So much to be thankful for!

While working at Aspen Grove there has been a lot of hard things to deal with. I just keep telling myself that Heavenly Father put me here for a reason but I just don't know what that is yet.

So instead of just complaining and focusing on the bad things in my life, I am going to list a couple things that I am very thankful for right now.

• My parents: I have really noticed now how amazingly supportive they are! I love them so much and would LITERALLY go insane without them. My mom is such an amazing listener and I'm sure that all of my brothers would say the same. My dad always gives good advise even when I am stubborn and just want to burn it off. He has also taught me to work hard in every aspect in my life, which I am truly grateful for. I love them dearly!!

• My job: Every time I feel like I am having a slow day or am hating work, I just think of what this job will do for me in the long run. It is giving me money for education and right now that is the most important thing in my life. I absolutely love college and watching myself actually move forward and creating a career. It's just so exciting to me!

• Friends: I love those friends that are sticking with me from high school. I must admit, some of them I could care less about but I love having those that I can just turn to when I need to be young again. But right now I am so thankful for Ashley and Camille Bingham. They have crazily strengthened my spirit these last couple months. Each of them have AMAZING testimonies that have boosted mine when needed. I can't believe how happy they are and what joy they bring to my life.

• The Lord: This job has blessed me with a super awesome ward! We are also close enough to provo so that we can go to FHE, institute and the temple every week! I have gone to the temple every week since I started this job and I know that the Lord will bless me for it. I just love having more opportunities to have Him in my life, especially when I feel more stress than I ever have before. His gospel makes me happy and I truly think that happiness is godliness.

I am so blessed! I just need to be better at just taking the time to recognize the many blessings that I really have. I have this quote in my scriptures that I use as a book mark and it says:

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who come short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." -Theodore Roosevelt

That quote means to me that we shouldn't create trials for ourselves. We shouldn't make the little things weigh us down or make us completely stressed about everything in life. We should be seeing how every step in our life is benefitting us for good. That is my major goal with this job, is to see the good and how it will benefit my future. I truly want to find out why Heavenly Father gave me this amazing opportunity.