I truly believe gratitude and happiness are directly proportionate. Think of the happiest person you know right now. Are they grateful? (If not let me know because I may have to rethink my whole philosophy here...) Just work and be grateful for it and you are set for life. I should write a book or something. How to beat Depression? I like it. Remind me. Moving on...
I have semi mentioned the Gratitude Challenge, but I have pretty much been doing it every year since the dinosaurs walked the earth. Pretty much I just write 3 things I am grateful for everyday for the month of November and put them in a jar or write them in my journal or sticky note or whatever.
This year we took it up a few notches. Actually this week we took it up a few notches. And I decided to only say prayers of Gratitude in every. single. prayer. And you know how much we missionaries pray...
So continuing our thanking vision. Our appointments falls out. (which was starting to become a trend at that moment) We pray. Thank. and then get on a bus. We don't ask for anything. Not to have the spirit with us. Not to place people in our path. Just thanking Heavenly Father for everything he has already given us. For all the people he has sent us. For the Spirit he always has with us. And the gift of Tongues that helps people understand us. For eachother. For Laughter. For a wonderful companion. Just everything we were grateful for at that very moment of discouragement. And then just make a deal to talk to 5 people about the gospel before we go home. (complimenting shoes doesn't count.) We had so many wonderful conversations it was incredible. Incredible. Oh boy. I love talking about the gospel.
On Thanksgiving Eve Sister Johnson and I decided to do one last thing to top off our gratitude prayers so we popped in a candy and sucked on it and prayed prayers of gratitude until it dissolved. (We both decided we have saliva gland problems because it took us like a half and hour but it was great. Seriously great.)
I can't even express to you how much it changed the whole way our week went. I am grateful for the gratitude challenge. Hardcore.
xoxoxo
I am grateful for you.
s.heywood
ps: In other news one of the people we teach proposed to me this past week........... And may or may not have started crying in the middle of it......... ya.
I am grateful for silly faces.
Especially from this little hum bug.
I am grateful for our self created Gratitude Tree that the branch obsessed over for the full month of November... and won't let us take down.
I am grateful that Germany is grateful. Had a street Display and asked everybody in Münster what they were grateful for to add to our Grattitude chain. Worked like a charm. (Way longer than above pictured. Plus it forced people to stop and talk to us for two seconds muahaha)
I am grateful for miracle stories.
I am grateful for Luckie's delectable cooking skills.
I am grateful for bacon covered Turkey. I know. Like what?
I am grateful for my companion. But you already know that....
I am grateful for fancy meals at the home of a Jamaican Prince.. Seriously felt like a queeen. It also halped that everybody there told me I resembled a German Pop Star.. hehe
I am grateful for Self Created Turkey Trots. 5K complete with homemade beaks and all.
I am also grateful that we finished the 5k. Even when your nose feels like it is going to fall off at any given moment. How is that for a beautiful Destination?
