Sunday, November 17, 2013

today, I am thankful for...(part 6)

my testimony.

I like to do warm ups with my language arts students.  I start the class with a question and ask them to write a few sentences on it.

A few weeks ago, the question was: What is the thing you fear most?

One of my kids told me that he wasn't afraid of anything so I told him to make something up.  He thought about it for awhile and said, "I have something.  Actually, it isn't a fear, but a concern.  I don't what to believe.  Some people believe in God, some people believe in something else, and other's don't believe in anything else."

These are 6th graders.  I was shocked at how deeply he had thought about this.

He started talking about how he wishes he could just see God so he knew what to believe.  To this, another student responded with, "I have pretty good vision.  I've never seen God."  And I sort of just loved that response.

It was just a brief conversation, but it got me thinking.  I have been so blessed.  When I was in 6th grade, I had a good idea of what I believed and an even better grasp on what my parent's did.  There was one thing I was sure about by the time I was in 6th grade - I knew God was real and that He loved me.

I am so thankful for that testimony that started so long ago.  I am thankful to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  I am thankful for the sweet peace and comfort that comes through the knowledge of the gospel.  I am thankful for the examples of my parents, who shared their testimonies often simply by living them.  I am grateful for prayer.  What an amazing blessing it is to pray to my Heavenly Father and know that He hears me.  Prayer is how I know he is real.  I am grateful for the scriptures and the power I gain by reading them.  I am grateful for Joseph Smith.  I know that he was a prophet of God and restored the truth to this earth.  I grateful that we continue to be led by a prophet.  Thomas S. Monson.  What a blessing it is to know that Heavenly Father is still leading us through a prophet.  I am especially grateful to know my Savior loves me.  He loves each of us so much that He atoned for our sins.  He gave His life for us!  And I know He lives.  I often think of that day, the day when I get to see Jesus Christ again.  I look forward to that special moment.

Today, I am thankful.  So very thankful.