2009.

2009 is coming to an end quick. At the beginning of this year I made some goals. And I have been thinking a lot about those goals that I made and following through with myself and reflecting on my life and the things that I have done this past year and if I feel like this was a successful year for me. Life is not always easy, life does not always go as planned. Every morning we wake up and we can decide that today is going to be a good day. No matter the circumstances that we have, no matter the things we have to face. One thing I have realized is that things are going to happen in our lives that we do not choose. But the one thing we do choose is how we see it. The one thing we do get to choose is how we act in situations and ourattitude. There are things that happened to me this year that I could not help. And this is life. Sometimes life is unexpected. Last year I would never have told you that in a year from now I will be living in San Diego, California. I would never have told you that Mark was going on a mission. I would never have told you that I wouldn't care if my sister broke myfavorite pair of glasses. I would never have thought that my testimony would have grown this much. I would never have told you that I would try a piece of salmon. I would never have told you that I would have a group of new amazing friends. These are all things that I did not expect. But I would have told you that I was going to try my best this year to be a good example to those around me. That I was going to try to say my morning and night prayers everyday. That I was going to read my scriptures and further my knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I would have told you that I was going to try to be a better daughter, friend, sister, neighbor, cousin, a better me. I would have told you that I was going to try not to be hard on myself or hard on those I love. That I was going to be quick to forgive. That I was going to try to see myself as God sees me. I would have told you that I want to grow this year as a person, that I wanted to have experiences that would bring me closer to my Heavenly Father, I wanted to have experiences that would help me to better understand who I am. I wanted to have missionary experiences where I would be able to share a little of myself and what I believe with someone who was lost or wondering. I would have told you that 2009 was going to be a great year, because I was going to make it one.

And today I am happy. I am happy looking back on this year and realizing that I did my best and that it was in fact, a great year.

I can't wait for the year 2010. It is going to be the best one yet.