Practice an attitude of gratitude.

Many of us go through life thinking that everything we have, it's been the result of OUR OWN hard work; we start living the "self" life, thinking that everything in the universe revolves around us. Many of us don't stop and realize that what we have has been part of a greater design, not just simple coincidence.

Today, I want to stop and share with all of you the things which I am grateful for. I think many times we murmur against God for the hard moments we are going through. Sadly but truly, at some point in my life many years ago I blamed Him for many heartaches I was dealing with. I love my parents, and there aren't sweeter memories than those of my parents and my sisters together when we were younger. Seeing my family break apart was a life changing experience in every way. But it's not until now that I understand that things happen for a reason. If it hadn't been for my parent's divorce, I would have never left Nicaragua and I am sure I wouldn't have come to California. As a consequence, I would have never met the sweet sister missionaries that knocked on my door, the girls that introduced me to the biggest blessing in life. I surely lost my family in some way, but I gained and became a part of something that is capable of bringing comfort into anyone's life, no matter how great the pain is. I am grateful that I became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Thanks to it I became the person who I am. I am grateful for the knowledge I have gained and for all the blessings I have received. I am grateful for the friends I have made through the church, I am grateful for the people who I can now call my family, I am grateful for my boyfriend, because if it wasn't for the church I would have never come to know of his existance.

I am also grateful for the many abilities I have been given. I thank Heavenly Father for the many talents that He has given each one of us. He knows us better than anyone, He has made us the way we are because He has a specific plan for each one of us. I thank Him for my talents and for making me capable of achieveing some of my educational goals ever since I was younger in life. I know that right now it's not possible for me to achieve some of those for many reasons but I know that after all He is going to be there all along opening doors so I can get to where I want to be.

Another very imporant thing that we usually let fly by is our health, physically that is. I feel a need to thank Heavenly Father for one more day of life every day. I have people who are very close to me that deal with horrible illnesses. Every time I think of such things I remind myself that I am so blessed for not having to deal with such pain.

Last Sunday, at our YSA, one of the most recent return missionaries gave a talk that inspired me a lot. He talked about how he got through his mission although days seemed to be hard, he focused on how hard it was when he was giving his best on his mission and he would go weeks without finding a person to teach the gospel to. He talked about how once he got hit by a motorcycle, and how he bounced and got up without a scratch. You may see no point in that, but I want to share with you how he mentioned that if it wasn't for Heavenly Father making him go through those experiences, he wouldn't have been able to endure the hard times during those two years. He explained how his mission president encouraged him to thank Heavenly Father for serving it up tough everyday. It made me think a lot, and now I can truly say this, I am thankful for Heavenly Father serving it up tough these past few years, those experiences have strengthened me and I know they are preparing me for the adversity and challenges that I will deal with in the future. So everyday, I will pray to Heavenly Father so He can serve it up tough and prepare me for the future, that I may become a strong woman who will strengthen those around her, to become that woman that He wants me to become, a woman able to provide for her family and those she cares about and offer help to those who need to find their way back to the Lord, or those who don't know there is one yet.

How Great Thou art!

As human beings, we all go through difficult times in life. But that is the way it was meant to be; this life on earth is a time of being tested and of facing challenges in order to become stronger and prove Heavenly Father that we are willing to return to his presence.

I have felt the sorrow that comes from not living the commandments and keeping the covenants that I once made with my Father in Heaven. It has taken a lot for me to understand that He is what matters the most in my life. I have been blessed in SO many ways, even at times when I haven't been worthy enough to be blessed in such ways. As a daughter of God, now, I know that my worth is beyond rubies, I know that I mean a lot in my Father's eyes. I know that He wants the best for me, and He wants me to live with Him someday.

At girl's camp, this year, I remember learning many songs, that I can now understand. There was this song called " I walk by faith". It says "I will prepare to make and keep sacred covenants, seek promised blessings of the priesthood thru obedience, live my life to claim the blessing sweet of exaltation, my testimony growing each new day... I walk by faith, a daughter of heavenly parents, divine am I in nature by inheritance. The Spirit whispers of my mission, my individual worth, So I seek for precious knowledge, for learning and for growth... ... I want to build the kingdom, and good works is the key. By doing what I know is right, I walk by faith". I KNOW that I love my Redeemer so much that I would leave everything behind just to follow him.

I heard this great analogy on Sunday. My bishop talked about the Nauvoo pageant, and how in this play there is a scene of this kid playing baseball; the day of the performance, the kid wasn't able to hit the ball with his bat. He stopped, looked around, and he was confused, without knowing what to do.. The show HAD to go on. The person in first base whispered to the little boy saying, "Come on, run towards me, leave it behind". The kid was scared, looked around, but he left his bat, and just started running to make it through the three bases. Once he was done, his father was waiting for him with his arms wide open, waiting for him to run the three bases, always knowing that his son could do it. Many times in our lives, we drop the ball. But there is Heavenly Father, telling us that we can do it, motivating us to run through the bases, because at the end of the race, he is right there waiting with his arms wide open, ready to hold us tight, because he LOVES US. He wants what is best for us, and we should listen and be grateful, because we will always be eternally indebted to him for what we have been given. Satan, will always make us fear because he knows our weaknesses, and he drives us down the hill, making us think that what we have done is too great to turn to Heavenly Father once again. BUT we must always remember, that we have a loving Father, that will take good care of us, and who wants no harm to come upon us.

For the past days I felt very guilty for disappointing myself, a person who I have come to love more than the space of the universe, and my Father in Heaven. But after meditating, and crying all morning, I knelt down, had a prayer, and asked my Father what to do. As usual, He always has an answer for me, and I KNOW I need to trust Him at all times, let His will be done, not mine. I have now given it up, my will doesn't matter anymore because I am here for my Father in Heaven, I can only pray and ask him for guidance, that I may know the truth to know what path to take in order to return to him.

I believe in the gospel. I believe in Christ. I believe in everything I have been taught by the church. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has become my strength. I am willing to sacrifice everything to accomplish my greatest goal: Being sealed in the temple someday with the companion of my choice, in order to be a step closer to living with Heavenly Father.
　
One of the great and strong women that I truly admire in this world is Sister Dalton (Young Women's First Presidency). I have come to find very useful each one of her talks. This morning before going to work, I decided to look up some articles on the lds website, and I came across this talk by Sister Dalton that talked about stayin on the path. She said that as we climb the mountains of life, stay on the path of righteousness. There will be others to help us—our parents, family members, bishops, advisers, and righteous friends of all ages. And if we are weary or take a wrong turn,we need to change our direction and get back on the path of the Lord. Always remember that the Savior is there for us. He will enable us to repent, strengthen us, lighten our burdens, dry our tears, comfort us, and continue to help us stay on the path.

The Savior is the perfect example. When Jesus walked the roads of the Holy Land, He "went about doing good" (Acts 10:38). He healed the sick and caused the blind to see and raised the dead. He taught the truths of eternity, the reality of our premortal existence, the purpose of our life on earth, and our potential as sons and daughters of God in the life to come. One of my favorite scriptures says: "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths" (Proverbs 3:5-6)

I know that I have been put in circumstances that I don't like, but I know that it hasn't been a coincidence, but I have been put in those circumstances to accept the gospel because it is part of a greater design.

I am taking a huge step in my life, re arranging my goals, and realizing that the Lord is all I care for, and I will do whatever it takes to return to him someday, and make my Father proud. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.