Grateful in Any Circumstances by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Taught by Jeanine M.

I know two women in their eighties. Both have strong testimonies and have given their lives to serving the Lord by serving in the church and their families.  They are both devoted disciples.  When you ask them the question, “How are you?”, they give very different answers that reflect how the attitude they’ve chosen to live by.  One says, “I’m happy.” The other tells you all about her aches and pains and day to day struggles.  One is quite bitter about her ailments, the other tries to ignore them and focuses on drinking from the goblet of gratitude.

Elder Uchtdorf’s talk is full of beautiful quotes full of imagery.  For our lesson, we picked quotes from a goblet of gratitude and answered the questions on the back to further study his words.

Gratitude is a Catalyst:

How would gratitude help us become more like Christ? How does it act as a catalyst to develop other attributes?

Ways to develop a Christlike attribute from Preach My Gospel:

Identify the attribute.

Write a definition and description.

Record questions to answer as you study. List and study thoroughly passages of scripture about the attribute. 
Record feelings and impressions.

Set goals to make plans and apply the attribute in your life. Pray for the Lord to help you.

Evaluate your progress periodically.

(Remember it takes one action and decision at a time to make changes.)

Rainbow before the rain:

It is common to see growth after our trials. How would our lives be different if we were grateful during our trials?

We can focus on what is in the Gift (happy if it’s good, depressed if it’s not) or the mere fact that the gift is given. Therefore, happiness is not dependent on what happens day to day or our circumstances but we should rejoice that we’ve been given life in the first place.  Rejoice that we have a gift—the gift of life!

Which comes first: gratitude or testimony?

Maybe they are reciprocal. As the early apostles increased their knowledge and testimony, they were courageous and stalwart. They were grateful for a resurrected Christ and understood the atonement and worked to share their knowledge with the world. As we increase our testimony, our gratitude increases and vice versa.

If our gratitude should not depend on any outward circumstances, what exactly makes it qualify as gratitude?

How is gratitude expressed if it is an attribute or part of our being?  It still helps to count your blessings, write thank you notes, express gratitude in prayer and to others. As we focus on BEING full of gratitude it becomes part of our nature. 

What can we do to see our everyday lives with an eternal lens? How can we remind ourselves that we are eternal beings?

This is especially important when going through trials.  We try to remember that this life is just a small dot on the circle of eternity.

 What about those people who, despite their best efforts, continue in sinful behavior? Should someone with an addiction be grateful?

As Swedenborg (a 1700 philosopher) has said many times, the Lord's divine providence makes sure that evils become expressed, because if they weren't expressed, they could never be removed. So, be grateful for your weaknesses! If you sometimes fall prey to sin, know that each time you repent from it you draw closer to God than you were before. Sin, at least as outwardly-manifest behavior, is thus a great blessing to those who repent (even if it's again and again)--it teaches you to be humble and patient, and to always rely on the atonement. (Christian Swenson)

We all fall into this category of imperfect beings struggling to overcome weaknesses. Let’s be patient with others as well as ourselves. It may take repeated effort

We divided into groups and each group read through these snippets from pioneer’s diaries.  There are many modern-day pioneers in our ward, community and in the church today.  Women who express the same hope for miracles and share the same faith that our early ancestors did.  Each group then came up with similar examples of a modern day pioneer.

“My last act in that precious spot was to tidy the rooms, sweep up the floor, and set the broom in its accustomed place behind the door.  Then with emotions in my heart…I gently closed the door and faced unknown future: faced it with faith in God and no less assurance of the ultimate establishment of the gospel in the West and of its true, enduring principles, than I had felt in those trying scenes in Missouri.”    ~ Bathsheba Smith

This can be compared to countless couples who go on missions.  Many women face unknown territory through divorce or death of a spouse.

“As Sarah Leavitt and her daughters tried to comfort her sick husband, he began to sing, ‘Come Let us Anew, Our Journey pursue..’ He sang the hymn as long as he had strength to sing it and then wanted Elisa, one of his daughters, to sing it. He died without struggle or a groan.”   ~ Sarah Leavitt

Death is one of the hardest trials especially when it is unexplained or sudden. Remembering that we are eternal beings and having that perspective can help.

“The thoughts of leaving my family for the Mormon Battalion at this critical time are indescribable.  My family consisted of a wife and two small children, who were left in company with an aged father and mother and brother.  The most of the Battalion left families….When we were to meet with them again, God only knew.  Nevertheless, we did not feel to murmur.”      ~ William Hyde

There are modern day pioneers who support military wives and husbands today.

“When we got to Winter Quarters I was confined the fifth of November with my oldest son, in a wagon, and a very bad storm and wind for days, and no fire; one house in camp; went to get a bake kettle of coals to dress the baby by. Little fellow shook with the cold and I was very sick, nigh unto death. I sent to Brother Brigham to pray for me. I soon got better, and I am here yet.”     ~ Caroline Holbrook

We need to rely on each other as we go through trials in our lives today. We can call for Priesthood Blessings to help us.

“Mr. Rich was at the time one of the High Council, and had to be away most of the time, and to help with the temple which was fast being completed. Of course, I had to be deprived of his society most of the time, but we had a nice little home not far from the temple, in which I took great comfort with my little family. But many were the blessings we had received in the House of the Lord, which was caused joy and comfort in the midst of all our sorrows, and enabled us to have faith in God, knowing He would guide us and sustain us in the unknown journey that lay before us.”            Sarah Rich
Countless families give hours of service in the church and spouses are left at home to take care of families.  We can be mindful of our leaders and their needs at home and offer to help.  We can also seek direction, comfort and peace from temple attendance.

As we live our lives constantly seeking and submitting to the will of the Father, we can develop the attribute of gratitude.  Living our lives by lifting the Goblet of Gratitude will bring us greater peace and happiness.

"Being Grateful in our circumstances is an act of faith in God. It requires that we trust God and hope for things we may not see but which are true. By being grateful, we follow the example of our befoved savior, who said, 'not my will, but thine, be done.'"  ~ Prsident Dieter F. Uchtdorf