Gratitude

Dearest Mother:)

I love you! This week has been a very interesting week.. but there have definitely been a lot of blessings too:)

Last Friday night we had a ward activity entitled "Gratitude and Faith in the Lord." It's purpose was to invite members and nonmembers to come join in thankfulness for the gospel of Jesus Christ in our lives. In preparation for it, my companion and I called every single number in the directory, and discovered to our sadness that about 60% of them were disconnected, and that in some cases because there was now no number there was no way to contact them. But on the bright side, we were able to invite a ton of people to this event! There were about 100 people at this event, and it turned out really well considering the missionaries pretty much set the whole thing up. It was pretty awesome though that so many members and nonmembers came to the activity! It made me thankful for a lot of the things in life that I didn't realize I should be thankful for, like genealogy, primary kids singing (even if it is off key), and members ability to dig out random decorations for the tables so it looked like a fall activity instead of a bare looking missionary activity.. haha It was good though, and of course there were lots of desserts since it was a potluck dessert activity and people really like food:)

President Cottle told us to make sure we were expressing our thanks in our letters home this week since as y'all are aware, Thanksgiving is on Thursday. (FYI people here have the whole week off of school for Thanksgiving. From pre-k all the way through college. Its pretty interesting..)

So. I am thankful for cool breezes in the summertime, and still air in the winter. I am thankful for sunlight and the energy it gives everything and everyone. I am thankful for frost because it makes my companion happy when she misses snow. I am thankful for my mission president and his wife and the love they have specifically for me. I am thankful for letters in the mail. I am thankful for pictures. I am thankful for the mailman (who knows us by name and by sight and always has our mail ready for us if we ask him:)). I am thankful for missionary planners without which I'd be so lost as a missionary. I am thankful for Sister Dayton who pushes me to reach further than the goals I have already made. I am thankful for the other missionaries to provide support when needed. I am thankful for phones in which we can keep in contact with investigators. I am thankful for maps so I can know where everything and everyone is. I am thankful for a GPS that works. I am thankful for the pretty colors on trees. I am thankful for cars so that I don't have to walk everywhere. I am thankful for military members who get us MREs (meals ready to eat aka chemically heated food found in a package like astronaut food), army pants, and tank missiles as souvenirs. I am thankful for computers so that we can email home. I am thankful for church sites in which non-members can learn the truth about our religion. I am thankful for my family and the support they give me:) I am thankful for the love of the members. I am thankful for the prayers said in our behalf. I am thankful for modern technology that allows for the gospel to be spread everywhere. I am thankful for the army and all they do to protect us. I am thankful for my life because of the many many blessing that I have received in the circumstances I grew up in. I am thankful for the gospel and the light it has given me. I am thankful for Daddy's job so that he could help provide for me to serve a mission. I am thankful for mi Madre who tells me about all the spiritual impressions she has so that I can grow up strong with the Spirit. I am thankful for the stories my grandparents tell me. I am thankful for the Holy Ghost that gives me understanding when I am lacking. I am thankful for Christ and the sacrifice He gave for me so that I can live with my Heavenly Father again. I am thankful for the concept of eternal marriages and families so that I can have a hope even with death in the picture. I am thankful for my mission.

I love it here! It is hard, but worth it. I love each and every one of you! Life is good. Never forget it, and you will always find it.

Love,

Sister Walker