Reflections

Wow, this year is almost over! I seriously can't believe it. Each year seems to bring so many new changes. When I think about where I was a year ago and where I am now, I'm just amazed at how much has happened! I always like to go back and read through my journals and see what I was doing a year ago, and it's interesting to see how much I've learned and grown. Keeping a journal and writing often really is such a blessing! Not only is writing a good time to reflect on your day and a good chance to sit and think about the little as well as big things in life, but it's also a chance to learn about yourself- who you are, how you think, why you think certain things...it's a genuine picture of yourself that you may have been hiding from the rest of the world everyday. It's surprising how much you find out about yourself from reading past journal entries.

Anyways, that was not the point of my entry today. I was going to reflect upon this past year. The last year of the first decade of the twenty-first century. 2009. Lots have happened this year and lots of lessons have been learned. Perhaps the most important lesson is how truly involved the Lord is in my everyday life and how much He loves me personally. I can't think of a single experience that helped me realize this fact, but many small ones that have given me a testimony that Heavenly Father works miracles on our behalf all the time and we don't even realize it. He is always there, and we are sometimes just too busy and preoccupied with less important things to remember Him. I have learned how much sweeter and easier life is when we will seek His help and allow Him into our lives. To truly be a part of it. That is what I have learned this year.

Miracles

I can't express how grateful I am to have a Heavenly Father who listens and answers my prayers! Today one of my best friends who is on OPT that expires in May got a job offer from Goldman Sachs! She has been looking really hard for jobs for months and was starting to despair. I started praying for her, and she ended up getting a final round interview at Goldman Sachs randomly when she didn't even go to the initial ones. Today she got a call for a job offer! I know that Heavenly Father heard my prayers. I really believe this is nothing short of a miracle, especially in these hard economic times, and to have gotten a job at one of the most prestigious companies in that industry! I'm so happy for my friend and so grateful to be able to see how much our Father in Heaven loves us and watches over us. I have been stressed out about finding a job for myself as well this whole semester basically, but I know things will work out for me as well. Having the gospel in my life is one of my biggest blessings and brings me the greatest hope and joy!