present home will now speak to us. I don't know what your reflections have been, brothers and sisters, as you have listened to these wonderful words from the Lord through these brethren, but I'm quite sure that they have been the same as mine. I am more grateful today than ever before in my life for the blessings and the opportunities, the goodness and mercy of God.

I pray that while I stand before you, I may have an interest in your faith and prayers, that we may go on being grateful, growing in the things that God wants us to do. I feel that the principle of gratitude is something that God has attained to, to perfection, appreciating what was offered to him and appreciating what is now his. And I believe that if we have the Spirit of God with us, To the fullest extent, we'll be more grateful each passing day for what he's extending our way. I couldn't help but think of some of these things as we were listening. I read the other day from the teachings of the prophet Joseph Smith, all the blessings that God has extended to us, the plan of life and salvation, the truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ, are worth more

than the wealth of the whole earth. We have surely stopped to analyze the blessings extended to us. We know that that is true when we hear it, but how many of us are grateful for it and show our gratitude to the fullest extent by trying to return all that we can possess of the world's materials to God for those blessings. We have come to a knowledge of the mission, the teachings of the priesthood to some extent. We have come to appreciate inspiration and revelation in these meetings and in our direction from the Lord. We recognize, don't we, brothers and sisters, that God has a hand in this work that he's building into each of our lives, a round of experiences and truths that will take us back into his presence.

So I'm sure today if we reflect seriously on our blessings, on the principle of gratitude, we'll be better and finer people. The priesthood of God at our head. The revelations of God continuing to us. Inspiration and revelation. All that we're worthy of each day coming our way. Sustaining hand of God. His confidence in many respects.

The brethren whom he has called to lead us have confidence in us to a great and marked degree. Are we grateful for these things? Do we show our gratitude? You're honest, and I'm trying to be honest. We're not grateful enough. The blessed Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the blessed Kingdom of God offered to us, Every principle and every ordinance that we can possibly partake of to improve our lives and progress toward Godhood is extended. What weak mortal to be sidetracked so much of the time each day from what God wants us to do, what he wants us to be. And yet, how grateful we should be that another day comes along and he tries again to reach us and does many wonderful things for us.

We ought to be grateful for God's consistency and try to be consistent ourselves a little more than we've been. He loves us. He wants to see us back in his presence. And he doesn't forget us each day. He has his servants feed us, direct us, and help us along. Now these are a few of the things that I'm sure that we can improve upon.

and show God that we don't want to treat lightly the things that he offers us, that we mean to be real serious with all our heart, might, mind, and strength. Be grateful and appreciate what he gives us. Thank God for the rebukes that come. Thank God that the servants of God can see our lives and point out to us where we're making mistakes. Thank God that they're honest enough and servants of God enough.

to stand fearlessly and tell us, I'm so grateful for these things. I'm grateful for you, brothers and sisters. Each one of you brings into my life an experience as I get to know you that helps me along the way. As you try to apply the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ and as you endeavor to follow the priesthood of God, your experience has helped me and helped my family.

I'm grateful to be in your society, to have you with us under the direction of God and his servants. Now to enumerate all the blessings, all the things to be grateful for, that's up to you. Let's go our way and rejoice, brothers and sisters, as we leave this meeting. Let's have the courage to face in gratitude of those about us, the offerings of the evil one. He's certainly after us, as we can attest.

the experiences that have happened recently. We possibly can't take our lives till the Lord is ready, but he can deal us a lot of misery, and he can try and break us and keep us from keeping our appointments and our covenants in priesthood capacity and in family capacity. How grateful we should be today, 1960, for what has been and what now is and what's offered to us.

by God himself through his own channel. May we appreciate and partake, participate and show our gratitude more fully and more completely, lest we be those that have to be cast out for treating lightly the things of God. I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.