President Thomas S. Monson on developing an attitude of gratitude

President Thomas S. Monson (1927–2018) was sustained to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 1963. He served as a counselor in the First Presidency with Presidents Benson, Hunter, and Hinckley and then became Church president in 2008. He led the Church for almost a decade until his passing in January 2018.

"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."

- Thomas S. Monson, "The Divine Gift of Gratitude," General Conference October 2010
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President Monson was the master of cheerful optimism. It seemed the sun was always shining in his life. And if it wasn't, he knew it would soon return! In this message he emphasized that we all have much to be grateful for, in spite of any circumstances that might have us discouraged or concerned. President Monson encouraged us to find the things that are right in our world:

President Monson truly believed that we have the ability to "refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought" if we learn to develop and expand that "attitude of gratitude." It would be good for us each to evaluate which direction our attitude causes us to lean!

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2018)