Gratitude Journal

This last Sunday in Relief Society we studied President Thomas S. Monson words in "Consider the Blessings" from this October 2012 General Conference. We were asked to consider the following questions:

• What are you grateful for? What are your blessings?
• What are the rewards you receive for recognizing your blessings?
• What are ways as a family we can be grateful?

I'd like to focus on my personal answers and for you to consider your own.

What are you grateful for? What are your blessings?

In my personal family blog, I wrote a post listing a few of the things we were grateful for. I'd like to spend a few moments articulating what fills me with we overwhelming gratitude. Friends and family to  enjoy the holidays with are so essential. My husband and I love our apartment, our home. It's so special to us. It's where we strengthen our relationship and build each other up.

Here's some words of random people on the streets of New York City back in 2009 for the things they are grateful for:

What are the rewards your receive for recognizing your blessings?

I become much more humble when I realize how much I've been blessed. I've been able to look at my own life and feel greater joy in my daily doings. I am more inclined to serve others. I am more productive. I am more aware of the little blessings in my life. I am happier.

What are ways as a family we can be grateful?

We can express our gratitude through words and actions. We can cultivate happy attitudes. We can focus on the good. We can point out the blessings in our day to ourselves and our family. We can offer prayers of gratitude with our family. We can do acts of service in the spirit of gratitude.

One girl mentioned that she and her husband kept a gratitude journal. In it they wrote what they're grateful for. They kept it in a prominent location to be easily accessed so it could be written right when they thought of it.

My husband and I decided to do this in our family. One of our wedding gifts was a journal for us to write about our marriage. What better way to express our experiences than to record the blessings we are grateful for? Since we've started it, my husband and I have gotten even closer. We become aware of what each other is thankful for. It also helps me to think of ways I can serve my husband. I love it. And we only had it for a day! Can't wait to see what it will do for us throughout the years.