"Principals of Temporal and Spiritual Welfare"
Ezra Taft Benson Lesson 21
Doctrine:
The Lord is anxious and willing to bless His people temporally and spiritually.
However, the Lord will not do for us what we can and should do for ourselves. But it is his purpose to take care of his Saints. Everything
The strength of the Church welfare program lies in every family following the inspired direction of the Church leaders to be self-sustaining through adequate preparation. God intends for his Saints to so prepare themselves “that the church [as the Lord has said] may stand independent above all other creatures beneath the celestial world.” (D&C 78:14.)
Invitation to Action:
Through energetic, purposeful, unselfish work, we obtain life’s necessities and grow in godly attributes.
Man is commanded by God to live by the sweat of his own brow, not someone else’s.
Ours is a gospel of work—purposeful, unselfish and rendered in the spirit of the true love of Christ. Only thus may we grow in godly attributes. Only thus may we become worthy instruments in
We should be humbly grateful for this challenge, this heritage, this opportunity for service and its abundant rewards. How fortunate are those who may follow the Lord’s plan to develop this power and use it for the blessing of others. That is what the Christ did. That is what we are privileged to do.
*When we produce and store food, we reap immediate benefits and prepare for future needs.
We encourage you to be more self-reliant so that, as the Lord has declared, “notwithstanding the tribulation which shall descend upon you, … the church may stand independent above all other creatures beneath the celestial world” (D&C 78:14). The Lord wants us to be independent and self-reliant because these will be days of tribulation. He has warned and forewarned us of the eventuality. …
Food production is just one part of the repeated emphasis that you store a provision of food … wherever it is legally permissible to do so. The Church has not told you what foods should be stored. This decision is left up to individual members. …
I would respectfully urge you to live by the fundamental principles of work, thrift, and self-reliance and to teach your children by your example. … Live within your own earnings. Put a portion of those earnings regularly into savings. Avoid unnecessary debt. Be wise by not trying to expand too rapidly. Learn to manage well what you have before you think of expanding further.
More than ever before, we need to learn and apply the principles of economic self-reliance. We do not know when the crisis involving sickness or unemployment may affect our own circumstances. We do know that the Lord has decreed global calamities for the future and has warned and forewarned us to be prepared. For this reason the Brethren have repeatedly stressed a “back to basics” program for temporal and spiritual welfare.
Do not leave yourself or your family unprotected against financial storms. Forgo luxuries, for the time being at least, to build up savings. How wise it is to provide for the future education of your children and for your old age. …
Promised Blessings:
Brothers and sisters, peace and contentment come into our hearts when we live within our means. God grant us the wisdom and the faith to heed the inspired counsel of the priesthood to get out of debt, to live within our means, and to pay as we go—in short, to “pay thy debt, and live.”
To listen to or read the lesson click here:
https://www.lds.org/manual/teachings-of-presidents-of-the-church-ezra-taft-benson/chapter-21-principles-of-temporal-and-spiritual-welfare?lang=eng
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Lesson Schedule
November 8th - Stake Conference
November 15th - Ezra Taft Benson Lesson 22
November 22nd - Teaching For Our Times - Stake Choice
November 29th - Bishop's Choice
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