On my mission in Vegas, I had the amazing privilege to teach a wonderful Hispanic family in a place we call "Paradise Stake." This family was such a great family to be around. I remember talking with the dad about the hilarity, but also the gospel messages throughout the movie "Lion King" and we joked about watching "Lion King 1.5" if they ever changed the mission rule of no watching unapproved movies. There was a very humbling experience with that family I'd like to share. I can't remember what we were teaching them that particular night, but as my companion and I were packing up our scriptures and teaching tools, we started to say good-bye to each family member. When I got to their seven-year-old daughter Chelsea, she expressed her gratitude in one of the most beautiful ways I've ever seen. It was a simple "Thank you" but it was filled with such sincerity that my heart filled with joy and love for all that I was doing out there. It truly made that point in my life a "paradise." Someone must've pulled on a head hair of mine because I think a little water surfaced around my eyes. From that moment on, I knew the power of a sincere expression of gratitude and what it could mean for the one receiving it.
As I've thought about Chelsea's thank you, I've seen the need we all have to say "Thank you" more often and with more sincerity. It's my personal conviction that if we genuinely expressed our gratitude to more people and more often, everyone around us (including ourselves) would be filled with greater happiness.
Chelsea is the little girl on the left folding her arms...
What is gratitude?
I think gratitude consists of two things: recognition that someone has done something for us and having a positive emotional response to that person's actions.
I think something that we should all do is reflect on all that we have been blessed with. We need not only focus on the big things in life that we have, but also we should look for the little things in life that we should be grateful for. I remember talking to a girl I was interested in and she told me about her shower being broken and so she had had cold showers for the last couple weeks. My gratitude for my nice, hot showers immediately rose and became more salient in the coming days. If we look at the ordinary, we can find extraordinary blessings. It seems like those who look for things to be grateful for are happier. It also seems that the more often we meditate on the blessings we have in our lives, the easier it is to find things to be grateful for. Maybe a good analogy is the more time we spend searching for Waldo in the "Where's Waldo?" books the easier it is to find him because we're more practiced and in tune to do so. It is the same way with looking for blessings in the crowded space that is our attention.
We should also be more willing to respond emotionally to what others do for us. Sometimes we don't want to admit someone has helped us or we shrug it off because we don't know or like that person very much. Rather than do that, we should open our hearts to those who've blessed us in whatever way that they have.
No excuses:
Expressing gratitude is of such importance that we should be looking for excuses to say "Thank you" rather than for reasons why we shouldn't. Sometimes I feel like it would be awkward with people around, or it's not a big deal if I don't express it this one time, or even "they already know I'm grateful for what they've done for me." But all of these things are just excuses. I'm especially weary about the "they already know" excuse. We should never assume that they know. And even if they do, it'll mean more to everyone involved if there's an expression of gratitude. There might indeed be a good excuse out there, but we should strive to give thanks and not flee from the ranks. Corny, but true.
Gratitude is an action word
When I say gratitude is an action-packed word, I mean that it's a word that leads us to act. Just like they say faith is an action word for the same reason. When we're truly grateful for something or someone, it should make us want to be better, do better, reach out more, etc. We should want to spread the blessings that we get. There's a popular LDS Hymn with the lyrics "Because I have been given much I too must give." This is a great embodiment of this principle. Gratitude without works is dead (change-up of James 2:17). When we feel that emotion of gratitude it should push us outwards. That's when gratitude has the most beauty. Just as a flower is most beautiful when its petals reach outward, so are we.
Gratitude: The Stepping Stone Attitude
Gratitude is an attitude that leads to the development of many other attitudes that will bless us. As previously mentioned, gratitude leads to a service-oriented attitude. Another attitude it can lead to is an attitude of faith. As we see the blessings in our lives and recognize from Whom they come, our faith in Him grows. As we increase in faith, we are more prone to do that which leads to our receiving more blessings. Then the cycle continues. Gratitude doesn't just lead to faith in God, but also faith in people. The more we see the good things that people do for us and each other, the more faith we have in human nature, our friends, family, etc. Gratitude also leads to charity. When we've felt the love of others through what they've done for us, we often feel a desire to give something back to them or another. This leads to doing kind deeds. Kind deeds leads to inner joy and peace, which builds our desire to be kind more often. Gratitude can also lead to more diligence in our lives. As our gratitude for the scriptures increases, we are motivated to study them more often in order to more fully benefit from the help and guidance they can give us. All in all, gratitude is a stepping stone attitude. It in itself blesses us and also leads us to other founts of righteousness. It's no wonder the Lord said, "And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more" (D&C 78:19).
Yup... I'm a dork
Jesus Christ: The Perfect Example
Not only did Christ teach the principle of gratitude, but He lived it. He thanked His Father for keeping eternal truths from the prideful (Matt 11:25), for hearing Him when He would that Lazarus arise from the grave (Luke 11:41), and when He was able to feed the four thousand from seven loafs of bread and some fishes (Mark 8:6). Let's all follow His example and be more grateful in our lives. It will lead us to happiness.
Christ and the thankful leper
I end with the words of Paul:
"In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you" (1 Thess. 5:18).
I wouldn't be surprised if you were the Prophet someday. :) Love ya!
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