Counting Blessings!

I was sitting here thinking of how to start my blog for this past week and wondered if I have been expressing my gratitude for how blessed I am. I am comfortable in a nice air conditioned apartment, office, and car, while in our travels we notice conditions among some of the people that would be undesirable. I must stop myself whenever I start to complain about things that really don't matter, and replace that with expressions of thanks. It's not that I never acknowledge my blessings, because I do, but I need to do it more.

Eternal families are at the top of my grateful list. Very often, occasions present themselves when I am given the opportunity to talk about my family. After a busy week of trying to give hope to so many that are struggling, we long for the joyful sounds of grandchildren to soften the realities of this world. We see many families as we visit the wards but it is not the same as our own. What a blessing!

We took a much needed opportunity yesterday and went with Elder and Sister Davidson to a Nature Park. We knew it would be hot but ventured anyway. It was delightful being out, away from the busy life enjoying nature, which I've always been grateful for. The birds are simply beautiful and a joy to watch. There were several observations 'blinds' where we could watch without being detected so we were actually quite close. When we wanted to see the different ducks and egerts, we used the binoculars to see the details. The vibrant colors are amazing. Another blessing was visiting with a young family with two little boys and our guide Jose. He actually got a 'doodle bug' out of its home so the boys could see it and it reminded me of some grandchildren who like to interact with these little creatures.

We visited another Spanish Ward today and even though language skills are limited, we still are able to partake of the Sacrament and enjoy the blessing of worshiping with fellow members. We have some young people from this ward to interpret for us this summer while school is out. It is a good experience for them and we appreciate their time.

There really is so much to be thankful for and I want to be found expressing it more. We have great friends that we have enjoyed being with over the years and our extended families are so dear to us. I am especially grateful for my eternal companion as we work together for the Lord. He has turned out to be a great dishwasher and runs a 'mean' vacuum cleaner.

With love,
Los Averys