"Sincerely giving thanks not only helps us recognize our blessings, but it also unlocks the doors of heaven and helps us feel God’s love."
"When you walk with gratitude, you do not walk with arrogance and conceit and egotism, you walk with a spirit of thanksgiving that is becoming to you and will bless your lives." (actually quoting Pres. Hinckley)
"Regardless of our circumstances, each of us has much for which to be grateful if we will but pause and contemplate our blessings.
"This is a wonderful time to be on earth. While there is much that is wrong in the world today, there are many things that are right and good. There are marriages that make it, parents who love their children and sacrifice for them, friends who care about us and help us, teachers who teach. Our lives are blessed in countless ways.
"We can lift ourselves and others as well when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude. If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues."
"How careful we should be to cultivate, through the medium of a prayerful life, a thankful attitude toward God and man!" (Joseph F. Smith) "A prayerful life is the key to possessing gratitude."
"To express gratitude is gracious and honorable, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live with gratitude ever in our hearts is to touch heaven."
And my personal favorite:
"As I close this morning, it is my prayer that in addition to all else for which we are grateful, we may ever reflect our gratitude for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. His glorious gospel provides answers to life’s greatest questions: Where did we come from? Why are we here? Where do our spirits go when we die? That gospel brings to those who live in darkness the light of divine truth.
"He taught us how to pray. He taught us how to live. He taught us how to die. His life is a legacy of love. The sick He healed; the downtrodden He lifted; the sinner He saved.
"Ultimately, He stood alone. Some Apostles doubted; one betrayed Him. The Roman soldiers pierced His side. The angry mob took His life. There yet rings from Golgotha’s hill His compassionate words: 'Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.'
"Who was this 'man of sorrows, . . . acquainted with grief'? 'Who is this King of glory,' this Lord of lords? He is our Master. He is our Savior. He is the Son of God. He is the Author of Our Salvation. He beckons, 'Follow me.' He instructs, 'Go, and do thou likewise.' He pleads, 'Keep my commandments.'
"Let us follow Him. Let us emulate His example. Let us obey His words. By so doing, we give to Him the divine gift of gratitude."
Today, though it's still early in the day, I am grateful for living prophets, called and ordained of God, on the earth to lead and guide those who will listen to their words. Like Adam, Abraham, Moses, Isaiah, Peter, and Paul of old, I know that there is today a prophet--President Thomas S. Monson--on the earth who holds the keys to commune with God and tell us what we need to do to make it through the challenges and trials we are faced with, to get back to the presence of God. I know that we were there before (Jeremiah 1:5) and we can return to live with Him again.
To see President Monson's whole talk, click here. To read what he says, click here.
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