Things I am Grateful for

Just wanted to share some things I am thankful for, since this is the season to be thankful:

1. Loving family and friends who have always given me support
2. The gospel in my life
3. My dear companion, Irmã de Almeida, who teaches me to work hard, have fun, and live my dreams to the fullest
4. A loving Heavenly Father who knows me and loves me--warts and all
5. Peanut butter
6. Space heaters
7. Warm water
8. Umbrellas
9. American toothpaste
10. The Portuguese language
11. Knowing that wherever I go, I can find friends in the gospel
12. The fact that I still have 7 months left on my mission
13. Waterproof boots
14. Christmas lights that bring joy
15. I'm grateful for the fact that at home we have a dryer that I am very excited to use again one day
16. The Book of Mormon
17. My chance to study the gospel everyday
18. The investigators we have been blessed with
19. People who listen instead of talk
20. Humble people--they are a rarity, but I am grateful to know some in the world
21. Forgiveness
22. The fact that we have a new chance everyday to be better than we were yesterday
23. How Heavenly Father writes our good deeds in pen and our mistakes in pencil with eraser in hand ready to erase our faults.
24. Homemade soup that my companion makes for me
25. For the chance to focus on other people more than myself.
26. For the chance to see how important the gospel really is in our lives
27. To be experiencing miracles everyday--and being every eager and praying ever earnestly to see more
28. Realizing how powerful faith really is and how is makes all of the difference in the world
29. Bananas
30. BREAD
31. Gloves
32. Being a missionary in the best mission in the world (kind of biased, I know)
33. Having good leaders (yes, I did just compliment elders :)
34. Having a whole new family of missionaries while we are all away from our own families
35. Having the certainty that my family will live together forever if we just keep living the gospel
36. Parents who write me every week without fail
37. Loving friends who write me so many letters--I am having a hard time keeping up with writing everyone back :)
38. Laughing at awkward situations
39. Having a good sense of humor in general--it's easy to stay stressed, but much more fun to laugh at yourself
40. Knowing that everything happens for a reason.

Yeah, that's about it for now. I could go on forever. In short, know that I am grateful. Love you,

Your Irmã Pérez