• Gratitude A Plenty..puerto Rican Genealogy Society
• Gratitude A Plenty..puerto Rican Genealogy Ancestry
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Most members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints live outside of the United States and will not celebrate the traditional American holiday of Thanksgiving. Members in Canada celebrate Thanksgiving in October, and other celebrations of gratitude occur around the world at different times. American members will participate this week, but throughout the year, Church members worldwide express gratitude for God’s blessings in personal and family prayer.

Many across the nation and world, including members of the Church, currently face weighty challenges in their lives. In difficult periods of the past, leaders have recognized the collective need to give thanks amid turmoil and to turn to God.
Following the Revolutionary War and ratification of the United States Constitution, President George Washington issued a proclamation designating Thursday, 26 November 1789, as an official holiday of “sincere and humble thanks” for God’s “care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation.” In October 1863, in the midst of a bloody civil war, President Abraham Lincoln made the traditional Thanksgiving celebration a nationwide holiday to be commemorated each year on the fourth Thursday of November.
Lincoln’s proclamation enumerated the blessings of the country, then urged that those blessings “be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American people.” He recommended that Americans “fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation.”
As Thanksgiving approaches, we have a similar need to reflect on the good despite difficulty and division. Many on the East Coast of the United States are facing challenging times as they work to rebuild their homes and lives after Hurricane Sandy. They have a long, uphill battle ahead, and our thoughts and prayers are with them in this effort.
As Presidents Washington and Lincoln expressed, reflecting on our blessings when times are trying can help change our perspective on life’s challenges. Prophet and Church President Thomas S. Monson said:

“While there is much that is wrong in the world today, there are many things that are right and good. ... Our lives are blessed in countless ways. …

“… [The] things which provide deep and lasting happiness and gratitude are the things which money cannot buy: our families, the gospel, good friends, our health, our abilities, the love we receive from those around us. Unfortunately, these are some of the things we allow ourselves to take for granted. …

“When we encounter challenges and problems in our lives, it is often difficult for us to focus on our blessings. However, if we reach deep enough and look hard enough, we will be able to feel and recognize just how much we have been given.”

It is now on display at the Sweetwater Creek State Park in Douglas County. In 2010, members of the American Petroglyphic Society quickly identified the art as being Taino Arawak. The figure was a guardian deity worshiped in Puerto Rico. In particular, the artwork is identical to that found in caves around Arecibo, Puerto Rico.

1. A most compelling breakthrough in his Family history research was a similar document like mine citing “Africa” as the birthplace of his 3rd great-grandparents Charlie and Maggie LEWIS, my eyes bucked! Minutes later the episode whisked us through a phenomenally well-documented sojourn all the way to the Kingdom of Dahomey, today known as the.
2. It is not known for certain which ethnic group built the many towns with mounds in Autauga County. One possibility is that a branch of the Choctaws lived there, since a swamp in the western part of the county had a Choctaw name, Conchapita. Alternatively, they may have been related to the Alabama Indians who occupied the region in the late 1600s and most of the 18th century.
3. Bwiti Tradition. The Bwiti spiritual path revolves around the sacred use of the Iboga root. For centuries, followers of Bwiti tradition have used Iboga in healing ceremonies and spiritual rituals for self-discovery, personal development, physical healing, connection to nature, direct communication with spirits and ancestors and in gratitude for the gift of life.
4. Our Taino, Spaniard, and African ancestors also had their ancient ancestors, too, which influenced their culture the same way that these groups shaped us. Historia de Puerto Rico y Global. A pesar de que Puerto Rico se distingue como una isla tropical en el Caribe que tan solo mide 111.5 x 39.8 millas, Puerto Rico tiene una historia muy vibrante.

http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2010/10/the-divine-gift-of-gratitude?lang=eng
In October, President Monson encouraged listeners of the Church’s general conference to watch over those around them and assist in times of need.

“May we willingly serve one another. May we pray for the inspiration to know of the needs of those around us, and then may we go forward and provide assistance.

“… Difficulties come into our lives, problems we do not anticipate and which we would never choose. None of us is immune. The purpose of mortality is to learn and to grow to be more like our Father, and it is often during the difficult times that we learn the most, as painful as the lessons may be. Our lives can also be filled with joy as we follow the teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/10/god-be-with-you-till-we-meet-again
We hope that all people will see this Thanksgiving holiday as a time to express gratitude and to serve those around them.

The Plum Village fourfold Sangha offered this New Year Prayer at the midnight ceremony to enter 2018.

Dear Beloved Thầy, Dear Beloved Ancestors, Dear Beloved Mother Earth,

We have gathered as a fourfold sangha in this solemn moment of the New Year to express our gratitude and aspiration as a spiritual family, and to begin anew. We know that you, our ancestors, are present in this very moment, and that you are always there for us to take refuge in. As we touch the earth tonight we feel deeply connected to all of you, and to our dear Mother Earth: our beautiful blue planet, the Great Refreshing Bodhisattva – fragrant and cool, kind and inclusive, accepting us all. Mother Earth, we are all your children and, despite our many mistakes and shortcomings, every time we come home to you, you are ready to open your arms and embrace us.

Gratitude A Plenty..puerto Rican Genealogy Society

Beloved Thầy, many times in the past we have allowed uncertainty to water the seeds of insecurity and fear in our hearts. We have hesitated to take refuge in the path and we have doubted our family and community. We have not been wholehearted in our practice. We have let our strong emotions and wrong perceptions overwhelm us, giving rise to feelings of helplessness, separation and despair.

Aware of this, we want to begin anew and to remind ourselves of our commitment to practice wholeheartedly, to take refuge in our Beloved Community, and to be a continuation of Thầy and all our spiritual ancestors. We aspire to live more deeply by cultivating our mindful breathing and walking in our daily activities, which we know are your favorite practices. We also know that you love building Sangha, and we vow to continue your work of building brotherhood and sisterhood with all our heart, even though at times it may seem challenging. We will not withdraw from the practice, or abandon our loved ones or our community; but aspire to listen deeply and to help one another, never forsaking anyone, even those who cause us to suffer.

Mother Earth, as a human family, in our misguided pursuit of happiness, we have allowed greed and consumerism to prevail. We have been running after status, power, material possessions and sensual comforts, forgetting that these things can never bring us true happiness and freedom. We have caused great harm to you and to ourselves, exploiting our mountains and rivers, mistreating our forests and other species, polluting our atmosphere and causing you to lose your beauty and balance.

We are determined to simplify our life, and to remember that in the present moment we already have enough conditions to be happy. We vow to live more deeply and with gratitude, aware that simply to be alive is already a miracle. In the coming year, we are determined to consume less and to make effort to live more sustainably both for ourselves and for you, Mother Earth.

Dear Ancestors, we have allowed fear, fanaticism and intolerance to divide us as a human family. We have caused suffering to one another, discriminating on the basis of religion, ethnicity and nationality. We have closed our hearts and our borders, out of fear and ignorance. We have caused wars, terror and conflicts between each other, and allowed the militarization of our society to escalate. We have forgotten that we are inter-dependent, and that our own happiness and suffering is deeply connected to, and dependent on, the happiness and suffering of others.

We trust that within us, there is the wisdom of non-discrimination and great compassion, transmitted to us by you, all our spiritual teachers, our ancestors, and by Mother Earth. We are determined to stay on the Path, to keep our hearts open, and to let go of our pride, so that understanding and love can prevail.

Gratitude A Plenty..puerto Rican Genealogy Ancestry

As we touch the Earth, we express our gratitude to you, our beloved teacher Thầy, to our ancestors, and to Mother Earth. We have found the path of practice and a spiritual family to take refuge in. We have experienced joy, peace and transformation. We have tasted the freedom of letting go of our ideas and notions. We have felt the strength and warmth of brotherhood and sisterhood, and we know that together, we can face our challenges and realize our aspiration. We vow, in this solemn moment, to continue to build our family, our community and to open up the path for ourselves and our descendants.

Gratitude A Plenty..puerto Rican Genealogy Sites

Dear Thầy, Dear Ancestors, Dear Mother Earth, please accept our offerings of incense, flowers, fruit and tea, as a sign of our deep aspiration, respect, gratitude and love.