What are you grateful for?

Instead of cleaning the house, which I should be doing, I have been just surfing the internet not really looking for anything. Many thoughts today are of Gordon B Hinckley, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. What a great and wonderful man. Can you imagine if he was your grandpa? He became a world-known leader, many have commented on him here. There are many things which impress me about him. Today, I am grateful for his connection with the youth of the Church. In 2001, President Hinckley taught the youth what have become to be known as the "Be Attitudes". They are:
1. Be grateful.

2. Be smart.

3. Be clean.

4. Be true.

5. Be humble.

6. Be prayerful.

Later President Hinckley wrote a book on these same principles, but added three more:
7. Be involved.

8. Be positive.

9. Be still.

The book is called "Way to Be! 9 ways to be happy and make something of your life." This link is for amazon.com's preview of the book.

When the youth of the Church heard about the passing of Pres. Hinckley, text messages started flying and thousands of youth throughout many states wore their Sunday best to school on Monday in honor of President Hinckley. How wonderful is that? Read the articles here.

I am grateful for many truths I posses about the purpose of life, about the sacrifice of the loving and perfect Savior sent by a loving Father in Heaven, about repentance, about eternal families, about life after death. I am grateful for the influence of good and righteousness left by President Hinckley. Even those who do not believe that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a Christian faith or who believe that the Church is wrong, they cannot deny that there is much good that comes from the Church. Families are held in high regard, youth are expected to live righteously, education is encouraged for all, humanitarian efforts stretch throughout the world, members encourage each other to improve ourselves, ill-will is not spoken of other faiths, children are taught about Jesus and his ministry, love is spread, humility, charity and service are practiced and life is lived to make the world a better place.

I am grateful today for the influence that President Hinckley has had on the youth out there struggling to make it through a rough teenage life. It seems as though there aren't many who can touch the hearts of teenagers and be a good example. And there are certainly many who influence the youth to covet the lifestyles of the rich and famous. We can all learn a youthful lesson from President Hinckley to "Be grateful; Be smart; Be clean; Be true; Be humble; and Be prayerful." That is some great and simple advice.