My heart is full

My heart is so full of thanks right now. I'm thankful for my husband. I'm thankful for my family. I'm thankful for the blessings that the Lord has given me and my husband and the two the things that I am most grateful right now are: our new ward and the gospel.

I don't know how to describe the feelings that I have for our new ward. . .it just feels like home. At first I thought it was just because we had bought our home, so it felt more permanent but I know that's not the case. I just have a feeling of sincere love coming from the members of this ward and from the sisters' that I have had the wonderful opportunity of getting to know. I know that Nic and I were meant to be in this ward right now. I know that there is purpose in the friendships that we are developing and I know that our Bishop, though he is short in stature he is mighty in spirit and he is the one who we needed to help us through our journey of becoming parents.

I'm also so very grateful for the gospel and the guidance it is in my life. I am the Valiant 11 year-old teacher, and I love the opportunity it has provided me of (on a more consistent basis) reading my scriptures. I'll be the first to admit that I'm not the best at reading my scriptures daily, but with my new calling it's allowing me to become better. When I received my calling I was a little nervous because at this age, these kids are looking for that spiritual example and I wasn't sure that I would be able to provide that for them. But I have learned two things: 1) that I can be that example and 2) they will also be an example to me. Seeing how spiritually hungry they are has forced me to remember that spiritual hunger that I once had and has encouraged me to be hungry again. I think sometimes as we become older, we become comfortable where we are, but how are we growing? What are we gaining? True, we may have a testimony but is it the same one we had five or ten years ago? Do we really feel the strength and sustaining force that the gospel can provide us with? We need to.

I know that the Lord loves me. I know that through my struggles of wanting to be a mother, He never left my side; He just sat patiently waiting for me to turn to Him for strength. I know that He gave me this trial because He knew I could handle it. I know that amazing things can and will happen when we turn our faith over to the Lord. I know this, and I will never forget it.