What is there to be thankful for? As I write this Thanksgiving message I am struck by the myriad blessings that encompass me and most of those around me. As I watch in disbelief the moral anchors that are being torn from the bedrock of our society under a tide of secular sin, I am consoled by the vast goodness of those I am blessed to associate with in my life. I would like to thank each and every one of you for the blessings of your friendship.   

- I am truly grateful for the blessings of the Lords sacred covenant that exists upon this land called America.  I'm thankful that the Lord raised up men who were fearless in upholding God and His Christ in order to establish this nation which grew to become a 'shining beacon of light on a hill' to bless all other nations of the earth, rather than conquer them, through its success.  If you have not seen the film "America" you owe it to yourself and your loved ones to watch it.  Watch the film trailer now by clicking HERE.   

- I'm thankful for the covenant blessing of family, for an incredible wife and children who strive to bless the lives of others through their work, their Church and mission service, their examples and their love.

- I'm grateful for the covenant blessings of prosperity and abundance that the Lord has poured out upon our family, friends and neighbors throughout this year. We enjoy a lifestyle that very few of God's children have ever had; a warm, comfortable home, reliable transportation, technological gadgets, clothing, more than enough food, clean air and water, medical care, physical health, financial stability and opportunities to travel. We've been blessed beyond measure this year and throughout our lives.

- I thank my Heavenly Father for this period of security and relative peace in our community, especially as I witness the anger and discontent exhibited by others who feel discriminated against or the horror of those who are being driven or killed because of their Christian beliefs. It seems our world is coming apart at the seams with wars and bloodshed increasing exponentially around the world, yet here, nestled in a rather pristine valley of Utah, all seems calm and peaceful as we enter this holiday season.  Let it begin by giving thanks to God for it all.

There are so many more blessings that we enjoy because of the gospel we love and the Church that continues to shine its truths even with ever increasing opposition against it. I am truly grateful for inspired leaders and the truths obtained through the Holy scriptures. I'm so grateful to be associated with so many wonderful, righteous, and honorable men and women in our lives.

Finally, I'm in awe at how this nation, the United States of America, has flourished and been able to spread the gospel throughout the world through these aforementioned covenant blessings.  The purpose of this covenant is missionary work...taking the gospel to the other nations of the earth.   

I recently read some statistics regarding the Church in the United States. This nation has "the most members, stakes, congregations, missions, and temples of any country and possesses five times as many members as the country with the second most members (Mexico), six times as many stakes as the country with the second most stakes (Brazil), almost seven times as many congregations as the country with the second most congregations (Mexico), nearly four times as many missions as the country with the second most missions (Brazil), and six times as many temples as the country with the second most temples (Mexico)." 

As far as Church leadership, as of April 2011 "two of the three members of the First Presidency, all members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, five of the seven members of the Presidency of the Seventy, 31 of the 57 members of the First Quorum of the Seventy, 16 of the 20 members of the Second Quorum of the Seventy, and all three members of the Presiding Bishopric were born in the United States.  American Latter-day Saints constitute the majority of temple and mission presidents worldwide."   Read the article at www.Cumorah.com HERE.   

As those who have heard my most recent presentations or watched the new DVD set, The American Promised Land Covenant, all of this is absolute evidence of God's sacred covenant upon this nation and this people. This truly is the promised land foretold in the Book of Mormon.  I feel overwhelmingly blessed to be a part of both.

May each of you take some of the precious little time you have with your loved ones on this Thanksgiving holiday and share with them the historical purposes set out for this special day that have now been largely forgotten. Let us remind those we love and those around us of the sacred origins of Thanksgiving, a uniquely American holiday.

I have tried to organize some of the most important documents relating to Thanksgiving for your enjoyment and understanding. There are three documented proclamations regarding the establishment of Thanksgiving in the United States. The first was drafted by the Continental Congress of 1777, the second by George Washington in 1789 and another by Abraham Lincoln in 1863. Each make it abundantly and absolutely clear that the purpose of this day of Thanksgiving was to direct our gratitude toward Almighty God for ALL of our blessings, as individuals, as communities and as a nation under a sacred covenant.

News commentator Glenn Beck spoke on the origins of Thanksgiving this morning and shared several insights that would be appropriate to pass along to you. It is hoped that you will watch Glenn's inspiring message and print out the three linked PDF documents and share them with others. If you've never read them before, or just not read them in a while, these proclamations will give you a profound renewed awareness of the importance placed by some of our most beloved leaders to give proper thanks unto God for every blessing in our lives.