A Day of Thanksgiving
First I want to share some quotes about gratitude and giving thanks with you.
"In some quiet way, the expression and feelings of gratitude have a wonderful cleansing or healing nature. Gratitude brings warmth to the giver and the receiver alike."
"It’s so easy in life for us to receive blessings, many of them almost uncounted, and have things happen in our lives that can help change our lives, improve our lives, and bring the Spirit into our lives. But we sometimes take them for granted. How grateful we should be for the blessings that the gospel of Jesus Christ brings into our hearts and souls. I would remind all of you that if we’re ever going to show gratitude properly to our Heavenly Father, we should do it with all of our heart, might, mind, and strength—because it was He who gave us life and breath" David B. Haight
The thankful heart opens our eyes to a multitude of blessings that continually surround us. - J. Reuben Clark
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Now I want to share with you all that I am truly grateful for in my life, it will be a long list.
First and foremost I am so thankful for my parents, for their sacrifices to bring me into this world, for their abilities to provide and offer me the best life that they can, for their strength in God, for their faith in Christ, for their example of giving to people in need, for their smart minds and full hearts. I used to absolutely hate my parents, yet they proceeded to love me nonetheless, the never gave up on me, they never stopped loving me, even when I would scream at them, or never talk to them. I am so thankful that my parents sent me away to wilderness and to boarding school, they knew that without taking space and pushing a restart button on my life, things would not be nearly as great as they are today. My parents are wise and loving, and I am so grateful that they are my parents. I love them with all my heart, and I will always love them, even when they get on my nerves and when I get on their nerves worse. They've put up with a lot of my BS in the past, I lied to them all the time in the past, but now through a lot of therapy and crying and misunderstandings we are closer than we have ever been in our lives. My mom is now my best friend, I love her, I love talking to her, and I love spending time with her. My dad is still awkward and nerdy, but I love him for who he is, he is one of the smartest people I have ever met, and the things he does with computers I will never be able to understand in this life time.
I know we all have different circumstances with our families, sometimes you don't have biological parents, sometimes you don't have a mom or a dad in you're life. But everyone has people in their lives that they care about and act the part of being their parents. Give thanks to those who have taken care of you, have taught you life lessons, scorned you when you did something you knew was wrong. Sometimes the people who get on our nerves the most are the people who care the most too.
I am also very thankful for my brother. We don't get along perfectly, and might not ever be best friends. But I love him, and if any one were to ever hurt my little brother I would hurt them. He makes me laugh, and even when I get really annoyed with him, I can't really be that mad, he is such a free spirit and says and does what ever he is thinking. He is smart and kind, and moody sometimes, but he has a good heart.
Along with my family I am also thankful for everyone that has been my friend along the years, no matter if we are friends or not any more. I am thankful for the friends I had back in Washington, and the people who befriended me when I moved to Chapel Hill, I am thankful for the friends that I made in High-school and now for the friends I've made in College. Of course some friendships last longer and are deeper than the others. So just to mention a few people in my life who I am truly grateful for and would be a different person without here we go.
Madeleine Burt, I love you and have known you since we were little babies together, no matter where we are, where we go and what happens in our lives I know I can always call you, I can always rely on you and I know we will always be best friends. I am so thankful that we have been able to see each other almost every year since I moved! I am so glad you could visit me in NC this year! I can't wait to see you again!! I know that each time we see each other, the bond of our friendship rushes back, and I will give you a huge hug!
Grace Hoffmeyer, we've been friends since 6th grade, and we formed an instant bond that can last a life time. You and me had our own little world behind you're house, we were queens of the forest together. You've been there for me through thick and thin, and even when we went through a year long fight we came out of it still friends. When I got sent away you were the one person I knew would still be there for me, you wrote me letters, and although you may not know, they meant the world to me. I cried each time I read one of you're letters, I thought of you often, and now that we are in college and far apart from each other again I hope that we will always remain close, and that you can chase you're dreams and go so far in life.
Melissa Turner, girl, you are without a doubt my little sister. We've been best friends since you were in what, third grade? You live just a hop, skip and jump away. We've done so much together, I saw you almost everyday of my life for years, and when I got sent away I knew you would always be there for me! I know that no matter where we go in life, You will always be my little sister and best friend. I can call you and text you at any time, I can cry to you, and I can lecture you about what you should do. I love you so much, and I have no idea what I would do without you, you've been a constant in my life when so many other things have fallen apart, in a way without you, I might not even be alive today. I know you will do great things in you're life, you are so smart and so kind and loving, and nothing can tear away our friendship and our sisterhood.
Haley Bumgardner, girl you inspire me, you are so strong and have gone through so much in you're life. I have known you since middle school when we became friends in band. Those were the days! :P I guess we weren't close until end of sophomore and beginning of junior year, but when I left I really missed you, I know lives been really hard for you, but you are an amazing mother and you are so kind and caring and full of love. I know I've lectured you so many times, but its because I want the best for you and for you're happiness. I am so glad you are part of my life, and I can snapchat you random pictures of my face throughout the day.
Fiona Cunningham, I love you, and we became friends in 9th grade in biology class. Oh gosh, overload of silly memories! Since then I could always count on you to make me laugh or just feel better, you're an amazing person and you care so much about other people. When things in my life got a bit sticky I could count on you to tell me the truth, and not to sugar coat it. When I left you also wrote me letters, and I am so thankful for them. When I was going through rough times, you had/were going through similar struggles and I could open up to you, you were a true friend and I love you so much! We just need to keep in touch better now that were in college girl!
Kelsey Kornacker, Oh my gosh girl, I would have died without you! You were my mentor at Summit, and obviously my best friend/ lesbian lover, but for real, you were my strength, my rock and the person I could come crying to at any moment, I could tell you anything. You would always cheer me up, you would make me laugh, I loved just talking to you in our "cuddle puddle". You taught me patience, and so much more! I will always love you, and we will always be Best friends!!! We need to skype more!!!! I am so thankful that I got to visit you in Illinois this summer and hopefully sometime soon you can come and visit me! We've gone through so much together, and I am so beyond grateful to have shared that part of my life with you, you know so much about me, and I hope we always stay friends.
Taylor Bonenberger, I think it is so perfect and funny that we met at EFY in 8th grade, never talked again, and then went to the same college! Living alone in college is really hard, and I get lonely a lot, even though I tell people its fine, which it is, there are some days that I really just want someone to go out with. And that's where you come in, you've become my friend and I am so glad that we get to go to church together and get to share in the gospel, I am so grateful that I have an LDS friend while I'm in college who believes the same things as me and shares the same values. You make me laugh, and you are so creative, I know we will both do great things in art school, and hopefully we can both go on missions! I love you, and I can't wait to see where our friendship goes throughout the rest of college.
There are lots more people who I am thankful for in my life, but I can't list them all. There are people from my past who aren't part of my present but really influenced the way my life turned out. Without all the people in my life I wouldn't be who I am today, I wouldn't have gone through the things that I needed to go through to learn the things I needed to learn. I wouldn't change anything that has happened to me, I believe everything happens for a reason. People come into you're life for a reason, you don't know how long that friendship will last or what will happen between that relationship, but always take the best out of it, remember the best qualities of that person, and be thankful that you had the opportunity to meet them in you're life time.
Besides people in my life I am also thankful for quite a lot more.
I am thankful for being sent away to wilderness, Wilderness changed my life so instantly and so much for the better. I am also thankful for what was going on before wilderness, it was the hardest part of my life, but also taught me the most about myself while going through the hardship. The 72 days I spent in the Utah West Desert taught me so much more about life and about myself. I overcame camping in a tarp for 3 months, I overcame hiking 5-6 miles a day, I overcame the snow and the cold. I learned how to start a fire with raw materials, I learned how to cook in a cup, I learned to be thankful for every single thing I had in my life. I learned to be so thankful for phones, and for materials but I also learned that materialistic things don't matter at all! I learned the importance of family, or friendship, or selflessness, of hope, and of faith. I prayed more than I had ever prayed in my life those 72 days. I knew without a doubt after wilderness that God was real, that he loved me and that he knew my struggles. I wish I could go back to wilderness, because it was literally the best thing that has ever happened to me.
After wilderness I was sent to Summit preparatory school. I was initially really pissed to go to boarding school, but it was at Summit where I discovered who I truly am and where I want my life to go in the future. I learned to love everyone, to never judge a book by its cover. I was one of 3 to 4 people who had not done drugs, I learned a lot about addiction and recovery from all the people I met there. I learned a lot through therapy, and I am so thankful that I listened and applied those values and teachings to my life. Through Summit my family was healed, and I was able to end the relationship I had with my ex-fiance which was codependent and addictive. I am thankful for the relationship I had with him though, I loved him with all my heart, and even though it was an unhealthy relationship I wouldn't change what happened. Summit also helped me move on from my ex, there were some great guys there that I am thankful to have meet and spent time with. Montana was an amazing place to live! I love Montana so much and I am so grateful to have lived there for 14 months! Along with Summit, I was also able to attend the LDS church with the Kalispell 3rd ward. I am so thankful for the love and kindness that I felt there, and for Jenni Oliverson for welcoming in to her family, she pretty much adopted me, and I will always love her and her children. They are the kindest people I have ever met. She even gave me her grandmothers ring as a token of her love for me.
I am so beyond thankful for the Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints. Without my church and religion and faith I would be so lost. I know that wherever I go there will always be the church, with members that are so compassionate and loving and kind. Christ is my strength, through Christ we can all become whole, we can repent of our sins and mistakes and become changed for the better.
I am so grateful for the life I have been given, for the people in my life, for the experiences I have had, and for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Thank you,
Arianna ♥
"In some quiet way, the expression and feelings of gratitude have a wonderful cleansing or healing nature. Gratitude brings warmth to the giver and the receiver alike."
"It’s so easy in life for us to receive blessings, many of them almost uncounted, and have things happen in our lives that can help change our lives, improve our lives, and bring the Spirit into our lives. But we sometimes take them for granted. How grateful we should be for the blessings that the gospel of Jesus Christ brings into our hearts and souls. I would remind all of you that if we’re ever going to show gratitude properly to our Heavenly Father, we should do it with all of our heart, might, mind, and strength—because it was He who gave us life and breath" David B. Haight
The thankful heart opens our eyes to a multitude of blessings that continually surround us. - J. Reuben Clark
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Now I want to share with you all that I am truly grateful for in my life, it will be a long list.
First and foremost I am so thankful for my parents, for their sacrifices to bring me into this world, for their abilities to provide and offer me the best life that they can, for their strength in God, for their faith in Christ, for their example of giving to people in need, for their smart minds and full hearts. I used to absolutely hate my parents, yet they proceeded to love me nonetheless, the never gave up on me, they never stopped loving me, even when I would scream at them, or never talk to them. I am so thankful that my parents sent me away to wilderness and to boarding school, they knew that without taking space and pushing a restart button on my life, things would not be nearly as great as they are today. My parents are wise and loving, and I am so grateful that they are my parents. I love them with all my heart, and I will always love them, even when they get on my nerves and when I get on their nerves worse. They've put up with a lot of my BS in the past, I lied to them all the time in the past, but now through a lot of therapy and crying and misunderstandings we are closer than we have ever been in our lives. My mom is now my best friend, I love her, I love talking to her, and I love spending time with her. My dad is still awkward and nerdy, but I love him for who he is, he is one of the smartest people I have ever met, and the things he does with computers I will never be able to understand in this life time.
I know we all have different circumstances with our families, sometimes you don't have biological parents, sometimes you don't have a mom or a dad in you're life. But everyone has people in their lives that they care about and act the part of being their parents. Give thanks to those who have taken care of you, have taught you life lessons, scorned you when you did something you knew was wrong. Sometimes the people who get on our nerves the most are the people who care the most too.
I am also very thankful for my brother. We don't get along perfectly, and might not ever be best friends. But I love him, and if any one were to ever hurt my little brother I would hurt them. He makes me laugh, and even when I get really annoyed with him, I can't really be that mad, he is such a free spirit and says and does what ever he is thinking. He is smart and kind, and moody sometimes, but he has a good heart.
Along with my family I am also thankful for everyone that has been my friend along the years, no matter if we are friends or not any more. I am thankful for the friends I had back in Washington, and the people who befriended me when I moved to Chapel Hill, I am thankful for the friends that I made in High-school and now for the friends I've made in College. Of course some friendships last longer and are deeper than the others. So just to mention a few people in my life who I am truly grateful for and would be a different person without here we go.
Madeleine Burt, I love you and have known you since we were little babies together, no matter where we are, where we go and what happens in our lives I know I can always call you, I can always rely on you and I know we will always be best friends. I am so thankful that we have been able to see each other almost every year since I moved! I am so glad you could visit me in NC this year! I can't wait to see you again!! I know that each time we see each other, the bond of our friendship rushes back, and I will give you a huge hug!
Grace Hoffmeyer, we've been friends since 6th grade, and we formed an instant bond that can last a life time. You and me had our own little world behind you're house, we were queens of the forest together. You've been there for me through thick and thin, and even when we went through a year long fight we came out of it still friends. When I got sent away you were the one person I knew would still be there for me, you wrote me letters, and although you may not know, they meant the world to me. I cried each time I read one of you're letters, I thought of you often, and now that we are in college and far apart from each other again I hope that we will always remain close, and that you can chase you're dreams and go so far in life.
Melissa Turner, girl, you are without a doubt my little sister. We've been best friends since you were in what, third grade? You live just a hop, skip and jump away. We've done so much together, I saw you almost everyday of my life for years, and when I got sent away I knew you would always be there for me! I know that no matter where we go in life, You will always be my little sister and best friend. I can call you and text you at any time, I can cry to you, and I can lecture you about what you should do. I love you so much, and I have no idea what I would do without you, you've been a constant in my life when so many other things have fallen apart, in a way without you, I might not even be alive today. I know you will do great things in you're life, you are so smart and so kind and loving, and nothing can tear away our friendship and our sisterhood.
Haley Bumgardner, girl you inspire me, you are so strong and have gone through so much in you're life. I have known you since middle school when we became friends in band. Those were the days! :P I guess we weren't close until end of sophomore and beginning of junior year, but when I left I really missed you, I know lives been really hard for you, but you are an amazing mother and you are so kind and caring and full of love. I know I've lectured you so many times, but its because I want the best for you and for you're happiness. I am so glad you are part of my life, and I can snapchat you random pictures of my face throughout the day.
Fiona Cunningham, I love you, and we became friends in 9th grade in biology class. Oh gosh, overload of silly memories! Since then I could always count on you to make me laugh or just feel better, you're an amazing person and you care so much about other people. When things in my life got a bit sticky I could count on you to tell me the truth, and not to sugar coat it. When I left you also wrote me letters, and I am so thankful for them. When I was going through rough times, you had/were going through similar struggles and I could open up to you, you were a true friend and I love you so much! We just need to keep in touch better now that were in college girl!
Kelsey Kornacker, Oh my gosh girl, I would have died without you! You were my mentor at Summit, and obviously my best friend/ lesbian lover, but for real, you were my strength, my rock and the person I could come crying to at any moment, I could tell you anything. You would always cheer me up, you would make me laugh, I loved just talking to you in our "cuddle puddle". You taught me patience, and so much more! I will always love you, and we will always be Best friends!!! We need to skype more!!!! I am so thankful that I got to visit you in Illinois this summer and hopefully sometime soon you can come and visit me! We've gone through so much together, and I am so beyond grateful to have shared that part of my life with you, you know so much about me, and I hope we always stay friends.
Taylor Bonenberger, I think it is so perfect and funny that we met at EFY in 8th grade, never talked again, and then went to the same college! Living alone in college is really hard, and I get lonely a lot, even though I tell people its fine, which it is, there are some days that I really just want someone to go out with. And that's where you come in, you've become my friend and I am so glad that we get to go to church together and get to share in the gospel, I am so grateful that I have an LDS friend while I'm in college who believes the same things as me and shares the same values. You make me laugh, and you are so creative, I know we will both do great things in art school, and hopefully we can both go on missions! I love you, and I can't wait to see where our friendship goes throughout the rest of college.
There are lots more people who I am thankful for in my life, but I can't list them all. There are people from my past who aren't part of my present but really influenced the way my life turned out. Without all the people in my life I wouldn't be who I am today, I wouldn't have gone through the things that I needed to go through to learn the things I needed to learn. I wouldn't change anything that has happened to me, I believe everything happens for a reason. People come into you're life for a reason, you don't know how long that friendship will last or what will happen between that relationship, but always take the best out of it, remember the best qualities of that person, and be thankful that you had the opportunity to meet them in you're life time.
Besides people in my life I am also thankful for quite a lot more.
I am thankful for being sent away to wilderness, Wilderness changed my life so instantly and so much for the better. I am also thankful for what was going on before wilderness, it was the hardest part of my life, but also taught me the most about myself while going through the hardship. The 72 days I spent in the Utah West Desert taught me so much more about life and about myself. I overcame camping in a tarp for 3 months, I overcame hiking 5-6 miles a day, I overcame the snow and the cold. I learned how to start a fire with raw materials, I learned how to cook in a cup, I learned to be thankful for every single thing I had in my life. I learned to be so thankful for phones, and for materials but I also learned that materialistic things don't matter at all! I learned the importance of family, or friendship, or selflessness, of hope, and of faith. I prayed more than I had ever prayed in my life those 72 days. I knew without a doubt after wilderness that God was real, that he loved me and that he knew my struggles. I wish I could go back to wilderness, because it was literally the best thing that has ever happened to me.
After wilderness I was sent to Summit preparatory school. I was initially really pissed to go to boarding school, but it was at Summit where I discovered who I truly am and where I want my life to go in the future. I learned to love everyone, to never judge a book by its cover. I was one of 3 to 4 people who had not done drugs, I learned a lot about addiction and recovery from all the people I met there. I learned a lot through therapy, and I am so thankful that I listened and applied those values and teachings to my life. Through Summit my family was healed, and I was able to end the relationship I had with my ex-fiance which was codependent and addictive. I am thankful for the relationship I had with him though, I loved him with all my heart, and even though it was an unhealthy relationship I wouldn't change what happened. Summit also helped me move on from my ex, there were some great guys there that I am thankful to have meet and spent time with. Montana was an amazing place to live! I love Montana so much and I am so grateful to have lived there for 14 months! Along with Summit, I was also able to attend the LDS church with the Kalispell 3rd ward. I am so thankful for the love and kindness that I felt there, and for Jenni Oliverson for welcoming in to her family, she pretty much adopted me, and I will always love her and her children. They are the kindest people I have ever met. She even gave me her grandmothers ring as a token of her love for me.
I am so beyond thankful for the Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints. Without my church and religion and faith I would be so lost. I know that wherever I go there will always be the church, with members that are so compassionate and loving and kind. Christ is my strength, through Christ we can all become whole, we can repent of our sins and mistakes and become changed for the better.
I am so grateful for the life I have been given, for the people in my life, for the experiences I have had, and for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Thank you,
Arianna ♥
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