What Shall We Give?

"What shall we give to the lamb who was offered,

Rising the third day and shedding his love?

Tears for his mercy we'll weep at the manager,

Bathing the infant come down from above."

I love this song. My Savior has given so much to me, I feel infinitely in his debt. Yet His love astonishes me, and He continues to bless me with so many things. I know that Thanksgiving has passed but I feel like the Christmas season is also a season of thanksgiving, after all without our beloved Savior life as we know it would cease to exist. So here are some of the things I am thankful for...

-Family: My family is kinda crazy sometimes as is everyone's families, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I love my family so much. I don't know what I would so without them somedays. My siblings have been such examples to me. I look at them and think how great they are even though sometimes I am terrible at expressing how much I appreciate them. I know that no matter what happens they will be there for me. You don't really have a choice, I was born :) You are stuck with me forever... literally.

-Friends: It hasn't been until the recent years that I have realized how important friends are in my life. I am blessed to have such great friends to talk to and look up too. I like to think of my leaders as friends as well. I don't know what I would do without some of my teachers, coaches and leaders in my life. They were always there when I needed advice.

-My education and the opportunity to live in a era where I can get an education: I hate finals, but I realize that I am so blessed to be able to live in an era where women are able to go to college and learn. Education just empowers me, even though sometimes its annoying. The knowledge learned is priceless.

-Brigham Young University: BYU is such a great place. I remember when I came and visited my brother and was introduced to a girl in his class. She said, "Coming to BYU is the best decision I have ever made in my entire life." I mocked this girl for probably the next year. Well I guess karma has its ways of getting back at you because I love BYU, and coming here was a defining moment in my life. It was one of the most important decisions of my life. It has truly changed my life, and played a major role in shaping my character. Without a doubt I would be a totally different person if it weren't for this wonderful university. I know some of you reading this may think I'm insane or wrong or whatever, I give you permission to make fun of me, but I'll always love this school no matter what. I am thankful for the opportunities that this wonderful university has given me. I love being able to pair my temporal learning with spiritual learning. I am so excited and grateful to be able to study in Jerusalem this coming semester. 

-All the wonderful people I have met- In the last couple years I have met some incredible people. They are people that I will always look up to. I see these amazing qualities in them that I want to develop. I am grateful for Heavenly Father putting them in my life.

-A warm cozy bed to sleep in at night: This is self explanatory. I forgot all the little things that I take for granted. A warm toasty bed is one of them. President Monson in the last conference talked about living in gratitude and not worrying about what we don't have but being thankful for what we do have. I admit sometimes get caught up in the not having this or not having that and forget all the wonderful things I have been blessed with.

-Food: Yummy, yummy. There is some sad statistic out there that about a billion people go hungry. That is heartbreaking, and makes me realize how good I have it.

-My body: So as you may know I am in a neurobiology class this semester. Everyday that I sit in class I am astonished with how are bodies work. I am amazed how complex we are. I sometimes wonder why we aren't more messed up, I mean there are tiny proteins that if deformed in some way can cause drastic malfunctions in our bodies, but we are close to perfect. I know there are some terrible diseases out there but for the most part it is amazing that we function so brilliantly. I am thankful for a Creator who is a genius and pre-mortal me for not being an idiot and choosing the plan of salvation. I am thankful for being able to move and dance and think and all the little things I can do with my body. I am going to miss it so much when I die. I pity Satan, and those who followed him. They will never get to experience the magnificence of a body.

-Freedom: I feel blessed to be able to live in a country where I can enjoy personal freedoms. Every time I look at the news, and see all the nations around the world in civil distress I thank my Father in Heaven for being in this wonderful nation. I know we ourselves have problems and sometimes things are questionable, but I can worship when I want, I can go to school, I can vote, I can speak my mind without being imprisoned or killed. Along with my temporal freedom I am thankful for my spiritual freedom and agency. It is frustrating not being able to just do the right thing all the time, but I am thankful to my Heavenly Father who allows me to make mistakes and learn from them. I am thankful that my agency will never ever be taken away from me. 

-The Gospel: and everything incorporated in it, including but not limited to the 'good word' [the scriptures], a living prophet, apostles, missionaries. I think a lot about what my life would be like without this wonderful gospel. If I had to blame one single thing on shaping my character and who I am today it would be the gospel and its teachings. I feel incredibly blessed to be able to have been born into a family that had already embraced the gospel. I look at my mom and her incredible strength in joining the church and am overcome with gratitude. The other day I got to go meet the man who baptized Grandpa Iroz. It was amazing to meet him, and to think how many lives he had changed because of one baptism.  I am thankful for the plan of salvation, the most perfect plan ever thought of. I am thankful for being able to be put in families and being able to be sealed to my family for forever. Yup you are stuck with me forever, I wouldn't want it any other way. 

-Parents: I'm pretty sure that if I had any other parents I would be doomed. I love that my parents understand me when I sometimes don't understand myself. We are a perfect match. I love that I can call them whenever, it doesn't matter if I'm the happiest girl on the planet, frustrated or in tears. They are always there for me. I love that if anything of importance or of insignificance happens I want to tell them. They probably get annoyed sometimes, but I am thankful that they listen to me. I love being able to call up my papa, and talk and talk. It doesn't matter if we talked just a couple days ago we can still talk for hours. I am thankful for a mom (and dad) who cares about what I'm doing in my life. I sometimes look around at the world and how parent-child relationship are being destroyed. I am so glad I have such a great relationship with mine.

-Christ, My Savior and King: I don't know if words can express my gratitude or love that I have for my Savior. I am thankful for him, and the gifts that he gives me. I am thankful for his birth as well as for his death. I am thankful for His resurrection and the promise and hope that it brings. I am thankful for the love that He brings to my soul when I need it the most. I am thankful for the happiness He brings into my life and the relationship that I have with Him. I look forward to the day where I can kneel at his feet full of gratitude and joy.

I hope that this Christmas we may remember the true meaning of Christmas, and gives thanks for all the many blessing that we have rather than what we don't or what we would like. I hope that we can give our thanks to that babe in the manger, that we may be unselfish and give our love to everyone around us.