Day 9.

Merry Christmas Eve Everyone!!
 What's your favorite thing about Christmas? Is it the shopping? The snow (or lack there of this year)? Getting together with family (my personal favorite)? Maybe all the parties? Or is it the gifts? I know the gifts is a popular answer with children but as adults have we thought about our gifts we've been given? When I use gifts I don't mean the boxes wrapped in pretty paper and bows, I mean the gifts given to us by Heavenly Father. Some of us have the gift to make people feel good, some have a gift to sing, or teach, or be a great leader. What gift do you possess? While reading the Book of Mormon, I've read over and over about being instruments for God. When you think instruments what comes to mind? I think of tools. This is what Heavenly Father means. He wants us to be tools for him. He is the crafter trying to use us, the tools, to craft a better world or to craft a better after life for somebody on the earth. How are we able to be used as tools? For one, we listen to Heavenly Father. In experience, it's been hard sometimes to listen to Him because I knew that something He wanted me to do was not something I wanted to do or it was scary or hard but He knows what the outcome is going to be and we have to place our trust in Him. That's the second thing, we need to TRUST Heavenly Father. He knows all! He knows what you're going to do next and He has nothing but the best intentions for you. I remember this question my mother used to ask when I was hesitant about trusting in Heavenly Father, she asked, "Would you rather walk alone in the light, or be guided in the darkness?" I know I'd rather have Heavenly Father guide me through the dark any day! Next, you need to get out there and use your gifts! Use your gift for singing, your gift to teach, your gift to dance, whatever it may be, USE THEM! God gives us these gifts for a reason, to use us as His tools or instrumentsI. Unsure of what your gifts are? Ask Heavenly Father. I've said it before and I'll say it over and over again, God listens. He always does! Finally, give thanks to God! He's given you your health, the air you breathe, the family and friends you have and He blesses each and every one of us everyday! The least you could do is thank Him.
I'm thankful for my gifts, I'm thankful for the things I have been blessed with! I love Heavenly Father and I KNOW that the church and the scriptures are TRUE! And I am so proud to be an instrument of God!

Have a very Merry Christmas and always remember to READ YOUR SCRIPTURES!

I say all these things in the name of Jesus Christ!