Eleven Reasons to Give Thanks

One is my family. I would be so helplessly lost without my family in my life. We all take turns making each other laugh. We comfort each other, we tease other, and we love each other. My family is the greatest influence in my life, and will be for ever and ever. I am so glad that my family is as wonderful as they are, because they have no possible idea of how much of an impact they have on me.

Two is my friends. The peanut butter to my jelly, the ginger to my bread, they just understand me and make my life complete. It's so great to have people to turn to when you feel like nobody else really gets it. And what is more, usually they get you laughing and you turn a fail of a day into a completely marvelous time. They know just what to say to make me happy and pick me up when times get rough.

Three is school. Yes, school. It doesn't matter how much I say I hate it, I really love it. Because at school is where I experience society and meet new people. At school is where I learn more about the things I love to learn. And most importantly, school is where all of my great experiences with other people take place. If it weren't for school, my testimony would never be as strong as it is now.

Four is my home. I don't mean just the actual, physical house that I live in, but also my neighborhood and city. Of course I am immensely thankful for the warm and comfortable house I have, but my house would be sad indeed without the influence of the people around it. My neighbors add so much to my life, and my city influences everything that happens. So, in short, where I live is wonderful. Simply wonderful.

Five is technology. I am to an age where many of my friends have moved away, and I have family living out of state. I am so thankful that modern technology makes it possible for me to talk to them. While facebook and twitter and things like that are awesome, and I definitely don't complain about them, I am especially thankful for email and phones. I like them better, because they allow me to have more private and meaningful conversations with my friends that can take longer and get better than they ever would on any other social media site.

Six is my voice. Have you ever noticed how expressive someone's voice is? It tells their entire story! The way they talk to you says volumes about them. I am thankful that I am able to talk and sing and laugh with those around me. I am so blessed to live in a community where people live close enough to talk to one another and take the time to understand each-other.

Seven is the missionaries for my church. I am not directly influenced by them, but they influence me greatly just the same. They are such examples in my life, and whenever I get letters or emails from them, it just amazes me how strong and true they are. Their courage is astounding, and their diligence is magnificent.

Eight is General Conference, a semi-annual church-wide event for Mormons. We gather to either hear a broadcast of our modern-day prophets, or else we are blessed to hear them live at Temple Square. General Conference is a wonderful time to hear the word of God and come nearer to Him through the words of the prophets.

Nine is Jesus Christ, and His infinite atonement. Because He atoned for the sins of every single person to ever live, we can all repent! I rely on the atonement daily. Not only can I ask for forgiveness and be forgiven, but Christ also understands perfectly the way that I feel when I face a trial in my life. He knows me, and through the atonement I can rely on Him to help me through the hard times in my life.

Ten is God and the wonderful gospel through which He so abundantly blesses me. I know that God loves me more than I would ever be able to comprehend. He sees me for who I am, not how other people see me. He knows my infinite worth and wants me to do my very best. He gives me all that I have. He wants me to succeed. He puts the things in my life that I need most and knows what is best for me in all things.

Eleven is the Plan of Salvation, the Great Plan of Happiness. Because of the Plan of Salvation, the LDS faith believes in a life after death. I am SO thankful for this truth because it means that I will be able to see my loved ones who have passed on again. I know that I will get to see them again without a doubt! Heavenly Father has made it known to me. I have felt His undoubted assurance during the hard times in my life that I will some day be able to see the family members I have loved so dearly again. Last February my grandma passed away. I had a hard time getting over her passing for months and I still miss her tremendously! But I would still be having a really hard time if I didn't know that I would be able to see her again some day. That has been such a comfort in my life, and it lifts my spirits every time I feel sad that I can't turn and talk to her like I used to. God's plan for us is so amazing and perfect! I am so thankful for it.

Giving Thanksgiving

Tonight as a group, the youth in my neighborhood all gathered Thanksgiving food for other people who might be in need of it. We never think much of it. It's a neat thing to do for others, but we never know who gets the food we gather, so we just do it and don't think twice.

After this youth activity, I was complimented by a few people for things I had done in the past that I had, quite frankly, forgotten all about. It made me feel really good and happy. It's always wonderful to know that someone recognizes you, and cares about you enough to reach out to you.

I was thinking about that and connected that to the activity tonight. The same sort of feeling I had when I got those compliments will be what is felt by the families we reached out to. When you give to others, that is giving them reason to be thankful. You're giving thanksgiving! I didn't really understand that until tonight.
I still don't know who I've been able to help with the Thanksgiving food drive, but I now know what their reaction will be. It will be my reaction to the compliments times ten. Thanksgiving time isn't just a time for you yourself to be thankful for everything you have, it is also a time to give others a reason to be thankful as well. God has given us all so much. We can thank Him for it all, but we can also do more. We can ultimately give someone else a reason for thanksgiving. The way to serve God is by serving others.

Tonight, that just hit me strong and true. I'd never made the connection. But now I understand, and I want to do more. I love the gospel, and how everything just connects together so perfectly! I know God understands each one of us, and that He is there for us. I feel His love daily. I am so thankful for that love, and the knowledge that God will be beside me to the end.

Talents

Tonight was the closing night of a musical I was in. This was fun, because it was the first musical I actually got a lead role. I was so excited, and the whole experience helped me grow a lot. But now, I've decided to stop pursuing theater. I love acting, but it's not for me.

It was really hard for me to decide not to do theater. I feel like it is a talent that God gave to me. However, I also realized that the other things I wanted and needed to do didn't fit into my life when I was going to rehearsals and performances. Homework and friends got pushed to the back of my mind once school was out, and all I did all day was run around trying to get ready for the play.

This wore me out, and I soon found that I wasn't just forgetting homework and friends, but also God. I would stay up really late doing homework, and then sleep in with barely enough time to get out the door for school. I was forgetting to read my scriptures and say my prayers, and then I would decide I was "too tired" when I remembered.

Heavenly Father helped me out. When I first decided not to do theater, I was worried about what other people would think. Theater was something I'd put a lot of time into, and now I was suddenly just deciding that I wasn't going to do it anymore. While I never felt that I really truly fit right into the acting world, I didn't feel like I could just leave it. I'd been away from other people for so long, I didn't know if I could go back and be completely accepted. But as I made the decision to leave theater behind me, I saw God helping me and assuring me that I was making the right choice through the little things daily. It's usually through the little things that God shows his love and care to us.

I know that God has a plan for me and that He will help me make the choices I need to so that I can achieve that plan. He cares about me and knows me and loves me, and I've really been able to see that love this last week.

Just because you have a talent doesn't mean that you should pursue it as a career. Of course, God gives us our talents for a reason, and they are meant to be used! But you can still use your talents, even if you don't decide to dedicate the rest of your life some of them. I learned that this week, and I am very thankful that I was able to learn that.