Gratitude is the Bridge to Happiness

A fitting Thanksgiving post from the the sister missionary who isn't celebrating Thanksgiving the way we do half a world away.  With Thanksgiving in our sights this week, it's such a blessing to remember that when we are grateful, we are blessed.  When time that could be spent listing our wants is replaced by an ever growing list of the things we are grateful for; our focus changes from ourselves and our own needs and allows us to focus on others.  When we focus on others' needs, we are serving our Heavenly Father. (Matt 25:35-45) Gratitude truly is the bridge to happiness.

I imagine that on a perfect day, this is what the Philippines looks like:

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So HAPPY THANKSGIVING this week! 

So my favorite holiday is coming up this Thursday and they sadly don't celebrate it in The Philippines, but thats okay :)  I know that it is only my favorite holiday because it's okay to eat too much and whatever you want to, ha!  So I guess I'll have to pass on that this year but the thankful part I most definitely don't want to pass on!   I have found a couple scriptures of how we should celebrate this always in our hearts, in Alma 34:38, (...."and that ye live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you.") we can see that we always need to thank God because he is always blessing us but we don't even realize it half the time.  And through this we can recognize the blessings and love of God more easily.

A great person once said, "I feel that gratitude is the bridge to happiness." And I agree with her :) that great person is Bekah Brown.  She is the perfect example to me of being grateful for what ever the Lord will give us and be happy with it.  I am so excited to be here in the Philippines and I know that the Lord is just waiting for us to obey so that he can bless us!  I pray for you all everyday. 

So here's a little update on my area...I am still in my second area, and I am training for the second time and I love it!  I love missionary work.  We will have a baptism this Saturday and we have about 8 scheduled for the month of December, no joke! We are so excited to see the progress of the branch in this short time. Aaand... the Branch here has been so strong lately!  When I first got here, the attendance at Sacrament meeting was 95 to about 120 (and 120 was a way good Sunday) and now it this past month it has been 130-155 for four weeks in a row and it is so great!  And the Primary.. it is so strong! When we first got here there was about 15 kids in primary on a good Sunday but yesterday they had a primary program and there was about 45 kids up there singing their little hearts out, members and investigators! I love it here in San Felipe and I can't wait for the progress the Branch will see as Christmas approaches quickly!  Thank you all again for everything! Have a great week!


Next week maybe ill send some of the great stories I have heard from these great missionaries and thier families. Thanks :)
Love Sister Rossberg