An Attitude of Gratitude

During the summer, my mother always comes up with some kind of challenge for us to stay on task and be busy. In the past, she's had some more successful and other epicly epic failures. One summer, we had a "challenge of the week" and each week we had to do something to earn a sticker. The person with the most stickers at the end of the week got a prize. She decided that for one week we would see who could read the most of their scriptures. Due to the ridiculously competitive nature of my family, we were staying up until three in the morning and were NOT happy campers in the mornings. Even though that one didn't work out so well, other challenges were true in their purpose to help us uphold our standards and have unity in our home. 

This summer, we are going to try and read the entire Book of Mormon before Labor Day. I already consider this a great blessing and tender mercy of the Lord because of the many scriptures I have found already that have been beneficial to me. For instance, I was reading in 1 Nephi about when his brothers tie him up with cords. In modern words, Nephi's family was disfunctional. So anyway, the Lord teaches Laman and Lemuel a lesson by causing the seas to rage and the skies to be stormy. After a while, his brothers release him. Instead of being angry and lashing out, Nephi thanks the Lord for releasing him, instead on dwelling on the fact that his brothers tied him up. In his words it says:

 "Nevertheless, I did look unto my God, and I did praise him all the day long; and I did not murmur against the Lord for mine afflictions."

We should all aspire to be like Nephi. How many of us really do that when the going gets tough? When we are under so much duress we don't have time to eat, much less pray for all the wonderful blessings we have. Nephi prayed "all the day long", thanking his God. If he can take the whole day, can't we take a couple minutes at least? 

I made a list of all the things I am grateful for. Here goes:

-supportive family

-money to be able to travel

-an education

-healthy body

-talents

-good role models around me

-lots of siblings

-a great support system

-leadership abilities

-dancing

-music

-holy ghost

-Jesus Christ

-Heavenly Father

-a wonderful new ward

-happy and excited YW leaders

-opportunities to learn and grow

-the gospel

-the atonement

-an eternal family

So what are you waiting for? That took me what, 2 minutes, once you start everthing just comes. Everything we have comes from Christ, so really the list is infinite. That was the smallest possible sample of all we have. 

Thanks for listening! Stay tuned for next time!

~~Abby