ok, I'm going to do something that I probably needed to do a long time ago.
share what I'm grateful for. A girl I know is doing a gratitude challenge, and after reading her recent blog post, I decided I needed to do it too. I spend WAAAAAY too much time being critical (mostly in my head or to my husband), so I need to offset that by exuding the positive. So here goes :)
I am grateful for the Gospel. Now, to me that includes the Church and everything that goes along with it. I was thinking, at first, that I would share something outside of the typical "I'm grateful for the Church, my family, the Book of Mormon" etc., but there have been a lot of things happening in my life lately that have caused me to seriously look at my membership in the Church.
I was 18 when I was baptised into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I had taken the discussions, prayed about the Book of Mormon, and took the plunge! At the time, I hadn't read through the whole BoM, but I had prayed to know if what I was doing was right. That was the most powerful answer to prayer that I have received to date. I knew that no matter what happened in my life from that point on, I could not turn my back on the truth.
Ever.
Since then, I've had different callings in the various wards I've been in, went through the temple, I served an 18 month mission to Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah and also to Dallas, Texas, and, most importantly, I was sealed to my husband for time and all eternity. The things that I've learned, and the experiences that I've had have only strengthened my testimony that what I've done has been pleasing to the Lord.
My mom has cancer. We found out right before Christmas. The surgeon figures they were able to remove it all when she had surgery back in November, but she has some tests coming up that will let us know if there's any cancer still there. She's probably going to have surgery to remove more of her intestine, but that won't be for a couple of months. Through all of this, I know that her faith has grown, and seeing how she's handled it all has increased my faith that we are being cared for and comforted by a loving Heavenly Father.
I also have friends and family who have left the Church. It's not that they are attending another Church; they stop believing in God altogether. Hearing and reading their reasons for doing so has caused me to react with a number of different emotions, but also has strengthened my testimony that my decision to join the Church 15 years ago was the right one. Although I know that the power of the adversary is strong, I still find myself amazed that someone would choose a path other than that of the Gospel. I know I'm not perfect, but I will not deny what is true.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ has brought me more joy and blessings than I could have ever imagined. I know that God lives. I know that Jesus is the Christ. I also know that there will be things that happen in our lives to test our faith, and I will not abandon the Lord. He has given me my confidence, my strength, and my happiness. He has blessed me with Quenton, with my kids, with my wonderful life.
For that, I am grateful.
