This week as I studied we learned the importance of
gratitude. In a talk by President Thomas.
S. Monson called, “An Attitude of Gratitude” I found several favorite
quotes.
“Accentuate the
positive eliminate the negative, latch on to the affirmative, don’t mess with
Mr. In-between.”
For me this means
that we need to pick a side. I envision
a ladder we are either climbing that ladder or moving down the ladder, we
should never just stay put. Progress is
essential if we want to be happy in life.
By showing gratitude we accentuate the positive and move ourselves in a
positive direction.
“If ingratitude be
numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the
noblest of virtues.”
Understanding
that ingratitude is a sin is a new idea for me.
I think it would fall under the sins of omission. We have to be active in our eternal
progression. Showing gratitude is an verb,
we have to speak up and say it often, and we have to show it by our
actions. Accepting callings, forgiving,
saying thank you, and paying it forward are all great ways to show gratitude. Understanding that ingratitude is a sin great
motivator moving forward.
This idea of
action came up in a discussion board through another student. He shared another quote I really
enjoyed. John F. Kennedy said, “As we express our
gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter
words, but to live by them.”
This quote supports what President Monson taught.
President Monson outlined six things he is grateful for, and
I think they apply to most of us.
They are:
1. Mothers (God could not be everywhere and so he gave us
Mothers”
2. Fathers (sacrifice his own comfort for that of his
children, never complaining, ever concerned for the well-being of his family.)
3. Teachers (shape the expectations and ambitions of pupils;
the teacher also influences their attitudes toward their future and themselves…
self-confidence will grow, their capabilities will develop, and their future
will be assured. “
Acts 20:35 “Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he
said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
4. Friends “True friends put up with our idiosyncrasies.”
Country “John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this; that
a man lay down his life for his friends.”
6. Jesus Christ ~ answer questions where did we come from,
why are we here, where does my spirit go when I die?” Taught us how to pray, how to live and how to
die. Legacy of love through healing the
sick, lifted the downtrodden, saved the sinner.” Father forgive them for they know not what
they do.
This week we also watched a few videos.
The first was by Ted Zoller who teaches that the pathways
young people take that lead to them becoming entrepreneurs happens when they
take a C-suite position in a larger enterprise and then step into
entrepreneurial ventures later in a career.
This gives them the knowledge and training needed at a larger corporation’s
expense. I have seen this with some of
my friends. They were laid off, or
decided to leave to start their own consulting companies. It has less risk, because the learning curve
happens on someone else s dime.
The second video was by Stan Christensen a Stanford
instructor and a partner at Arbor
Advisors, he outlines a few of the erroneous career assumptions that
land people in an ill-fitting career. He says, “Don't take a job simply to
build your resume; follow your passions, rather than guessing what an employer
will want. The fun should outweigh the drudgery - even in entry-level
positions.” He also advises that we
remain general in our abilities not specializing, thus making us more flexible
in the work field. Specialization will
become irrelevant, and take advantage of opportunities when they come up.
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