Imagination

 I am grateful for imagination.

Because of it, I can look at clouds and see animals and city's outlines.

When I read books, I can imagine what the characters look like, based on the description. I can imagine the landscapes and the events taking place in the book. 

I can look at the markings on certain tiles or wood planks and see faces, animals, shapes.

I can observe people and imagine what their life is like. 

When I was younger, middle school age, I would come home from school and place LPs or 45s in a certain sequence to create a story; I would then act out as I sang along with them. I would listen to waltzes and imagine myself in an Austrian castle dancing the night away. 

As I read the scriptures, I imagine myself being on the scene. In my imagination, I have been in the Garden of Gethsemane with the Savior. I felt His love for each and every one of us.
I have imagined Him standing next to me and I felt the desire to be the best person I could be. 
I have imagined Him sitting next to me, during my travels, and I felt at peace. 

I am grateful for my imagination. It enriches my life and, especially, my soul. 

Gratitude

"Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more." Oprah Winfrey

I am grateful for gratitude. 

I have noticed that when I show gratitude for even the smallest of things, my day goes better. I feel happier and it is so hard to be upset when you have a happy heart. You start looking at things in a different light and many of the things that used to bother you now seem to be so unimportant.

In his address to the youth, The Amazing Power of Gratitude, President Russell M. Nelson has said: "Counting our blessings is far better than recounting our problems. ... [Gratitude] provides us with a greater perspective on the very purpose and joy of life."¹ Ultimately, being grateful can draw you closer to God, who is the giver of all good things (see James 1:17)

Still not convinced about adopting a grateful attitude? Let me share with you other reasons to be grateful. 

"Gratitude recharges you with energy and boosts our self-worth. It's directly linked to physical and mental well-being." (30 Days -Change your habits, change your life, Marc Reklau)

I am grateful for many things. And today, I am especially grateful for an attitude of gratitude. 

Prayers

Today, I just want to take a moment and be grateful for prayers.

What is prayer? Prayer is a way to communicate with our Father in Heaven. 

"Prayer does many things. Prayer is one of the ways we can express gratitude. It brings comfort and peace. It is through prayer that we are able to receive a testimony. It helps us to sort out our feelings and thinking as we express our concerns and desires to our Heavenly Father. It can give us specific answers. Our minds can be enlightened because revelation comes through personal prayer. Prayer is where repentance begins, it is through prayer that we can know we have been forgiven, and prayer can help us to forgive ourselves and others. Prayer can help us find direction. It can help us in making decisions." Prayer, CHERYL C. LANT, General Primary President, September 9, 2007

I am grateful that I have prayer as a way to communicate with my Heavenly Father and receive from Him the guidance, direction, peace, and even reproach to help me see my wrongdoings.