An Attitude of Gratitude

In this season of thankfulness, I have so many reasons to have an attitude of gratitude. First, I want to thank all of you who have congratulated me for my election as President-designate of the Council of Bishops. I will begin this responsibility during General Conference.

Let me clarify what this responsibility means. I want to assure you that these additional duties will not distract me from the major work we are doing together in Cal-Nevada.

As President-designate, I will serve on the Council's Executive Committee and assist Bishop Rosemary Wenner, of Germany, while she serves as President from 2012 to 2014. I will become President in the spring of 2014 and serve through the opening of General Conference 2016. When the Council implements the new position of "Set-Aside President" to serve the Council full time, I will NOT step into that role. The new fulltime position will provide additional leadership for the Council and the Church.

I am both honored and humbled by this recognition from my colleagues – and am thankful for the expressions of support I have received from the people of this Conference. I have heard from many of you and am so grateful for your words of encouragement. Thank you all for the affirmation and for letting me know that you stand with and behind me.

I am also thankful to be turning 65 this week, and to have the opportunity to celebrate my birthday – and my father's 90th birthday! – with him and my mother. I realize how blessed we are to be able to mark these milestones together, and it causes me to reflect on how thankful I am for all the people who touch our lives in a positive way.

May we all celebrate the presence and support of those special someones who have encouraged us and touched our lives with blessings.

I am grateful, too, for the people of our churches, young people and not-so-young people, with their excitement for the love of God and their desire to make a difference. And I am especially grateful for this time of opportunity for the California-Nevada Annual Conference. May we understand what God calls us to do and whom God is calling us to be in this time.

I hope that you will join me in this thanksgiving. Whatever your circumstances this year – whether joy is a natural outgrowth of them, or hard to come by – I hope that praise and gratitude will be a part of your life this week.

May we all find a way to give thanks, with a grateful heart.

May God's peace be upon you. And may your Thanksgiving be blessed!

By: Warner H. Brown, Jr. On 11/22/2011

Topics: Article