This week on social media, almost a dozen Church leaders shared messages of thanksgiving, gratitude and hope during the holiday season, and they invited Latter-day Saints to keep the spirit of gratefulness in their hearts.
President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, reminded Saints of the importance of a grateful heart in troubling times in a post to his social media profiles Wednesday, Nov. 27; one day before Thanksgiving, the traditional American holiday of giving thanks.
“When we give thanks in all things, we see hardships and adversities in the context of the purpose of life,” he wrote.
President Henry B. Eyring, second counselor in the First Presidency, shared what he was thankful for on Thursday, Nov. 28 — Thanksgiving Day — on social media: the gospel of Jesus Christ, the cleansing power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and an eternal family.
“I have felt, as have you, forgiveness and cleansing through baptism by those with authority, and through repenting and partaking of the sacrament. I have felt the burning in the bosom that is only possible because of these words spoken by authorized servants of God: ‘Receive the Holy Ghost,’” he wrote.
President Jeffrey R. Holland, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, also shared a post on Thanksgiving Day expressing gratitude Thursday, Nov. 28.
President Holland wrote that he was grateful for “the promise of enjoying eternal life,” those who prayed in his behalf during his time in the hospital a year ago, “the women of the Church who have been as strong as Mount Sinai and as compassionate as the Mount of Beatitudes,” and more.
“Despite the numerous challenges that have presented themselves over the last year and a half in my life, it is because of the gifts from Jesus Christ that I can remain grateful and optimistic about the future,” wrote President Holland.
Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shared his gratitude for his wife, Sister Susan Bednar, on Thursday, Nov. 28 — Thanksgiving Day.
Elder Bednar posted a video clip of Sister Bednar from a recent young adult devotional helping young adults know how to overcome fear and receive inspired counsel.
“During this season of giving thanks, ‘I cannot say the smallest part’ (Alma 26:16) of how thankful I am for my wonderful eternal companion and her example to me,” he wrote.
In the spirit of Thanksgiving, Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles reflected on his gratitude for the pilgrims’ journey to America in 1620 in a social media post on Thursday, Nov. 28.
“How grateful we are for the sustaining influence of heaven that built the nation that allowed for the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in this last dispensation.
“I am so grateful that we, despite all the imperfections of mere mortals, can serve the Lord and that the Church can prosper and be the foundation for expanding the Restoration across the entire world,” he wrote.
Elder Neil L. Andersen, also a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, taught that even in moments of distress and despair, “there is hope in Jesus Christ” for those who are grateful and love the Lord, in a reel posted to social media Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 28.
“Being thankful in all things is both a commandment from the Lord and a spiritual gift we can inherit,” Elder Andersen said in the video.
“With faith in the Savior, we triumph over sin, temptations, unfairness, and the challenges of this mortal life.”
President Camille N. Johnson, Relief Society general president, posted a reel to her social media Thanksgiving morning together with the Relief Society Worldwide page.
President Johnson reflected on a time in her life when she felt her prayers were not being answered by God. In light of that, she decided to offer prayers only of gratitude instead of pleading with the Lord for blessings.
“What I realized is that I had been blessed and sustained and replenished during a time of challenge, that I had been blessed with an outpouring of love and strength, an added measure of strength, to do what I needed to do during that time, for which I’m so grateful,” President Johnson said.
On Sunday, Nov. 24, Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles dedicated the Casper Wyoming Temple and shared his sentiments about the experience on social media that same day.
Elder Cook shared the story of his great-grandfather David Patten Kimball, one of the young men who carried and rescued pioneer Saints across the Sweetwater River in that same state.
“My grandfather, Crozier Kimball, explained to me that one of the reasons these young men [pioneer Saints who rescued others] were heroic was because they were following the prophet. He taught me that following the counsel of the prophet in our own day would be equally heroic,” wrote Elder Cook. He then went on to testify of the importance of having a prophet on the earth.
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles compared attending church meetings to an automobile entering the shop to undergo repairs, in a social media post Monday, Nov. 25.
“It is not an automobile showroom—a place to put ourselves on display so that others can admire our spirituality, capacity, or prosperity. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is more like a service center, where vehicles in need of repair come for maintenance and rehabilitation,” wrote Elder Uchtdorf.
He then testified that Jesus Christ is the person who repairs and heals His Saints.
Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles “invited ... wonderful missionaries in Barbados to appreciate their special time ... in the service of the Lord,” as he wrote in a social media post Tuesday, Nov. 26.
Elder Rasband recently visited missionaries in Barbados while ministering in that region. Elder Rasband, who served a full-time mission as a youth in Bermuda, said he appreciates the tight-knit communities that form within wards or branches on small islands.
“I learned to love small in Bermuda. We had miraculous, “small and simple” (see Alma 37:6) faith-building experiences, including giving a copy of the Book of Mormon to the governor of Bermuda at the time. Visiting Barbados reminded me of those feelings of love for tight-knit groups of disciples of Jesus Christ striving to do their best,” he wrote.
Elder Gerrit W. Gong, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, held a youth discussion in Santiago, Chile — part of the conversation was posted in a reel to social media Thursday, Nov. 28.
Elder Gong reminded youth to turn to their Savior, Jesus Christ, in the pursuit of their righteous goals: “In Jesus Christ, all good things are possible. In Jesus Christ, all true things will come in His time and His way,” Elder Gong shared with youth in the video.
Brother Bradley R. Wilcox, first counselor in the Young Men general presidency, posted a reel to social media Thursday, Nov. 28, explaining the principle of grace and how it relates to ordinances:
“In the scriptures, Christ is described as the bridegroom, and the Church is described as His bride. So for somebody who says there’s no reconciling grace and ordinances that are works I would say it’s the same thing with love and marriage.
“When we enter a covenant, we are formalizing a relationship with Jesus Christ, with God, that allows Them to play a part in our lives and gives us access to more of Their grace,” Brother Wilcox said in the interview.
The Young Men Worldwide social media page — together with President Steven J. Lund, Young Men general president; Brother Wilcox; and Brother Michael T. Nelson, second counselor in the Young Men general presidency — posted a reel to social media wishing Saints a happy Thanksgiving on Wednesday, Nov. 27.
Each member of the presidency shared what they would be reflecting on during the Thanksgiving holiday.
