Appreciation
"Although I should not have been, I was surprised at something President Kimball said on one occasion. I quote: 'I find myself hungering and thirsting for just a word of appreciation or of honest evaluation from my superiors and my peers. I want no praise; I want no flattery; I am seeking only to know if what I gave was acceptable.' (Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, p. 489.)
"If President Kimball needed a little of that, how much more do these of whom I speak this morning? Perhaps I can say in this company that on one occasion I received a great shock from my mission president. I was his assistant at the time. Some of the Saints in the district had with tremendous effort put on a great program. I suggested to my mission president that we write a letter of thanks to these people for what they had done. His response was, 'We do not thank people in the Church for doing their duty.'
"That was the only thing I ever disagreed with him about. I believe we should thank people. I think that thanks should be genuine and sincere, as it well can be when there is honest effort and dedicated service."