Thursday, November 28, 1968

I sent the following Thanksgiving letter to my family:

The wise author of Ecclesiastes has written: "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven." Today is the season of thanksgiving, a moment when we step out of our regular busy-a-day lives to consider those things in life that are really important, a time when we draw a little closer to our Father in Heaven because there is the realization that all we have, all we are, all we can be is because of Him, the giver of all.

Now you are gathered as a family. A good family is one of the choicest blessings heaven can offer. Take a few moments to consider that. And if we want we make those relationships eternal. That is what I want, and I challenge all of you to help work for it. To Dad and Mother we owe our love, our devotion, our obedience. They have given us life and love and a home, and that is a debt we can never fully repay.

In thinking of Thanksgiving I made a list of those 100 things I am most grateful for. It is not my intent to bore you with them all, but I will share a few. I am humbled at the realization of how richly I have been blessed. I do not understand why, for I am certainly blessed beyond any worthiness of mine, but I thank God for it. The windows of heaven have been opened in my life. Chiefly is the gospel, the Savior’s tremendous sacrifice for each of us, the great love God has us-ward, testimonies, the Spirit’s influence in our lives, and the growth possible in the priesthood and within the Church. And then there is freedom, families, parents, friends, children, health, the beauties of nature, talents and abilities, opportunities to learn and to serve. All these things are what life is all about, really about.

The Prophet has spoken of these things. He said: "With all my soul, I plead with members of the Church and with people everywhere, to think more about the gospel; more about the developing of the spirit within; to devote more time to the real things in life, and less time to those things which will perish" (Conference Report, Apr. 1968, 144).

Enough of this epistle. It is hoped in this small way my spirit can participate with you this day, though I be absent in body. I hope this makes nobody homesick, for me we are too busy to ever worry about that. I leave with you all my love, my gratitude for all your support, and the knowledge I have that Christ lives and loves us and that this is His work and glory in which we are engaged. In His holy name I offer these few thoughts and ask His blessing upon all of you.