Did you know that prayers are answered?

You know that awful moment: you've lost something important, and you have no idea where to find it. You're kicking yourself for not remembering where you put it, and now you need it.

This happened to me today. I lost my social security card, and I needed it for tax documents at my new job. I knew I knew it was here in Provo because I had to have it when I started my secretary job on campus a year ago. But where I put it after that...I had no idea. I tried to rack my brain to remember where I would have put it, and I came up with nothing. So I did a quick search through my stuff...and still nothing. So I said a prayer, and hoped that Heavenly Father would help me find it.

So, I went back through my stuff again, and in my two hours of searching, I found:

-A letter from my sister, Emily, from when I was 8.
-A letter from my brother, Spencer, from when he was on his mission.
-A letter from my mother with advice for dating.
-A birthday card from my Grandma who recently passed away.
-All of the letters I've received from missionaries in the last two years.
-A copy of my father's blessing from my first semester at BYU.
-A $40 check I had forgotten about.
-The original copy of my patriarchal blessing.

And, after finally coming across all of these things, I finally found my social security card wrapped in a letter from my mom.

After running around my apartment with joy and relief that I had finally found it, I immediately thought about how often Heavenly Father prolongs an answer to prayers so that we can learn and discover things along the way. As much as I needed to find my social security card for my new job today, Heavenly Father also knew that I also needed to come across all of those other things to address the other needs I have in my life right now.


Today, this girl is extra thankful for prayer.

(Notice anything different?)

Thankful.

Do you ever have moments when you are overwhelmed with gratitude for the simple things in your life? 

Moments when you have no specific reason to be so excited about life...

But you can't help but be happy? 

Tonight, I experienced this feeling. All of my worries, my schooling demands, and my fears were left behind for the moment and I was overcome with a sense of gratitude. After leaving my ever-so-uplifting religion class, I had a great conversation with an old friend. We talked about our past experiences, what we learned, and what we hope for in our futures. This made me so happy and uplifted my spirit. While walking home, I looked up at the pitch black sky, filled with beautiful white stars. I started grinning to myself and began thinking of all that I am grateful for:

My life. 

To be at BYU. 

To be learning from some of the best professors in the world. 

To be settled into a major that I love.

My family. 

My testimony. 

My wonderful roommates.

The temple.

My new ward. 

My FHE family.

My testimony.

My faith in my future. 

To be where I'm at.

To be learning what I am.

And to be growing into the woman Heavenly Father expects me to become.