What Are You Thankful For?

Thanksgiving season is prime time to ponder what we're grateful for. It's remarkable to think about the things a loving Father in Heaven has blessed us with. I will list just a few:

• Seasons. I love fall. I also love winter, summer and spring. The changing seasons bring renewal and excitement. They symbolize eternal things. They remind me that God is always watching over us. Sometimes the best answers to prayer come directly from His creation—a warm ray of sunshine across my face, a flurry of white snow, a cool spring rainstorm. Truly He sent us to Earth to find joy in His handiwork.
• Food. Nobody likes to go hungry, but billions across the world do every day. I'm grateful that I've never had to worry about what my next meal is going to be. There is always enough and usually more to spare, and then I am blessed to share what I have with others.
• Music. Good music inspires me. Life would be dull without the stirring crescendos of classical artists and the enjoyable melodies of my favorite contemporaries. In this I stand with Johann Sebastian Bach, who said, "God gave us music that we might pray without words."
• Missionary work. Sharing the gospel is difficult work. I've been serving as a missionary for nearly nine months. I've never been so physically and emotionally exhausted. But I'm learning things I never imagined I could learn, and I'm growing in ways I never would have thought possible. Two years away from home pays personal dividends that you cannot put a price tag on.
• Family. I love my family. They mean everything to me because they are everything to me. I cherish my relationships with my brothers, sister, parents, aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents. I'm grateful for the knowledge that I can live with them forever.
• Jesus Christ. I cannot adequately express how thankful I am for my Savior. I will never understand how or why He suffered for me. I cannot comprehend the depth of His love. He knows me like nobody else does because He's been where I've been. I marvel at His love and His mercy.