The Lord said, "If ye love me, keep my commandments." Our obedience to the laws, ordinances, and commandments is the greatest expression of love and gratitude that we can bestow upon Him. Might it be well for us to remember to give thanks to our Heavenly Father prior to asking for His help in solving our problems? Prayer is an essential part of conveying appreciation to our Heavenly Father. He awaits our expressions of gratefulness each morning and night in sincere, simple prayer from our hearts for our many blessings, gifts, and talents. Through expression of prayerful gratitude and thanksgiving, we show our dependence upon a higher source of wisdom and knowledge, God the Father and His Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We are taught to live in thanksgiving daily. We must remember to give thanks to our Heavenly Father for the blessings and gifts that have been given to us. Gratitude is a state of appreciation, an act of thanksgiving, which causes us to be humble, because we recognize an act of kindness, service, or caring from someone else who lifts us and strengthens us. Ingratitude is the attitude of being unaware or not recognizing when someone has assisted us or helped us or, even worse, when we know we've been helped and have not thanked someone privately or publicly. In some quiet way, the expression and feelings of gratitude have a wonderful cleansing and healing nature. Gratitude brings warmth to the giver and the receiver alike. Gratitude expressed to our Heavenly Father in prayer for what we have brings a calming peace, a peace which allows us not to canker our souls for what we don't have. Gratitude brings a peace that helps us overcome the pain of adversity and failure. Gratitude, on a daily basis, means we express appreciation for what we have now without qualification for what we had in the past or desire in the future. A recognition and appreciation for our gifts and talents which have been given also allows us to acknowledge the need for help and assistance of the gifts and talents possessed by others. Gratitude is a divine principle. "Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things." This scripture means that we express thankfulness for what happens, not only for the good things in life, but also the opposition and challenges of life that add to our experience and faith. We put our lives in His hands realizing that all that transpires will be for our experience and for our good. When we say, "Thy will be done" in prayer, we are really expressing faith and gratitude and acknowledging that we will accept whatever happens in our lives. That we may feel true gratitude for the goodness of God for all the blessings that have been given to us and express those feelings in thankfulness and a prayer of thanksgiving, appreciation, to our Heavenly Father is my prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.