It's Thanksgiving again, and just as everyone tends to, my mind has been turning towards what I'm most thankful for. As I look back on my life a year ago, the things I'm grateful for has changed drastically.
A year ago, my mind was still filled with my mission, and I had a hard time looking past that. I was grateful for my mission and for my mission peeps. I was grateful for be helping to teach mission prep (I miss that tons, and wish I could still be teaching it) and I was grateful for my family. There wasn't a whole lot more than that, because I was really discontent with my life. I tried to act differently, but that was the truth.
Now, I'm in a completely different place. I've been striving to apply the principle that President Uchtdorf taught of being grateful in our circumstances, and not for things. And, when we actually are grateful in our circumstances, we find a lot more to be grateful for.
I'm still grateful for my mission. There is absolutely nothing that can change that. That gratitude, love, and passion for my mission and my mission peeps will never go away, will never fade. A piece of my heart will forever be in that land of green and grey.
I'm so incredibly grateful for my family. I miss them TONS, and it's super hard not being with them today. I'm grateful for my relationship with them now. I'm grateful for the incredible things that have happened this year for my family - from two new nieces, to a brother's re-baptism.
I'm grateful for my calling, and how it fills me with love for the wonderful sisters in my relief society and causes me to grow and think outside of myself.
I'm grateful for my job, though sometimes it's super frustrating, it's often a lot of fun, and I've come to love those annoying, bratty kids that I work with.
I'm grateful to be going to school again and to have the opportunity to chase my dreams. I'm grateful for how nicely my classes have worked out this semester, and then for next semester.
There is something that I've become especially grateful for over the past few months. Heavenly Father has placed 5 special blessings into my life to help me out this semester, and hopefully the rest of my life. They are my roommates. Let me tell you a little bit about them and why I'm so grateful for them.
Maren Flake. She has an incredible desire to simply do what's right and nothing more or less. She tries so hard and she loves deeply. She's always super busy, because she's going to school, working, and is engaged, yet she always finds time to do things like study her scriptures and write in her journal. She might fall asleep as she prays...but that's because she works so hard throughout the day, that the minute she relaxes, her body just sleeps. I'm grateful for her example and her righteous desires.
Natalie Nielson. Natalie is one of those people that will quietly go about doing good, and will continue to do good, even if nobody notices or acknowledges. She thinks of others often before herself, and won't dare to say a negative word towards someone. She's happy, diligent, and one of the kindest people I've ever met.
Danielle Jackson. If you met her, you won't very quickly forget her. She is always completely herself, and will never apologize for it, and I think that is an incredible quality. It helps me to remember that I should always be myself, because there's no one else I'd rather be. She's hilarious, loves fun, and loves to play hard - which is awesome, because I love to play hard, too! (When I'm not doing schoolwork...which I feel like is always...)
Emmie Christensen. Emmie probably has one of the purest hearts I've ever met. If there was one characteristic I feel like she embodies, it would be charity. She tries to see the best in people, and once she loves a person, she loves fiercely, and will frankly forgive, because she loves so much. She's super passionate about family history, which is a huge example to me. And she will always, always play games with me.
Dani Kellogg. She's another one who loves deeply. You become friends with Dani, and I feel like you've pretty much just gained a friend for life. She's obedient to the will of the Lord and diligently seeks His will, which inspires me to try to align my will with His more faithfully.
There's so much more I could say about these wonderful girls in my life. I'm so grateful for my Heavenly Father having he foresight to make me wait 10 months to go to BYU-I so I could room with them and to have friends that I don't think I can now live without.
Happy Thanksgiving, friends! Remember what is most important and all the little things in between! And...eat lots of food. :)
