behold, my joy is full ...

last night, our apartment was full of the joyful sounds, rising from the parking lot below, of young men playing basketball and children playing in the grass well past dark.  it gave me the idea for the theme of my blog entry this week.

• i love the sound of a parking lot full of young men having good, clean fun!
• i love an office full of elders!
• i love watching a full circle of elders pray before they go out to find people to teach the principles of the gospel!
• i love faces full of joy!

• i love a beach full of new friends enjoying spending time together!
• i love a sky full of clouds and colors!
• i love a night sky full of stars (yes, i know the moon is not a star ... but trust me, there are stars there!)!
• i love a car full of senior missionaries embarking on new adventures!

• i love a full choir of angels!
• i love a room full of wide-eyed, 'can't wait to start my mission!' elders and sisters when they arrive every six weeks.  this happened again this week and, like we've said before, it never gets old.
• i love the same room full of newly-called trainers, eager to embrace their new, wide-eyed companions and love them through the transition into their next 18-24 months. 
• i love a traveling cart full of baskets.
• i love a pond full of garra rufa fish ready to feast on flesh.
• i love this world ... full of beauty and wonder.
• i love a heart full of gratitude for being able to experience it all, plus SO much more every day.

• and in three short weeks, i LOVE that my arms will be full because the five people i love most on this earth are coming!  my cup, which is beyond full, runneth over!

all you need is love!  xo donna