As Alma worked to establish the church on a far larger scale than he had done previously, he and his "fellow laborers" did three things in particular:
- They admonished one another.
- They prayed continually.
- They "[gave] thanks in all things."
(Mosiah 26:39)
Giving thanks in all things may sound like a tall order, particularly when things happen which don't seem like much of a blessing. But the scriptures are consistent in teaching us to do this. Here are a few examples:
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf has explained that gratitude is not a transactional thing. Our level of thanksgiving need not be proportional to the blessings we have received and are able to detect. Rather, it represents "an expression of hope and testimony. It comes from acknowledging that we do not always understand the trials of life but trusting that one day we will" ("Grateful in Any Circumstances," General Conference, April 2014).
In other words, if we really believe in God and understand that He loves us, we can be grateful even before we are aware of the many ways He is blessing us. We can be grateful for the blessings we hope to receive and the blessings we may not yet realize we have already received.
Today, I will give thanks in all things. I will express my gratitude to God for carrying me through the challenges I face and for guiding, strengthening, and inspiring me in countless ways, both seen and unseen.
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