Gratitude Challenge

So I was on the Church's website trying to prepare my lesson for Sunday and as usual, I got distracted. I started reading the First Presidency's Message because the title caught my eye, "The Choice to Be Grateful". At the end of the message there was a gratitude challenge. It says it's for the youth, but I think it's good for anyone to do. So here it goes.

Gratitude Challenge

1.Write 10 physical abilities you are grateful for: walking, running, the function of all 5 senses, dexterity in my fingers and hands, jumping/skipping, raising my arms as much as they can (which probably isn't 100%, since I don't have great shoulders), eating (chewing and swallowing), use of my voice box to talk and sing, crying, laughing

2. Write 10 material possessions you are grateful for: car, phone, computer, washer and dryer, cute clothes, jewelry, heels, boots, scarfs, my fingerless glove/mittens

3. Write 10 living people you are grateful for: Mom, Dad, Christian, Emi, Torie, Kaili, Deborah, Desiree, Laura, Stacey

4. Write 10 deceased people you are grateful for: Papy, Joseph Smith, Emma Smith, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Jane Austen, President Hinckely, Sassy, Dax, Nettie

5. Write 10 things about nature you are grateful for: warm sunny rays, smell of rain, magic of snow fall, shady trees, soft grass, pretty sunsets, mountains to conquer, the quiet of nature, beautiful fall colors, soft breezes

6. Write 10 things about today you are grateful for: great job to go to, fun people to work with, lots of interested applicants to pick from so we get the best team possible, turkey broth ready for me to make into yummy soup, exercise room provided by my complex, laughing til I cried with Snow, roommates to chat with, cute sweater my mom got me, the church website to help me plan lessons, a nice warm apartment that saves me from the wind

7. Write 10 places on earth you are grateful for: temple in general, Logan temple specifically (the peace there has helped me through many things), my own apartment, my parents' place in Salt Lake, Brighton Ski Resort (keeping my Dad sane), Cache Valley (thanks for being my home away from my family), good ol' USA, Texas (this one is hard for me, but it did help me grow and it took good care of my family), Dee Glen Smith Spectrum (silly I know, but I have very fond memories there and made great friends there), my home in Cottonwood Heights

8. Write 10 modern inventions you are grateful for: cell phone, water heater, cars, computers, internet, dishwasher, electric lighting, A/C, iPod (any music player), medicine (does that count?), indoor plumbing

9. Write 10 foods you are grateful for: bread, squash, strawberries, apples, pasta, ice cream, clementines, CHEESE, eggs, tomatoes

10. Write 10 things about the gospel you are grateful for: family can be together forever, the Atonement, the knowledge that God is our father, we know where we came from, we know the plan of salvation, Book of Mormon, repentance and forgiveness, the gift of the Holy Ghost, gives me peace and hope, the truth will never again be taken from us.

Some of those were a lot harder than I thought they would be. That was an awesome exercise and one I really needed. It's always good to be grateful and that is something that is not always easy to do. My mom is an awesome example of someone with gratitude. It's something she's tried very hard to remind her kids to do.

Do the challenge. You'll be glad you did. Grateful even.