First Presidency letter, June 1, 2011

[Zkulptor]

http://lds.org/ensign/2011/06/first-pre ... 1?lang=eng" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

June 1, 2011
Dear Brothers and Sisters,

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the welfare program of the Church. The pages that follow include a brief history of the origin of the program, will acquaint you with the Church’s international welfare efforts, and show welfare principles at work in the lives of Church members throughout the world.

This anniversary serves as a reminder for all of us to become more self-reliant and to help people help themselves. As you review this special section, we encourage you and your family to prayerfully consider and act upon self-reliance and other welfare principles.
Sincerely yours,
The First Presidency
'Nough said!

[theFireman]

i agree with that, and let me also add that there are many who are unable to help themselves, and it is our duty to give when asked. and when asked to give, to always give more than is asked, in fact i encourage those that are led by the spirit to give all they can. i have given all that i have and i can testify that it comes back in multitudes.

[Zkulptor]

i agree with that, and let me also add that there are many who are unable to help themselves, and it is our duty to give when asked. and when asked to give, to always give more than is asked, in fact i encourage those that are led by the spirit to give all they can. i have given all that i have and i can testify that it comes back in multitudes.

It is true, the more you give, the more it comes back to you... such an amazing principle to live by!

[Nan]

The first thought that came into my mind is that we need to make our garden bigger. Right now we are getting some great stuff from our garden, but it isn't enough to truly feed our family. Let alone leave us enough to can. We have 9 4x16 raised beds. We decided we think we will add 14 more. It would help us be more self sufficient. And we are going to keep pounding away at our house to get it payed off early. Thanks for sharing this letter with me.

[Samuel the Lamanite]

Fine ideas but reality is that there MUST be priorities because demand is going to be much, much greater than supply. Tough choices need to made ahead of time.

This may sound harsh and you may 100% disgree with me but it is the priority I have chosen to help others including my own children

If someone has had years of instruction about being prepared and failed to use that time but spent money on more worldy things, then are very low on my list. Many more "worthy" people will receive my help and if some food/money left over, then will get.

Of my six children, only two have been serious about preparation. All six had the opportunity. In fact, when they left home on their own, we gave them their portion of our family storage. We have used Christmas to give hundred sof dollars of food to help up their inventory. Very, very little has been done on their own.

I've told each one that when the s... hits the fan, I will share all I have with their children who are NOT respsonsible for their willingly disobeying the Prophet's counsel but, they will have to fend for themselves. Oh horror of horrors to many but rememebr, those who haven't been warned or haven't truly had the resources IMO come ahead of the "slackers.

What say all? I have a think skin. :-w

[shadow]

What say all? I have a think skin. :-w

Think skin is awesome Sam!
That said, forgive, forgive, forgive.... Can you do it?

[Scarecrow]

Deleted

[SwissMrs&Pitchfire]

I have seen this enmity between the Me Generation and their children all too often. The usual intimation is "I put in my time" "I earned it" but the children whose birthright was sold off haven't and weren't in most cases even raised by their parents (latch key kids, TV, public school, day care, medications, etc....) It is very sad and leads me to ask how any such parents may claim their children in eternity when they scarcely do here? Would a father give a child who asks for bread a stone? Apparently so (although that wasn't the Lord's conclusion).

Food storage is intended to be shared and not by way of unrighteous dominion nor abusive extortion. The Lord blesses us with it and then we call it "mine" and withhold it from others whilst praying for more for ourselves. Are we not the unjust stewards after all?

[Zkulptor]

The first thought that came into my mind is that we need to make our garden bigger. Right now we are getting some great stuff from our garden, but it isn't enough to truly feed our family. Let alone leave us enough to can. We have 9 4x16 raised beds. We decided we think we will add 14 more. It would help us be more self sufficient. And we are going to keep pounding away at our house to get it payed off early. Thanks for sharing this letter with me.

NP!

[Tetraman]

I'm the only LDS on my street. Everyone knows I'm a LDS and that we have food storage. This used to bother me a bit and I used to think about how I could hid it, but I finally came to the conclusion that I could never turn any of them away if they were hungry. So my attitude has become that if I have it to share I will, and when it runs out I'll just have to rely on the Lord. We will either live together or we'll all starve together.

When the soviet union fell, Cuba was left without any access to oil or any critical imports. These people then faced the possibility of starvation because they had nothing to plant and harvest with. They came together as a community and simply helped each other plant as much food as possible in every little strip or spot of land that was available. They not only did not starve, they found they were far better off with their own organically grown food than the massed produced - chemically produced food that had before. From what I've read, North Korea was also faced a similar problem many years ago, but as this people was used to having everything done for them, rather than unite, they fought with each other over what little was available. Many starved, many died.

So if conditions get that bad here, are we going to be like Cuba or like North Korea?

[mes5464]

I have moved into the camp of the sharers. I read Elder Featherstone's talk called Food Storage. Then I gained a testimony of the atonement. There IS still time to repent. It is painful sometimes, but it IS possible. We ALL may suffer along with the wicked to HELP their repentance along, but isn't that what Jesus did for us. How can we do any less that what our master did.

[Samuel the Lamanite]

For those who CONDEMNE me, are who are repulsed by me, I knew this would happen when I posted. Would I actually do this when push came to shove? I doubt it.

But when anyone doesn't take action as commanded by Prophets and then says "I KNOW where to come." with a silly grin on their faces is that true compassion to give them items when the truly needy haven't been given Prophetic warnings and or were given but didn't have money to comply? Now, IF God had promised that by giving, you would never run out like the widow did in the OT, that's a completely different matter.

What the condemners failed to consider is that we gave all our children the year's supply we had reserved for them when they left the nest. How many here have done that and then encoursged them further by giving food, etc for Christmas gifts. Let him that is without sin, cast the first stone.

Each has to make prioroity decisions. The key is to have your own preprartion plus some above that. My wife tripled the size of our veggie garden this summer so we are preaparing to share, not just theoretically saying we will.

[Nan]

I have particular issues with sharing if I had to share with one of my husband's brothers. His entire life he has lived off of other people and gotten other people to take care of his wife and children financially. He has never bothered to do his responsibility because he doesn't want to be "someone else's slave." While I have shared with people already and will share with people in the future, I would have a really hard time with him showing up at my house and expecting us to take care of him. And I am not sure I wouldn't turn him away. I do believe big time in sharing. But no so sure how far I have to go for the disobedient.

[Samuel the Lamanite]

Nan: I KNOW that when tough decisions come, the HG will whisper to us exactly what should be done. The thing to do is consider scenarios ahead of time and what you would do under each scenario. That way the decsison supported by prayer and HG will have already been made.

[Zkulptor]

Nan: I KNOW that when tough decisions come, the HG will whisper to us exactly what should be done. The thing to do is consider scenarios ahead of time and what you would do under each scenario. That way the decsison supported by prayer and HG will have already been made.

I can attest to that, when I was a missionary , a couple of months into my mission, the Holy Ghost asked me if I would, stay or leave the field where my father to die, I answered " I would stay" my father died 6 months prior to ending my mission..choice was made....I stayed

[mes5464]

Nan: I KNOW that when tough decisions come, the HG will whisper to us exactly what should be done. The thing to do is consider scenarios ahead of time and what you would do under each scenario. That way the decsison supported by prayer and HG will have already been made.

I can attest to that, when I was a missionary , a couple of months into my mission, the Holly Ghost asked me if I would, stay or leave the field where my father to die, I answered " I would stay" my father died 6 months prior to ending my mission..choice was made....I stayed

Consider, also, that this is yet another chance for us to learn to become like HF. We look into the future at the various possibilities and plan for them. Granted, HF actually knows what the outcome will be, but if we DID too, what would be have learned. I think it is amazing just how much we can learn to be like HF and JC in the mortal body.

[Samuel the Lamanite]

Mes: Neat!!! Hadn't thought of planning decsisions ahead of event is similar to what HF does and thus we are taking another step in His direction. Thanks for the insight.

[HeirofNumenor]

I can attest to that, when I was a missionary , a couple of months into my mission, the Holy Ghost asked me if I would, stay or leave the field were my father to die, I answered " I would stay" my father died 6 months prior to ending my mission..choice was made....I stayed

that must have been really hard for you, Zkulptor...thank you for sharing... :ymhug: O:-)

[Samuel the Lamanite]

FYI, when you're on a mission, you are serving God. Reemebr when the person approached Jesus who had called him to serve but wanted to come after going to his father's funeral.... Let the dead bury the dead. My mother died while my wife and I were serving in Nauvoo. I could have gone but rememebred that I had committed to serve for 18 months good or bad.

[Vision]

Samuel, your not so bad in my book.

I feel the same way you do. There has to be consequences for our actions otherwise agency would be destroyed.


I'm still searching for an example in the scriptures of the Lord blessing the rebellious/disobedient before they repent, with the blessings of the obedient. If some of you have a scriptural reference please share it with me.

[An Eye Single]

I've been having a great time studying the New Testament and the accompanying footnotes. In particular, I've been making note of every single translation by Joseph Smith as I go along. I hit a real treasure when I came across the JST for Luke 12:41-57. Perhaps verses 48-57 are pertinent to this discussion.

41For, behold, he cometh in the first watch of the night, and he shall also come in the second watch, and again he shall come in the third watch.

42And verily I say unto you, He hath already come, as it is written of him; and again when he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, blessed are those servants when he cometh, that he shall find so doing;

43For the Lord of those servants shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.

44And now, verily I say these things unto you, that ye may know this, that the coming of the Lord is as a thief in the night.

45And it is like unto a man who is an householder, who, if he watcheth not his goods, the thief cometh in an hour of which he is not aware, and taketh his goods, and divideth them among his fellows.

46And they said among themselves, If the good man of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through and the loss of his goods.

47And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, be ye therefore ready also; for the Son of Man cometh at an hour when ye think not.

48Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speaketh thou this parable unto us, or unto all?

49And the Lord said, I speak unto those whom the Lord shall make rulers over his household, to give his children their portion of meat in due season.
50And they said, Who then is that faithful and wise servant?
51And the Lord said unto them, It is that servant who watcheth, to impart his portion of meat in due season.

52Blessed be that servant whom his Lord shall find, when he cometh, so doing.
53Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.
54But the evil servant is he who is not found watching. And if that servant is not found watching, he will say in his heart, My Lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants, and the maidens, and to eat, and drink, and to be drunken.

55The Lord of that servant will come in a day he looketh not for, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him down, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.

56And that servant who knew his Lord’s will, and prepared not for his Lord’s coming, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.

57But he that knew not his Lord’s will, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required; and to whom the Lord has committed much, of him will men ask the more.

It is difficult, and yet simultaneously easy, to imagine the suffering that will happen soon. Who is the faithful and wise servant? It is the servant who watches "to impart"-meaning he who watches and works and prepares and stores with the intent to impart when it is time. Verse 49 says the rulers will give to the Lord's "children". Who are the children? Doubt that only means literal children. More likely, it means that there are going to be many who are youngsters in the Gospel and youngsters in true principles-whether that be new converts or newly awakened and repentant Saints. IMO, the "meat" that the servant imparts is both temporal and spiritual. Not only will we need to share physical items, but, hopefully, we will be prepared to share true principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (which encompasses all truth in every subject everywhere). Religion, politics, economics, gardening, family life, mechanics, you name it. That's a short list. I don't think that "rulers" (I really love the term "servant" so much more) will get called and then be suddenly expected to impart to others. I think the Lord knows beforehand which ones will impart to others and, consequently, he will make them rulers. (Hope that makes sense.)

We can be one of the evil servants in a couple of ways. We can be found "not watching" and participating in the evil practices of the day. We can also know the Lord's will, but not prepare and/or not do according to the Lord's will. Knowing the Lord's will means listening to the Spirit. Doing the Lord's will just might mean sharing-even if you think that it is unjust. Then again, maybe it means not sharing. I guess we'll just have to see for ourselves. Interesting to me is the end of verse 57. The Lord doesn't say that to whom the Lord has committed much, of him will "the Lord" ask the more. It says of him will "men" ask the more.

Since my awakening, I have always felt that I needed to prepare for more than just my immediate and extended family. As time moves on so quickly, it is difficult for me not to get overly anxious-even depressed-about the amount of preparation in which I still fall short. The suffering will be great and I do know that the Spirit is going to call on me to share with a lot of people. I'm praying everyday that I can live close enough to the Spirit to know who they are. And even though I have worked very hard for the storage that we have now, I'm also praying for a nice, never-failing garden and cruse of oil (and wheat and honey and rice and...).

[AshleyB]

Hmm...this is also a good topic. I have a issue similar but a little backwards. One of my parents has an addiction and she has become a totally different person then she used to be because of it. She is not responsible with money and really never has been but is worse now then ever. She just goes from house to house and place to place depending on whom ever will take her in. Right now she has a boyfreind she was living with. But before that she was with her 70 year old mom who was on a fixed income and she didnt pay her bills. The car she drove was a car that I bought after I graduated high school and before I even had a chance to drive it I gave it to her. That car basically was taken away from her by a shady dealership who sold it before she bought another car. Months ago my Father passed away and while we were there she had her current vehicle re poed from not paying the payments. My brother and I used our money to buy her a new truck. She was irresponsible with the money and went a bought a truck that cost more then the amount we gave her and then expected us to just send her some more money after she already asked me for extra for other expenses. We wanted to pay for a vehicle out right for her because we didnt want to let her have it get taken away from her especially not after giving thousands for it. She quit her job right after she lost her car and it was a good job that took her a while to get. Anyway, this is four months later and she still has no job... no money for insurance for her truck because she wasted her money. Not only that but she talked my brother into loaning her more money to pay off the truck that she bought that was more than what we gave her and then couldnt pay him back. I recently found out that she didnt even use the money he gave her to pay off the truck and that now the dealership is looking for the truck to repo it. This is the short version of the story but Ive gotten to the point that I dont think everyone taking care of her and always coming to her rescue is actually a good thing. She just keeps getting worse and worse and more and more Dependant upon others. Ive decided not to intervene and help her even though I will be losing a good bit of invested money because these are the natural consequences to her actions and a lesson she needs to learn. I will help and support her in many ways but I dont feel I should provide things for her anymore. She has to learn to be self reliant and I have my own children and family to think of now.

[waking]

Sun...yes, it's called enabling. You are right not to intervene anymore. I've had similar issues with family members. It is very difficult not to want to "fix" the problem for them, because you love them. You should read, "Co Dependent No More" by Melody Beaty(I think that is the author).

[Zkulptor]

I can attest to that, when I was a missionary , a couple of months into my mission, the Holy Ghost asked me if I would, stay or leave the field were my father to die, I answered " I would stay" my father died 6 months prior to ending my mission..choice was made....I stayed

that must have been really hard for you, Zkulptor...thank you for sharing... :ymhug: O:-)

It was my friend, but I had already made my choice, I just had to digest it... in all honesty the worse was talking to my mom over the phone...and my brother, he saw how he died. I honestly think I had it easy compared to them... my dad was my best friend...but I knew I'd see him again, and that me staying and serving made him happy....

[Zkulptor]

FYI, when you're on a mission, you are serving God. Reemebr when the person approached Jesus who had called him to serve but wanted to come after going to his father's funeral.... Let the dead bury the dead. My mother died while my wife and I were serving in Nauvoo. I could have gone but rememebred that I had committed to serve for 18 months good or bad.

I am sorry to hear that Samuel, but I am sure she was please with your choice