enough sins of our own to define our individual need to repent and come unto Christ for salvation.

Three of the Gospel writers, Matthew, Mark, and Luke all testify as to the innocence of little children and how the Savior felt about them:  "But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God." (Luke 18:16). Newborn babies come directly from Heavenly Father into this life. We know with certainty that such babes are innocent and pure upon their arrival, for nothing that is unclean can exist in the presence of God.

In our Second Article of Faith, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints declares, We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression. To be accountable in the sight of God for our own sins, we must be mature enough to know with some understanding that what we have done that would be considered a sin is wrong and why. That's why we do not baptize infants in the Church.

 

Living on the earth requires us to interact with other people and situations. Heavenly Father has sent each of us here to learn obedience to His laws and ordinances . . . and in the process to seek to become more like the Lord Jesus Christ. In essence, life is filled with choices that require us to either act or be acted upon as we become older and hopefully wiser.

Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve teaches "We become what we want to be by consistently being what we want to become each day. Righteous character is a precious manifestation of what you are becoming. Righteous character is more valuable than any material object you own, any knowledge you have gained through study, or any goals you have attained no matter how well lauded by mankind. In the next life your righteous character will be evaluated to assess how well you used the privilege of mortality.
 

"Neither Satan nor any other power can destroy or undermine your growing character. Only you could do that through disobedience. A sterling character is converted into worthless ashes when eroded by deceit or transgression. Strong moral character results from consistent correct choices in the trials and testing of life. Such choices are made with trust in things that are believed and when acted upon are confirmed."

But we should never doubt that each of us comes into this world as an innocent being. After all, we were created in His image and likeness. We are His sons and daughters, and He loves us.

HOW DO YOU DESCRIBE FAITH TO SOMEONE?

 What does a light switch have to do with faith?

 

Although many people talk about the concept of faith, it is sometimes difficult for individuals to describe how faith works in their own life or operates in the lives of other folks they know. Perhaps, using an example or two based upon experiences that happen to us regularly on a day to day basis might help provide a general understanding of this important principle.

 

When we reach for a light switch on the wall in our house and flip it on, we expect the bulb in a table lamp or ceiling fixture in the room to immediately become illuminated. This is possible because electricity flows through the wiring and into the filament of the light bulb. We can't see the electricity; but we know that when the light switch is in the "on" position, it always provides light.

 

Each time we get into our automobile, insert our key into the ignition switch, and turn it to the right the engine under the hood comes to life allowing us to drive away to our destination across town or  to a city far away. Our expectation is firmly based upon the reality of our oft-repeated past experience . . . we have faith that the engine will always start when we turn the key in the ignition switch.

 

But having faith in electricity or automobile keys and ignition switches does not have the same impact in our lives and eternal happiness as having faith in Jesus Christ! In the Holy Scriptures, we have the testimony of God's special witnesses regarding a sure definition of faith in the Son of God.

 

The Apostle Paul speaks to this point in his epistle to the Hebrews in the New Testament of the Bible:

 

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)

 

Likewise, the Prophet Alma in the Book of Mormon bears a second witness regarding what it means to have faith in the Savior:

 

And now as I said concerning faith—faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true. (Alma 32:21)

 

Returning again to the writings of Paul, we are told in his correspondence to the Ephesians, that there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, (see Ephesians 4:5). He furthers states that we must all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ (see Ephesians 4:13).

 

There is much evidence that faith precedes the miracle of one's conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Just as someone wants to believe that the lights will come on when you turn on the switch, we must have the desire to believe what the Savior has said before we can truly believe in Him. You can know that the Lord is the light of the world, but first you must switch your way of thinking. BELIEVING IS SEEING rather than the way natural man perceives that only those things that can be seen can be believed.

THEY ALSO SERVE . . .

 
Church members provide meaningful service to the Maryland Baltimore Mission

 

The Maryland Baltimore Mission is comprised of six zones:  Annapolis, Baltimore, Columbia, Frederick, Martinsburg, and Winchester. The first four zones are in Maryland, the fifth is in West Virginia, and the sixth is in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. On occasion each year, two or three of the zones will gather together for training purposes under the direction of the mission president.

 

It has been our experience that the young elders and sisters who reside and work in each zone have a desire to eat each day At those select times when multiple zones gather for training, feeding 75 or more people at one setting is more than the mission president's wife can typically handle by herself without some qualified assistance from other willing hands. Those "willing hands" are found in the Relief Society.



The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is very service oriented, and the Relief Society sisters in each congregation (ward) are fully organized to provide different types of service on relatively short notice. These good sisters, who are occasionally assisted by their husbands, prepare a wonderful meal for the missionaries, and these young adults are never disappointed with the desserts that are generally homemade and abundant.

The Relief Society of the Church was first organized by the Prophet Joseph Smith in 1842. The history of Relief Society is filled with examples of ordinary women who have accomplished extraordinary things as they have exercised faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

 

 The world's greatest champion of woman and womanhood is Jesus the Christ.

                                                                                                - James E. Talmage

 

In addition to providing service to others, the Relief Society also focuses on the needs of the women in the Church by teaching basic homemaking, encouraging self-reliance in the family, promoting monthly visits to female members, and offering instruction in scripture study and other gospel literary skills associated with our core beliefs.

A GIFT FROM AN UNKNOWN SOURCE

Sister Lindsay and I joined four other couples at a senior missionary apartment in Annapolis, Maryland last week where we enjoyed a wonderful home cooked meal together and an evening of friendly informal conversation with our friends. The host couple also had us preview a slide show presentation that included many beautiful paintings of Mary and the Christ child. This program will be shown to all of the elders and sisters in The Maryland Baltimore Mission during our Christmas activity on December 17, 2012.

 

Oh, look, it's a necktie party!

 

Shortly before everyone left for home, our host brought out a large collection of neckties which he then spread across the couch in the living room. Each of the husbands was invited to select one tie (obviously with the assistance of his companion) to keep as a gift. Considering the time of the year, we were encouraged to think of this gesture as an early Christmas present. We were told that the neckties have an interesting history and how they came into the possession of our host couple is a story in itself.

 

Each of the ties, which are all silk and cost an average of $200, was once owned and worn by an ob-gyn who is now deceased. His widow gave the entire collection to the daughter of the senior couple who invited us to their apartment, and she passed them to her parents with the intention that they would be shared with their fellow missionaries.

 

It is rather doubtful that any of the men who received a new necktie that night had ever previously purchased anything so expensive to place around his neck, and that certainly is the case with Elder Lindsay. Although we were never told the name of our benefactor, it was nice to receive a quality new tie from him anyhow.

 

Regarding the role of neckties in men's fashion, Jim Klobuchar suggests . . .

 

Never in the history of fashion has so little material been raised so high

to reveal so much that needs to be covered so badly.     

SUSTAINING OTHERS IN THE TIME OF NEED

Electric utility trucks on their way to the northeast

 

Sometimes we witness things (even as adults) that overwhelm us with a sense of awe. It's as if we may not believe what we see with our eyes, but it is real just the same! Today, Sister Lindsay and I had such an experience while driving south on Interstate 95.

 

The highway traffic in the northbound lanes headed towards New York City was heavy but not with the normal complement of tractor trailers, SUVs, and passenger cars, which you would normally expect to see. Instead, we witnessed a steady stream of electric utility trucks coming from the south, all of them headed for the hurricane-ravaged states of New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut. These trucks passed us mile after mile in an almost continuous procession. By their markings, it was obvious that these vehicles had come from many different places, but their focused mission objective was the same. It was a visual moment for us to remember with a heartfelt sense of appreciation for what is right about America, especially when we as a people face a difficult, life-threatening situation that endangers the well-being of our fellowmen.

Days after Hurricane Sandy has come and gone, most of the aftermath of the storm's destruction remains including the lack of electricity for millions of people in the northeastern part of the U.S.; hence the need for power crews from across America to restore service as soon as possible continues to be an urgent priority.

Helping others in need is not new nor is it limited to calamities associated with the weather or other natural disasters. There are both temporal and spiritual trials in this life for all of us. Just as there are many good people who respond unselfishly to assist individuals involved in a physical crisis, so also there should be fully committed valiant souls who come to the rescue during a spiritual storm in someone's life, too.

Those of us who profess to be Christians must surely recognize that . . . unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required (see Luke 12:48). As members of the Lord's Church, we are intended by Him to be a light unto the world in times of spiritual darkness. Satan wishes to extinguish the bright light of our testimony; but we must continue to have the gospel shine through us for family, friends, and all of our brothers and sisters whether or not they have yet received Jesus Christ as their Redeemer.

Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve reminds us that there is more to life than saving ourselves. We are commissioned to lift and to strengthen all those around us because the Lord wants us all to return back to Him together.

Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy

Philip Paul Bliss (1838-1876)

 

Brightly beams our Father's mercy from his lighthouse evermore,

But to us he gives the keeping of the lights along the shore.

 

Dark the night of sin has settled; loud the angry billows roar.

Eager eyes are watching, longing, for the lights along the shore.

 

Trim your feeble lamp, my brother; some poor sailor, tempest-tossed,

Trying now to make the harbor, in the darkness may be lost.

 

Let the lower lights be burning; send a gleam across the wave.

Some poor fainting, struggling seaman you may rescue, you may save.



 

Without the guiding light of the Holy Spirit who testifies of truth in all things we would be alone in this dark and dreary world. May our countenance as full time missionaries always reflect the light of Jesus Christ so others may recognize whom we serve here on earth.