A definite great read..Jim Bean

As I was reading this, I remembered a talk by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland regarding what our children may think regarding our testimonies. It was called “A Prayer for the Children” given at April Conference 2003. At the end of this talk, he states: “Nephi-like, might we ask ourselves what our children know? From us? Personally? Do our children know that we love the scriptures? Do they see us reading them and marking them and clinging to them in daily life? Have our children ever unexpectedly opened a closed door and found us on our knees in prayer? Have they heard us not only pray with them but also pray for them out of nothing more than sheer parental love? Do our children know we believe in fasting as something more than an obligatory first-Sunday-of-the-month hardship? Do they know that we have fasted for them and for their future on days about which they knew nothing? Do they know we love being in the temple, not least because it provides a bond to them that neither death nor the legions of hell can break? Do they know we love and sustain local and general leaders, imperfect as they are, for their willingness to accept callings they did not seek in order to preserve a standard of righteousness they did not create? Do those children know that we love God with all our heart and that we long to see the face—and fall at the feet—of His Only Begotten Son? I pray that they know this.”

Jacob writes that he hopes that his brethren and his children know that he has a strong testimony and he reinforces this hope by writing his testimony on the plates, which are lasting.

Elder Holland counsels us to: “Live the gospel as conspicuously as you can. Keep the covenants your children know you have made. Give priesthood blessings. And bear your testimony! Don’t just assume your children will somehow get the drift of your beliefs on their own. The prophet Nephi said near the end of his life that they had written their record of Christ and preserved their convictions regarding His gospel in order ‘to persuade our children … that our children may know … [and believe] the right way.’ ”

As we go about our lives, it sometimes may seem that there are dangers around from which we can’t protect our children. The prophets in the scriptures and our living prophets today teach us that if we keep the commandments and put our faith in Christ, we will prosper. Heavenly Father wants His children to be happy.

Elder Holland writes: “For that baby’s future as well as your own, be strong. Be believing. Keep loving and keep testifying. Keep praying. Those prayers will be heard and answered in the most unexpected hour. God will send aid to no one more readily than He will send it to a child—and to the parent of a child.”

Maybe as we reflect on this chapter, we might “ponder” on what our individual responsibility is to our Heavenly Father. Heavenly Father continues, through our prophets, to list the things that we should do to be happy. This doesn’t mean free of sadness, but free of guilt and regret in this life and in the world to come. Take, for instance, the commandment “17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.(Ex. 20: 17) In the world today, the economy is of great concern to a majority of people. The downfall of the economy is primarily based on the fact that a great number of people disobeyed this commandment. People took loans on houses that they could not afford, while government laws, rules and regulations made disobedience to this commandment so much easier. General Authorities have spoken over and over again about the dangers of getting into excessive debt. In fact, one of President Gordon B. Hinckley’s messages in the March 1990 Ensign directly addressed the problems we have today. Look at how much of this message has come to pass.

First Presidency Message By President Gordon B. Hinckley, First Counselor in the First Presidency
“Thou Shalt Not Covet” Ensign, Mar 1990, 2

“I wish to discuss a trap that can destroy any of us in our search for joy and happiness. It is that devious, sinister, evil influence that says, “What I have is not enough. I must have more.”
When the finger of the Lord wrote the Ten Commandments on the tablets of stone, He gave as the tenth and final commandment: “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.” (Ex. 20:17.)
There have been many changes in this world since that time, but human nature has not changed. I have observed that there are many in our present generation who with careful design set out on a course to get rich while still young, to drive fancy automobiles, to wear the best of clothing, to have an apartment in the city and a house in the country—all of these, and more. This is the total end for which they live, and for some the means by which they get there is unimportant in terms of ethics and morality. They covet that which others have, and selfishness and even greed are all a part of their process of acquisitiveness.
Now, I know that everyone wants to succeed, and I wish that everyone might succeed. But we must be careful of how we measure success. One need only read the daily newspapers to know of case after case of those whose driving, selfish impulses have led to trouble and serious, abysmal failure. Some of those who once drove about in the fanciest of cars and owned the fanciest of homes are now languishing in prison. They are, without question, persons of tremendous capacity and ability. They have good minds, but their cleverness led to their downfall.
I think if the Lord were speaking today and giving us the last of the Ten Commandments, He might say, “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his position in society, nor his car, nor his boat, nor anything that is thy neighbor’s.”
During the past few years, newspapers have carried story after story of able men and women who began working with integrity and honesty. They lived in reasonable comfort, but they were not satisfied. In their anxiety to enlarge their own kingdom, they enticed others to invest with them. And the investors, in many cases, were not without a comparable affliction of greed. They listened to stories of large returns with little effort. Like a dog chasing its own tail, the momentum of the scheme increased until one day there was a collapse. Both the promoter and the investor were left only with shattered dreams. What had been a friendly and pleasant association became one of accusation, meanness, criminal prosecution, and civil litigation.
In one of his great letters to Timothy, Paul wrote: “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” (1 Tim. 6:10.) You need not look far to see the veritable truth of that great warning. Once made rich through a consuming desire for money, some of these persons of whom I speak now find themselves “pierced through with many sorrows.”
Of course, we need to earn a living. The Lord told Adam that in the sweat of his face should he eat bread all the days of his life. It is important that we qualify ourselves to be self-reliant, particularly that every young man at the time of marriage be ready and able to assume the responsibilities of providing for his companion and for the children who may come to that home.
Yet none of us ever has enough—at least that is what we think. No matter our financial circumstances, we want to improve them. This, too, is good if it is not carried to an extreme. I am satisfied that the Father of us all does not wish His children to walk in poverty. He wants them to have comforts and some of the good things of the earth. In the Old Testament, He speaks of “a land flowing with milk and honey,” of the fatlings of the flock, and of other things which indicate that He would have His children properly fed and clothed and sheltered, enjoying the comforts that come of the earth, but not to excess.
It is when greed takes over, when we covet that which others have, that our affliction begins. And it can be a very sore and painful affliction.
“Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house.” We all need shelter. We all need a roof over our heads with warmth in the winter and a measure of comfort in the summer. This is not evil. It is important. But when we go to wild excess, as some are prone to do, our folly can become as a trap to destroy us.
Thou shalt not covet the kind of clothes and jewels thy neighbor wears. Oh, what slaves we become to fashion. It can be a possessive and monstrous thing. It can destroy individuality and resourcefulness. It seems that most of us want to look alike, to live in the same circumstances, rather than give some play to our own individuality.
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s car. The modern automobile is a wonderful machine. It is almost indispensable in the society in which we live and work. But when I see persons borrowing heavily to buy cars with exorbitant prices, I wonder what has happened to our values.
It is so with boats and other fancy toys. When one family in the neighborhood gets a boat, others think they need one. To satisfy our desires, we go into debt, dissipate our resources in the payment of high interest, and become as slaves working to pay it off. Please do not misunderstand me. I repeat that I wish everyone might have some of the good things of life, but I hope our desire will not come of covetousness, which is an evil and gnawing disease. I think of many of our younger single and married members; I hope that you will be modest in your physical wants. You do not need everything that you might wish. And the very struggle of your younger years will bring a sweetness and security to your later life.
In 1831, the Lord spoke to the Saints in Ohio. His words are applicable to us today: “Now, I, the Lord, am not well pleased with the inhabitants of Zion, for there are idlers among them; and their children are also growing up in wickedness; they also seek not earnestly the riches of eternity, but their eyes are full of greediness.” (D&C 68:31.)
I commend to you the virtues of thrift and industry. In doing so, I do not wish you to be a “tightwad,” if you will pardon that expression, or to be a freeloader, or anything of the kind. But it is the labor and the thrift of people that make a nation strong. It is work and thrift that make the family independent. Debt can be a terrible thing. It is so easy to incur and so difficult to repay. Borrowed money is had only at a price, and that price can be burdensome. Bankruptcy generally is the bitter fruit of debt. It is a tragic fulfillment of a simple process of borrowing more than one can repay. Back in 1938, I heard President J. Reuben Clark, Jr., speaking from the Tabernacle pulpit, talk about interest. He said:
“Interest never sleeps nor sickens nor dies; it never goes to the hospital; it works on Sundays and holidays; it never takes a vacation; it never visits nor travels; it takes no pleasure; it is never laid off work nor discharged from employment; it never works on reduced hours; it never has short crops nor droughts; it never pays taxes; it buys no food; it wears no clothes; it is unhoused and without home and so has no repairs, no replacements, no shingling, plumbing, painting, or whitewashing; it has neither wife, children, father, mother, nor kinfolk to watch over and care for; it has no expense of living; it has neither weddings nor births nor deaths; it has no love, no sympathy; it is as hard and soulless as a granite cliff. Once in debt, interest is your companion every minute of the day and night; you cannot shun it or slip away from it; you cannot dismiss it; it yields neither to entreaties, demands, or orders; and whenever you get in its way or cross its course or fail to meet its demands, it crushes you.” (In Conference Report, April 1938, p. 103.)
I wish every family in the Church would copy down those words and read them occasionally as a reminder of the price we pay when we borrow.
In 1829, Martin Harris generously assumed the financial obligation for the printing of the first edition of the Book of Mormon. A year later, in a revelation directed to him, the Lord said: “Pay the debt thou hast contracted with the printer. Release thyself from bondage.” (D&C 19:35.)
Now, I hasten to add that borrowing under some circumstances is necessary. Perhaps some college students need to borrow to complete their education. If you do, see that you pay it back. And do so promptly, even at the sacrifice of some comforts that you might otherwise enjoy. Most persons have to borrow to secure a home. Prudent borrowing may, of course, be necessary and proper in the management of business. But be wise, and do not go beyond your ability to pay.
Said President Heber J. Grant: “If there is any one thing that will bring peace and contentment into the human heart, and into the family, it is to live within our means, and if there is any one thing that is grinding, and discouraging and disheartening it is to have debts and obligations that one cannot meet.” (Relief Society Magazine, May 1932, p. 302.)
Ours is such a wasteful generation. The disposal of garbage has become one of the great problems of our time. Part of that comes of wasteful extravagance. Our Pioneer forebears lived by the motto:
Fix it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do, or
Do without.
It is the obsession with riches that cankers and destroys. The Lord has said: “Seek not for riches but for wisdom, and behold, the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto you, and then shall you be made rich. Behold, he that hath eternal life is rich.” (D&C 6:7.)
As we go forward with our lives, let us remember the promise of the Lord: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matt. 6:33.) I bear testimony of the validity of that divine promise.”"

……..(President Hinckley goes on to discuss the part of the commandment which deals with sexual coveting)…….
He ends his talk with this counsel:

“The Lord has been plain with us on these matters. Our prophets through the generations have emphasized them. Those who have observed this counsel can walk with peace in their hearts and security in their homes and merit the respect of all who know them.”

Just think. If the majority of citizens of the United States and the world had followed the counsel of President Hinckley almost 20 years ago, we would not be in the mess we are today. I imagine that President Hinckley cried in his heart as he watched even some faithful members of the Church continue to put aside and disregard his counsel. Satan wants our souls. There are so many traps to our unhappiness, and if we are not careful, we can find ourselves caught and led down the road to unhappiness. Heavenly Father has provided the way to avoid these traps. If we listen to the words of our prophet, study and ponder the scriptures, pray always, and are obedient to the commandments given us, we can avoid a great number of these traps. If we are already caught in one or more of the traps of Satan, we can remember that all is not lost. Heavenly Father wants to help us. He has provided our Savior for us and the path to becoming free and happy again. If you need to know what to do to find or stay on the path of peace and joy, follow the counsel given in the talks on the steps of true repentance by our General Authorities. One such talk was given by Richard G. Scott in October 2000 General Conference entitled: The Path to Peace and Joy. He lists “several vital steps to repentance” and informs us that to be effective “Each step of repentance must be fulfilled.” The cost of disobedience is often heavy. Sometimes we end up losing everything we find precious including our freedom, families, and soul when we are disobedient to the commandments of our Heavenly Father. In Book of Mormon times, Heavenly Father was watching his people beginning to “labor in sin”, becoming more like the world. Today, Heavenly Father watches as many of us “labor in sin”. Sometimes Heavenly Father asks his prophets to speak to us words that are “piercing to the soul” in order to get our attention that we might be able to avoid these traps or get out of them before we are in too deeply. Other times, Heavenly Father asks his prophets to speak words of comfort to us so that we can know of His love for us and that we can find that path to peace and joy, even when it seems impossible. Because we are not perfect, we at one time or another will find ourselves in a trap or go through a trial that may or may not be of our own making. Sometimes the Lord allows the righteous to suffer. Even our Savior, Jesus Christ, who was perfectly righteous, had to suffer, so that Heavenly Father’s plan could succeed. It could be that we are being an instrument in the hands of the Lord. Heavenly Father gives us the tools and the instructions for being happy, through his prophets. We would do well to consider strongly what the prophets are saying, and pray about how we can best implement their counsel in our lives.

These two verses remind me of today. In our country today, we have a president who encourages the people to make wrong choices, by the policies he wants to implement. It is almost like he and his fellow officials want to punish righteous choices and hard work, while rewarding the foolish and the cheats. They punish and mock those who choose to believe in a loving Savior. They want the people to believe that the government can “save them.”

Jacob was called to teach the people to choose the right. He, along with his brother Joseph, was diligent in this. Jacob wrote this: Jacob 1:19 “And we did magnify our office unto the Lord, taking upon us the “responsibility”, answering the sins of the people upon our own heads if we did not teach them the word of God with all diligence; wherefore, by laboring with our might their blood might not come upon our garments; otherwise their blood would come upon our garments, and we would not be found spotless at the last day.”

We know that this was something that Jacob thought was important, most precious and sacred, or else Jacob would not have included it on the plates. Our church leaders consider their stewardship of teaching the people and testifying of Christ to be extremely important as well. In a few weeks, we will again get the opportunity to listen to our Apostles and other General Authorities. They continue to teach us the word of God with all diligence so that our blood might not come upon their garments. Will we listen and choose the right? I hope and pray so. I think that it is interesting that the word “responsibility” is footnoted. Below is one of those connected scriptures:

Ezekiel 34: 10.
10 Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.

I fully believe that the Lord God is aware of his righteous children and will protect them from unrighteous leaders. However, we need to listen to our Prophets and other General Authorities and follow their counsel. We have a responsibility to be obedient. As I read through the topics spoken of in our last conference, as so beautifully listed in your blog, I am again filled with hope and an assurance that those who listen to the words of the prophets will be blessed of the Lord, and those people who call themselves our government leaders, who are trying to take away our freedoms and our agency, will be punished from the Lord for their unrighteous leadership.

Here are some other referenced scriptures on Accountability, which is another term for responsibility.

(Alma 12:14-15) 14 For our words will condemn us, yea, all our works will condemn us; we shall not be found spotless; and our thoughts will also condemn us; and in this awful state we shall not dare to look up to our God; and we would fain be glad if we could command the rocks and the mountains to fall upon us to hide us from his presence.
15 But this cannot be; we must come forth and stand before him in his glory, and in his power, and in his might, majesty, and dominion, and acknowledge to our everlasting shame that all his judgments are just; that he is just in all his works, and that he is merciful unto the children of men, and that he has all power to save every man that believeth on his name and bringeth forth fruit meet for repentance.

(D&C 10:20-28) Verily, verily, I say unto you, that Satan has great hold upon their hearts; he stirreth them up to iniquity against that which is good;
21 And their hearts are corrupt, and full of wickedness and abominations; and they love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil; therefore they will not ask of me.
22 Satan stirreth them up, that he may lead their souls to destruction.
23 And thus he has laid a cunning plan, thinking to destroy the work of God; but I will require this at their hands, and it shall turn to their shame and condemnation in the day of judgment.
24 Yea, he stirreth up their hearts to anger against this work.
25 Yea, he saith unto them: Deceive and lie in wait to catch, that ye may destroy; behold, this is no harm. And thus he flattereth them, and telleth them that it is no sin to lie that they may catch a man in a lie, that they may destroy him.
26 And thus he flattereth them, and leadeth them along until he draggeth their souls down to hell; and thus he causeth them to catch themselves in their own snare.
27 And thus he goeth up and down, to and fro in the earth, seeking to destroy the souls of men.
28 Verily, verily, I say unto you, wo be unto him that lieth to deceive because he supposeth that another lieth to deceive, for such are not exempt from the justice of God.

Let us listen to our church leaders and choose the right and we can know of our Heavenly Father’s love for us.