Consider the Blessings

I love General Conference.  I have been so blessed for the last six and a half years to attend General Conference.  I've loved every session I've attended and learned so much, but truly I learn more as I study and listen to the talks after conference.

  Often I do this while I'm running.  I wish that every day I would come home and write down the favorite quotes from each talk and the insight that I receive as I listen to them, but very seldom that happens.  But as I listened to President Monson's talk recently I have been reminded over and over of the sweet message he sent.  The title of his talk was Consider the Blessings...  Pres. Monson said,

"As I have reviewed the past 49 years, I have made some discoveries. One is that countless experiences I have had were not necessarily those one would consider extraordinary. In fact, at the time they transpired, they often seemed unremarkable and even ordinary. And yet, in retrospect, they enriched and blessed lives—not the least of which was my own. I would recommend this same exercise to you—namely, that you take an inventory of your life and look specifically for the blessings, large and small, you have received."

This quote initially got me thinking because I had read his talk already and knew so much of his talk was about Service to others.    He then goes on to say

"Reinforced constantly during my own review of the years has been my knowledge that our prayers are heard and answered. 'Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers (D&C 112:10)'"

Again I loved this because I know it is true, but again Pres. Monson prayers were always for his desire to help others.  He then shared several experiences of times he listened to the spirit which helped him to know how to serve.  These were the blessings he shared with us.  As I listened I reflected on my knowledge that "when ye are in the service of your fellow being ye are only in the service of your God"  I know that we love those we serve.  I know that service brings me the greatest Joy.  I then really made the connection of how grateful I 
am for the opportunities I have to serve and how this is the greatest blessing in my life.

The part of his message I am really working on is this:  " I have learned, as I have mentioned in previous messages, never to postpone a prompting." (Pres. Monson).  I pray daily that I will not only hear the promptings but that I will follow through with them.  I am not perfect at this but I am trying diligently to do this.