A walk in Faith : My adventures in the Adriatic South Mission: "Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow"

We have an investigator from Serbia that we are doing skype lessons with and I just want to tell you a little bit about her. She speaks perfect English and has a VERY strong testimony of Jesus Christ. She was raised Orthodox and that's apparently their culture in Serbia too. She was raised being taught of Jesus Christ so when we met her she already had such a strong testimony of His sacrifice. She lives pretty far away from Prishtina, but she is willing to take a taxi/bus to come here for church. Ever since she has started investigating the Church she has been shunned by the people she loves. Family, friends, and people she's grown up with and gone to church with her whole life. They found out that she was investigating and she was excommunicated from the Orthodox church and they put her picture up in the church telling everyone what a horrible person she is. Her friend passed away not to long ago and they wouldn't even let her into the church for the service. Also, her mother was beaten up pretty bad by two men one night because of her conversion. Yet this woman, is still willing to sacrifice everything to be a member of this Church. I've learned a lot from her about what it means to sacrifice things we love for something much more important, the Gospel. I'm very grateful that I have supportive people in my life but also that I am a member of this Church. It makes me even more grateful for the blessings in my life.

Since Thanksgiving is this week, I wanted to talk a little bit about what I'm grateful for. My list has changed a little bit since last year, but that's actually one of the things i'm most grateful for.. The opportunity to change and try to become a better person every day. I've learned that there is nothing more important than this Gospel and the change and happiness it brings into our lives. I used to think that people didn't change. That we were just born a certain way and that was it, but I know now that that was extremely naive. I've been able to see this change firsthand in myself as I try to be better everyday. I'm not perfect and not even close to it, but I know that everyday we have the power to change and become who we've always wanted to be. Heavenly Father didn't create us to be stand still objects who don't progress. He created us with the potential to change and I am so thankful for that.

I'm thankful for the opportunity I have to help people and teach them about the Gospel. I have yet to find something that makes me happier.

I'm thankful that God hears and answers my prayers. He created the stars and the Heavens and the Earth, yet he listens to what I have to say about my day, about my successes, about my weaknesses, and about what I... a weak imperfect human being has to say about what I need. I know that he not only hears my prayers but he answers them.. I'm not as taken back when one of my prayers is answered because I now expect it because I know he's listening to me.

I'm thankful for my family. My family that has never left my side no matter what. They have forgiven me and loved me despite my weaknesses and mistakes and I know that they always will. They give me so much strength and I know that Heavenly Father gave me them for a very special reason.

I'm thankful for the scriptures, Especially the Book of Mormon that has helped me in my hardest days. I know that they were written for me and for everyone in this time to help us become better people. I feel my Heavenly Fathers love for me every time I read and I know that he just wants to help us to be happy.

"But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" Most of all I am thankful for my Heavenly Father and I know that EVERY. SINGLE. THING. that I have is because of him and because of His Son. I'm thankful for my relationship with him that has grown and continues to grow.