A Thankful Testimony

It would be foolish of me to have a blog centered around the Gospel of Jesus Christ and yet not have a post about Thanksgiving. As a missionary, I can say that more and more, the things I'm thankful for are all centered around the blessings of that gospel, and in reality the things I'm thankful for and my testimony aren't all that different.

I am thankful for a loving Father in Heaven who knows me and is ever mindful of me. I'm thankful that He loves me enough to hear my prayers, providing me comfort and guidance when I need it most. It is truly mind-blowing to me the way I receive personalized direction from someone with such immeasurable importance as His. I am very thankful for that.

I am thankful that that Father sent His son, who provided a means that I can live in His presence once more. I am thankful for the Plan of Happiness which has allowed me to grow as much as I have in the past 19 years, without being condemned for the ways that I have achieved that growth. That is really something. I have made mistakes, sometimes less accidental than others, yet I know that my Heavenly Father still loves me and I know that through Christ's sacrifice, I can live in His presence. I am very thankful for that.

I am thankful for Christ's ministry, before, during, and after His mortal ministry. I am especially thankful for the Scriptures, which give us an account of His dealings on Earth. The guidance they give me and the rest of the world is insurmountable. His commandments truly do set us free and have brought joy and peace to my life. I am very thankful for that.

I am thankful for the living prophets we have on Earth today, through the Restoration of the Gospel and Priesthood. We are able to get direction from God applicable to these troubled times that we live in. I am sure the Israelites had hard times, too, but I need guidance for today. Thomas S. Monson, Henry B. Eyring, Dieter F. Uchtdorf, and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles give that to me. I am very thankful for that.

I am thankful for something I slightly referred to in the previous paragraph: the Restoration and for Joseph Smith's courage. Because he knelt to pray, the world again has access to Christ's Atonement. We can once again perform any ordinance necessary to enter the Kingdom of God. We have the fulness of Christ's church on Earth, all because a young boy didn't turn back in the face of persecution and scorn. I'm very thankful for that.

I am thankful for my family. Since coming on my mission I realized, first, just how much they have done for me as I look at how much families really do struggle in the world. Second, I can't describe the love I feel from them every time I hear from them. Heavenly Father blessed me with a pretty good situation here on Earth, and even better, He has provided a way that I can be with them for all eternity. I am very thankful for that.

And finally, I am thankful that I can take these things that I am thankful for to the people of Western New York. I am in a once-in-a-lifetime situation, where I can talk to people in ways that aren't normally socially acceptable, yet are remarkably influential. I love being able to see the gospel alter people's views on life, themselves, their family, and their future. I love the people that I've met, and the area that Heavenly Father has called me to serve in. I love that the things that I'm thankful for--my testimony--are what I get to talk about all day long, and I know that they can make people as thankful for all their blessings as I am. I am very thankful for that.

Have a great holiday, everyone!