Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!  I hope you all had a wonderful day with your family and loved ones and were able to reflect on all your blessings.  Today was a great day for me- work for a while and then spend the afternoon and evening with family!  Life is good!

Like most people, today's post is going to highlight some of the things I'm most grateful for in my life...

- Family: I have an amazing family- parents, siblings, siblings-in-law, niece, nephew, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, etc.  I know that no matter what happens in life, I have people that love me and care about me and will help me out.  I am so grateful for the friendships I have within my family and for the good times we celebrate together.

-My Job: I feel so incredibly blessed that I can go to work to a job that I absolutely love every day!  I know I say it a lot, but I truly do love what I do.  Being a recreational therapist is one of the best decisions I've ever made.  It is such a wonderful opportunity to go to work and see people in crisis, and to be able to help them through that in some small way.  I also have amazing coworkers and value those friendships.

-Mission: Going on a mission is also one of the defining moments of my life thus far.  I learned and grew so much in those 18 months and met so many wonderful people that I still think of frequently.  From companions to investigators to members, that time shaped my life and helped me realize who I am and what I can become.  I'm grateful the Lord allowed me the opportunity to serve as a missionary in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

-Positive Examples: I have so many wonderful role models in my life.  I am so blessed to be surrounded by people who are dedicated to what they do, compassionate and willing to act and serve.  I have no doubt that the Lord leads us not only to where we need to be, but also to the people we need to be around, whether to learn from them or help them in some way.

-Faith: I am eternally grateful for my testimony of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, for His Atonement and his Church.  I know I have a Father in Heaven who loves me and cares about me, and is guiding my life.  I am thankful for that eternal perspective and guidance amid the trials of this mortal life.

Happy Thanksgiving!