248. Today I am grateful to have made it through my first winter driving experience successfully

I think the snow is finally 100% gone! Driving in the snow has been a new experience for me and although it was scary at times.... I made it without any injury to me and only minor damage to my car, which was repaired, when I was rear-ended. You can read about my first winter driving experience here.

247. Today I am grateful to be a Christian

I have written several posts about my gratitude to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Along with people recognizing me as Latter-day Saint, LDS, or Mormon I am also grateful to be a Christian and for those who recognize and refer to me as a Christian. To me being Christian declares my desire to follow Christ and serve as he did and love as he does.  

246. Today I am grateful for the freezer

I also need to add the Freezer for keeping food preserved for even longer. It also allows me to enjoy yummy cold “food” like ice cream. I also enjoy making casseroles and lasagna and then freezing them into individual portions to reheat in the microwave on busy nights.

245. Today I am grateful for a refrigerator

I will continue my gratitude for appliances with the refrigerator which I am grateful to have to preserve perishable foods.

244. Today I am grateful for microwave ovens

I am also grateful for microwave ovens to defrost, reheat, prep and cook foods quickly. What a great convenience tool. Just to make me feel old I will share that I remember going to Costco with my parents to buy our very first microwave oven.  

243. Today I am grateful for an oven

I am grateful for ovens to bake and cook food.

242. I am grateful for the opportunity to vote

Alberta had their provincial election yesterday and I am grateful that I took the opportunity to vote. I am grateful that I have an opportunity to decide for myself what I value and what party I want to vote for.

241. Today I am grateful for nature

Today for FHE we went on a nature walk which was really enjoyable. I really enjoy going for walks and see, feel, hear, and smell the beauty around me. I am grateful for the wonderful creations of our Heavenly Father and the opportunity I have to enjoy His creations.

240. Today I am grateful for covenants made in the temple

I am grateful that I have been able to make covenants in the temple and commit myself to living the way God expects me to. I am grateful that I can return to the temple often and remember those covenants I have made and evaluate areas I can improve in.

239. Today I am grateful for soap

I am grateful for soap to help keep me clean and smelling good as well as protecting against infections and illnesses.

238. Today I am grateful for dishwashers

I am grateful that I have a dishwasher because it makes doing dishes so much easier and quicker and (usually) encourages others to clean up their dishes soon after eating.

237. Today I am grateful for my Health

I have written about some challenges with my health recently and I am happy to say that I am finally starting to feel better and more energized! It is such a great feeling. Although, I have had this cough for about 6 weeks now, I didn’t feel sick right away so it’s probably been about 5ish weeks. Still it is by far the longest I have been sick. I am grateful that despite these past few weeks, I have been really healthy and never sick for more than 3 days. This experience has made me appreciate my health even more and hopefully it is uphill from here and the cough ends soon.

236. Today I am grateful for pillows

I am grateful that pillows help make sleep so much more comfortable.

235. Today I am grateful that my parents celebrated their 30th anniversary

Dad & Mom: April 17, 1982

At a time when many marriages end in divorce and people choose not to marry at all;  I am grateful that my parents are still married and have chosen to endure challenges. I hope they will have 30 more wonderful years of marriage and memories to create. J

234. Today I am grateful for those who protect us

I am grateful for those, such as police officers, who protect our communities.  

233. Today I am grateful for miracles of family history

Today in Relief Society we had a lesson on Family History and we had a wonderful discussion on the miracles that our found through researching our family history. I am grateful to have experienced those miracles in my life.

One such miracle I would like to share was about eight years ago on a visit to Salt Lake City. I made a plan to spend a day at the Family History Library and did some prep work for some information on family lines that I was wanting to research. The night before I prayed for guidance in finding the information I was seeking and I felt impressed that I should research another family line, my grandmother’s family. I followed the promptings and found some records I could search, when I found the microfilms which were in German I then went to find a German-English translation sheet which I could not find. I decided to take a look at the records anyways and to my surprise was able to understand everything it said; it was a strange yet amazing experience and not something I can explain completely. I found a Christening record for my great grandfather that had not only his parent’s names but his grandparents (who I was looking for!). I went to photocopy the record and by the photocopier were the translation sheets. I decided I did not need one and went back to my research and could not understand the German language ... so I went back and got a translation sheet. In researching that family line,  I was able to find records for about 4 generations of the family and added six more ancestors and numerous children to my family tree.

232. Today I am grateful for the Organization I work for

Tonight we had our staff appreciation night for employees of E4C. I am grateful to work for a wonderful organization that values people, communities and families.

231. Today I am grateful for Institute instructors

Today we had our ‘Colour Night’ – a celebration of the LDS Institute Program in Edmonton. The Institute instructors acknowledged its participants and tonight I would like to acknowledge our instructors. I have taken classes from the three full time instructors and I can tell that they really care about their students and their spiritual and temporal welfare. Their love of the scriptures and the gospel is an inspiration and is a wonderful influence on the lives of their students.

230. Today I am grateful for Motherhood

The trending facebook status of the day was related to a comment made last night by Hilary Rosen who commented that Ann Romney has “never worked a day in her life” referring to her being a stay-at-home mom. Ann responded that we need to respect the choice of all women to work or stay home. Both are taking on the most important job of raising their children. I would love to be a stay at home mom someday and raise my children full time. I am grateful for mothers who love their children and raise their children how they honestly feel is best or necessary (whether that is to stay home or work).     

229. Today I am grateful for memories

I am grateful for the many wonderful memories I have and that they are stored and brought to my remembrance to reflect on.

228. Today I am grateful for the Moon and Stars

I am grateful for the moon and stars to light up the dark sky at night. They are also so pretty to look up at, especially on a clear night.

227. Today I am grateful for sunshine

I am grateful for the sunshine, the warmth it gives and the brightness it shines upon the Earth ... at least some part of it.  

226. Today I am grateful for Easter Sunday

I personally view Easter as the most sacred holiday we observe. Some say that Christmas is too commercialized but I view Easter as the most commercialized holiday, if it were not for Easter, we would not have Christmas. I do enjoy Easter egg hunts, egg decorating, cute little bunnies and of course chocolate; however, I personally like to keep this separate from my observance of Easter Sunday.

I am grateful for the resurrection, to know that the Savior lives and the promise he gives that each one of us will be resurrected as well.   

225. Today I am grateful for the atonement

In this Easter season I am grateful for the atonement. Because of the atonement I can be forgiven of my sins, I can receive peace in knowing that Christ carried my burdens and comfort in knowing that I can return to live in the presence of Him and our Father in Heaven.

224. Today I am grateful for the restoration of the Gospel

Today marks the 182^nd anniversary of the organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Also know by members as a restoration of the Church established by Jesus Christ when he lived upon the earth. The story of Joseph Smith’s vision and the restoration is a remarkable story. I know that God is a God of miracles and that through the restoration; God continues to speak through prophets as he did in days of old.

If you would like to know about this restoration I invite you to watch this video:  

223. Today I am grateful for Sleep

I don’t think I will ever be able to take the ability for a full night’s sleep for granted again.

222. Today I am grateful for life’s challenges

We all experience challenges in our lives and although they may not seem to be a blessing at the time, often we learn that it is how we deal with those challenges that affects the outcome and our experience. I find that the challenges I have endured have helped me to learn and grow and to become the person I am today. Through challenges I I find comfort in knowing that I can rely on God for strength and that I am not alone because Jesus Christ took those burdens and sorrows upon himself.

221. Today I am grateful for codeine

The cough syrups, antibiotics, neocitrin and Vicks don’t seem to be helping which has been affecting my sleep. Not being able to sleep has likely been a factor in me not feeling better. I have had a few people suggest trying codeine which I picked up from the pharmacy yesterday. I tried it for the first time yesterday and last night was the first time in awhile that I was able to sleep throughout the night. I have heard of people experiencing some pretty crazy side affects after taking codeine but I am grateful that the only affect it had on me is a full night’s sleep.

220. Today I am grateful for honest people

I was recently rear-ended buy another car while stopped at a red light. It was my first time being involved in an accident although it was very minor but the guy who hit was very nice and gave me all the info I needed. Dealing with my insurance company and collision repair services went really smooth because of the guy’s honesty.

I strive to be honest in all my dealings and also desire to have others be honest with me and in my experience most of the people I have dealt with in a variety of situations have been honest. One example is when I worked for an optical store; I had several people come in to let me know that their transaction did not go through and wanted to pay for their glasses.

219. Today I am grateful for a World-Wide Church

This weekend we had our Annual General Conference which is held close to the anniversary of the restoration of the church which is on April 6. The Annual conference is similar to the Semi-Annual General Conference held in October.

The church began in 1830 with a handful of people in New York and today has a membership of more than 14 million people spread across the globe. The gospel truly is for everyone no matter their race, culture, language spoken, etc.

I love the prophesy given by Isaiah in the Old Testament, Isaiah 2:2 - 3: “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

The Mountain of the Lords house is the temples which continue to built throughout the World for all nations to come to and “learn of His ways and walk in His paths”.  

You can read, listen to, or watch the talks that were addressed to the whole world.