A Day of Thanksgiving

Today I was able to attend our weekly devotional at which Elder Gonzales, a member of the 70, spoke on the importance of getting an education, feeling prepared for the "pop quizzes" in life by relying on the Lord and learning more about Him, and lastly, cultivating an "attitude of gratitude," referring to President Monson's talk he gave in our last General Conference. I have come home more enthusiastic to heed his council and try a little harder to become more Christ-like. This post is my first attempt (of many more to come) to just do a little more, as I know it will bring me more joy and happiness. I also want to note that Jesse has been such a good example of expressing gratitude at least 2 times a week this month. I hope to do the same for the remainder of the month, so just note, more posts to come!

So to start, I want to say how grateful I am for attending this school. I have been known to not give it much credit for all that it's worth and I apologize for that.

I am grateful for professors who care about not only our academic growth, but spiritual growth as well, and have daily devotionals, hymns, and prayers implemented in our daily lectures.

I'm grateful for weekly devotionals that uplift me spiritually and help me strive to be a little better and work a little harder.

I'm grateful for the student wards I've been in and the service I have been able to give, particularly in the Relief Society. With this, I'm extremely grateful for the bonds that have been formed in the presidencies that I've served in because of the strong desire to do good and deep devotion to the gospel we've had.

I'm grateful for supportive roommates who love me and care about my well-being, especially on the days when I'm missing Jesse and am sooo unmotivated to work on homework... I'm also grateful that they allow me to wear their clothes too. It's so great having 7 closets full of cute clothes. Thanks to them, I actually look cute pretty much every day! :)

I'm grateful for my roommates' example to me--especially those who cook really well and make meals with me that turn out really good, making my cooking ability also look really good.

I'm grateful for composition notebooks. They are so easy to carry around and so fun to write and doodle in!

I'm sooooooo grateful for my parents who love and support me and pay for my car to get new tires and breaks. Without them and their generosity, I would probably be driving (more like sliding) from Utah back to Rexburg in the blizzard-y weather and almost dying.

I'm also grateful for Myrtle (the car) who is still in good shape after enduring years of driving in high school, a trek from VA to UT, 2 years at college with Jeannine, many car wrecks, and a trip to Rexburg with me! Myrtle, you're a trooper.

I'm so grateful for leggings, for boots, for tights, for gloves, for sweaters, for scarves, and for warm coats that protect me from the FREEZING weather of Rexburg Idaho.

I'm grateful for beautiful snow that brings not only a smile to my face, but hot chocolate to my taste buds.

*Dear Snow, Thanks for cheering me up this morning! I was able to enjoy you with a bowl of warm oatmeal and some wonderful company. You're great!

I'm grateful for Thanksgiving break coming up and the opportunity I'll have to take a break from school and spend many hours and days with a man whom I love and who brings me great joy in my life. Oh, and with that, I'm also grateful for a school that gives its students a full week off (9 days in all) for Thanksgiving break! You BYU students should be jealous. :)

I'm extremely grateful for prayer and the comfort I receive when I am able to pray to a God who loves me and only wants the best for me. I take great comfort in the fact that as long as I trust in Him and keep my covenants with him, He will lead me down the path that eventually leads me to Him, and that includes a life of complete and fulfilling joy.

Lastly, I'm grateful for Jesse. I'm grateful for his strong testimony and fervent desire to do good always. I'm grateful for his desire to serve in the church and be obedient to the ecclesiastical leaders who lead him. I'm grateful for his sense of humor, for his good cooking skills, for his passion for the arts, for his love for his friends and family, and for his love for me. I'm grateful for the person he's made me be, in encouraging me to be better--to study more, to pray more fervently, to work harder in school, and to act in a more Christ-like way. I'm grateful for the confidence that I have gained in myself, for the person I have become because of him. Because of him, I feel my self-worth and recognize my potential to succeed and improve in this life.

Well since I made you all endure that looooooonnnnnggg blog post, I decided to give you a treat. No, not the kind you eat (sorry to disappoint you), but a kind that may be tasty to your eye. I'm including a few pictures from this semester, so I hope you enjoy them!

Halloween 2010 with a couple of my besties up here at school, Hillary and Angie:

From Jesse and I's trip to the Idaho Falls temple:

THIS is what I was talking about before. Yeah, Erin pretty much planned this meal. I made the potato casserole and she made the spaghetti and cooked the squash. Take a look at that spread. See what I mean? Because of them I can actually cook! :) Hope you enjoyed your treat. Hopefully it will give you more of an incentive to visit again, when I've posted more. :)