1. I have been so grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Since coming to BYU, my testimony has grown stronger than ever. I love that I am required for my Book of Mormon class to read the scriptures for thirty minutes a day. I have gained a better understanding of the Book of Mormon and have been able to have the spirit with me. Likewise, I have loved living so close to the temple. My roommates and I set a goal to attend the temple once a week, and we have been fairly successful with that goal, only missing a week or two when we were loaded with school work. My roommate, Katie, helped me get started with Family History, which also added to my recognition of my gratitude for the gospel. 2. I have been grateful to have such a great family, both my immediate family that lives in Indiana and my extended family that has welcomed me in with open arms. When I first got to Utah, I felt like a guest in both of my grandparents' houses, but these feelings went away quickly, as I have been able to spend much time with both sides of my family. I am thankful for each of my aunts and uncles who have made a special effort to help me, check on me, and take me in like one of their own kids. I am grateful for my mom, who has sent me at least a dozen postcards and several packages throughout the semester. I am thankful for my siblings, who are always sweet and at least "pretend" to miss me when I call.
3. I have been blessed with the best roommates in the world. Both of my twin cousins, Bailey and McKenna, were able to be accepted to BYU. We were relieved because we had planned to be roommates since we were eight! However, never in my mind did I realize that I would connect even more with the other girls in our apartment than I did with my own cousins. My roommate that I share a room with, Katie, has helped me to become a kinder, more gentle individual. She has helped me start on Family History and set a great example of saying her prayers every night. She always helps me take a step back and look at the bigger picture. We have the best conversations, both serious and goofy. My other roommate, Jenna, is a very fun and independent person. I have loved getting to know her, as we are different but still have found some common ground. Of course, I have loved living with Bailey and McKenna, who remind me of my family every day. Overall, I am grateful for our little 2102 family.4. I am extremely grateful for a healthy body. This year, I had to overcome issues that I have had with my knees. Even though they sometimes still hurt or I might slightly injure them, I am grateful to be able to do almost anything I want. In particular, I am grateful to be able to run, which I was not able to do for many months. I am grateful to be able to cycle, lift weights, swim, do yoga, and play soccer. I do not believe I would be myself without all of these activities.
5. I am grateful for my summer job. This summer, I was promoted to be a head lifeguard at the YMCA near my house. Although everyone else was at least a sophomore in college, I was able to quickly adapt and become one of the best head lifeguards. I was able to save up plenty of money, so I did not have to get a job this school year. I have been blessed in this way to be able to spend so much time on my studies and getting used to living on my own.
6. I am grateful for the piano. I have been blessed with my abilities to play the piano. This year, I was blessed to be able to get gold at regionals and play at the Indiana State Solo and Ensemble competition. Even though my mom never paid a cent for lessons, I was still able to do remarkably well. Now, I love that I can sit down at a piano and entertain myself. More than that, though, I love being able to play Christmas music or hymns and feel closer to my Savior.
8. I am grateful for the mountains. When I am having a rough day at school or I feel like the world might start concaving at any second, I just look up at Y mountain and think "I made it." Even though each day I must try to better myself, I accomplished my dream of attending BYU. I love seeing the mountains change with season.
9. This year I was blessed to have a great vacation with my family to Florida. We spent a few days on the beach and then went to Universal Studios and Disney World. My family was extremely busy this year. My dad was busy with his job and being the bishop. My mom was busy driving my siblings to all of their events and helping everyone. I was busy with my job, school, and extra curricular activities. The rest of my siblings were also busy between their various activities and schoolwork. Our trip to Florida was an amazing time to kick back and relax as a family. It could be many years before we all just go to the beach and spend hours finding sea shells.
10. As silly as it sounds, I am grateful for my dog, Bufford. I think about petting his soft head every day. I am grateful for his happy greetings every time I returned home from school or work!I am so blessed in my life and have so much to celebrate on Thanksgiving. In my short life, I know Heavenly Father has blessed me more than most, and I never want to forget that.
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