"Blessings we enjoy daily, and for the most of them, because they be so common, men forget to pay their praises. But let not us, because it is a sacrifice so pleasing to him who still protects us, and gives us flowers, and showers, and meat, and content."
"Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has many: not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some."
"The beloved of the Almighty are the rich who have the humility of the poor, and the poor who have the magnanimity of the rich."
Izaak Walton
"There are three requisites to the proper enjoyment of earthly blessings: a thankful reflection on the goodness of the giver; a deep sense of our own unworthiness; and a recollection of the uncertainty of our long possessing them. The first will make us grateful; the second, humble; and the third, moderate."
"Blessings ever wait on virtuous deeds, and though late, a sure reward succeeds."
"It is generally true that all that is required to make men unmindful of what they owe to God for any blessing, is, that they should receive that blessing often and regularly."
". . . How thankful we ought to be that somehow in the majesty and kindness and goodness of the Lord you and I were brought forth in this generation with the marvelous and wonderful blessings we hold."
"You simply will not be the same person two months from now after consciously giving thanks each day for the abundance that exists in your life. And you will have set in motion an ancient spiritual law: the more you have and are grateful for, the more will be given you."
Elaine L. Jack - Eye to Eye, Heart to Heart
"We need to be more grateful. There is no true character without gratitude. To have feelings of thanksgiving and gratitude for blessings is one of the marks of a strong character. We need more of that spirit in our homes and our daily associations."
"If a person wants to enjoy the Spirit of the Lord, let him, when something of a disagreeable nature comes along, think how worse the circumstance might be...Always cultivate a spirit of gratitude. It is the duty of every Latter-day Saint to cultivate a spirit of gratitude."
"As stewards of God we must be truly appreciative of the things we receive. One has said that, 'Ingratitude is a crime more despicable than revenge which is only returning evil for evil, while ingratitude returns evil for good.' You remember that of the ten lepers healed by Christ, only one returned to give thanks. A beautiful legend tells the story of two angels that were sent forth throughout the land, each given a basket, one to gather up requests and the other thanksgivings. The angel of requests came back with her basket running over full. The angel of thanksgivings came back with her basket practically empty. So it is in life. It seems that all have requests to make, but few of us think to return and give thanks."
Ezra Taft Benson, Ensign, May 1977, p. 33
"Comparatively, we are so much quicker to return favors and to pay our debts to mortals--and we should be responsive and grateful. But what of Him who gave us mortal life itself, who will ere long give us all immortality, and who proffers to the faithful the greatest gift of all, eternal life? We are poor bookkeepers, indeed!"
"Thankfulness is measured by the number of words; gratitude is measured by the nature of our actions."
"I do not know of any, excepting the unpardonable sin, that is greater than the sin of ingratitude."