True Sacrifice

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Elder Bednar shared the following story about fasting,

"A sister in Africa who had only been a member of the church for eight months...she was teaching a class about fasting. Now, at the time I was fifty-four years old, member of the church since I was eight and an apostle for two years. Now remember, she's been a member of the church for eight months.

This is in a place in Africa where they're not starving but they're hungry most of the time. And they would probably have one meal a day as we understand it. This woman was teaching the sisters in Relief Society and she said, "Sisters, there are many days when we do not have food and we do not eat. That is not fasting. It's only fasting on a day when we have food and we can choose not to eat it."

This had me thinking about what It really means to sacrifice. Is it really a sacrifice only if we have something to give? My partial answer (and I would love to hear other thoughts) is it depends. It really is about the talents. What are we doing with the talents he gave us? Are we hiding under the guise that we are giving all because we have given a good amount of our material possessions away but not giving in our efforts to use our talents so that we have more to give?

We know what Christ said to the rich man. But what about the poor or middle class man who gave up because his industry went under with an economic collapse or who was cheated or robbed and threw in the towel? What would the test of Jesus be to that individual?

We also know what it says in Mosiah:

24 And again, I say unto the poor, ye who have not and yet have sufficient, that ye remain from day to day; I mean all you who deny the beggar, because ye have not; I would that ye say in your hearts that: I give not because I have not, but if I had I would give.
25 And now, if ye say this in your hearts ye remain guiltless, otherwise ye are condemned; and your condemnation is just for ye covet that which ye have not received.

So there are those who are potentially maximizing talents and truly not capable of giving because they truly do not have the ability, and are still blessed. But what of those that are capable? Are we more accoutble assuming we have given all when in fact we could be out using our talents to give more? What is true sacrifice?

[Craig Johnson]

Elder Bednar shared the following story about fasting,

"A sister in Africa who had only been a member of the church for eight months...she was teaching a class about fasting. Now, at the time I was fifty-four years old, member of the church since I was eight and an apostle for two years. Now remember, she's been a member of the church for eight months.

This is in a place in Africa where they're not starving but they're hungry most of the time. And they would probably have one meal a day as we understand it. This woman was teaching the sisters in Relief Society and she said, "Sisters, there are many days when we do not have food and we do not eat. That is not fasting. It's only fasting on a day when we have food and we can choose not to eat it."

This had me thinking about what It really means to sacrifice. Is it really a sacrifice only if we have something to give? My partial answer (and I would love to hear other thoughts) is it depends. It really is about the talents. What are we doing with the talents he gave us? Are we hiding under the guise that we are giving all because we have given a good amount of our material possessions away but not giving in our efforts to use our talents so that we have more to give?

We know what Christ said to the rich man. But what about the poor or middle class man who gave up because his industry went under with an economic collapse or who was cheated or robbed and threw in the towel? What would the test of Jesus be to that individual?

We also know what it says in Mosiah:

24 And again, I say unto the poor, ye who have not and yet have sufficient, that ye remain from day to day; I mean all you who deny the beggar, because ye have not; I would that ye say in your hearts that: I give not because I have not, but if I had I would give.
25 And now, if ye say this in your hearts ye remain guiltless, otherwise ye are condemned; and your condemnation is just for ye covet that which ye have not received.

So there are those who are potentially maximizing talents and truly not capable of giving because they truly do not have the ability, and are still blessed. But what of those that are capable? Are we more accoutble assuming we have given all when in fact we could be out using our talents to give more? What is true sacrifice?

Clearly race is meaningless when it comes to spiritual intelligence. What an incredible person. I feel shamed and small compared to her.