Time!

I'm grateful for opportunities and the time to pursue them.



Yesterday, I drove the sister missionaries; it was so great. I'm thankful for their astonishing faith, goodness, obedience.



And, I'm thankful I had the time to drive them around.



We are tying to get ready for China, and I'm grateful for some time to be able to do this.



TIME, what a great, great blessing.

Books, books, and more books

I love reading, learning, being exposed to a variety of cultures, experiences, peoples, etc.

I'm thankful for libraries, used books, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, my IPod to listen to books.

I LOVE BOOKS.

And, mostly the scriptures...just read Alma 34; an awesome chapter.

I LOVE THE SCRIPTURES.

the Temple

I've been to several temples:

Anchorage, Alaska
San Diego, California
Portland, Oregon
Montreal, Canada
Salt Lake City, Utah
Rexburg, Idaho
Las Vegas, Nevada
Manhatten, New York
Washington, DC
Idaho Falls, Idaho
Nauvoo, Illinois
Boise, Idaho
They are all so beautiful and breath-taking.

But, my favorite temple is the St. George Temple.

It's not the most elaborate, it doesn't have the most amazing chandeliers, flower arrangements, stair cases, furniture, glass windows, etc.

But, it represents so much a part of the history, the legacy, the hard work, the sacrifice, the faith of the early Saints.

And, I think of those things every time I go to the temple.

I love the St. George Temple.

Today, I had an enlightening moment.

I realized that I cannot keep being in despair over my children....I must find JOY in their lives NOW! I DO NOT like the way they live, their choices, their breaking of so many commandments, but for now, I need to look at the good parts of their lives.

This is very hard for me, because as the older I get, the more the Gospel, the covenants, the commandments mean to me, so my despair is even greater.

I must use the Atonement, and temple attendance to remind me about faith, and that I need to work on my own salvation.

I am grateful for temples. There was a very elderly gentleman in a session. I loved that he was at the temple, that he was perfoming meaningful work, that our church provides something for every age to be needed and to feel useful.

Thank you, heavenly Father, for the blessing of the temples.

WORK

Many people - including many in America - want to get something when they have not earned it.

For me, I am grateful for WORK.

WORK is a great blessing for many reasons.

When one has finished working, there is such a great feeling of accomplishment.

It's a blessing to get a paycheck and to know that it was earned.

Honorable work is indeed a great blessing.

I'm grateful for the gift of work!

AMERICA

I love the 4th of July and America.

Thanks, dad, for helping me understand the significance of this great country. I love a parade, band music, anything patriotic, and I owe that to you.

I'm thankful for family.

For the many volunteers who make our communities better places to live.

for the Book of Mormon that teaches that America is the promised land.