Sis. Amy Pressler gave our lesson today. It was great to hear from her.
The lesson came from the manual - Chapter 20 - Temporal Salvation for ourselves and others
Pres. Smith described the situation of the people as he became President of the church as WWII was ending. The war had left many nations devastated, and thousands of
people were without food and other necessities.People
who have been taken away from their homes with the idea that they were
going to be allowed to settle elsewhere, and all of a sudden deserted,
and then when they returned to their homes, found them pillaged and
robbed of what they had—everything—and left helpless, with no place to
go.”1
Because the Church had been in the practice of storing food for many years, it was prepared to help in these circumstances.
Sis. Pressler asked, " In what ways do we develop as we serve others?"
Pres. Smith in 1946 said, "We are living in perilous times." What could be said of our times today? And what can we do to prepare to increase our food storage and be prepared for our temporal needs?
The Lord has directed us to work to earn our own livelihood. Sis. Pressler asked, "How can you teach your children to work?" As a teacher herself she said she can tell the difference between kids who have responsibilities as home verses those that don't.
In the manual is says, "Our Heavenly Father … said long, long ago there were idlers in Zion, …
and he said, “He that is idle shall not eat the bread nor wear the
garments of the laborer.” [D&C 42:42.]
I am assuming that he did not mean those who cannot find employment,
and who are legitimately trying to take care of themselves. I am
assuming that he referred to the habit some people get into of leaning
upon their neighbor. … I feel that there has been no justification given
to any man in this world to feel that he can depend on somebody else to
provide him a livelihood. I did not feel when I was a child that
somebody would be compelled to provide me a means of living. The Lord
gave me intelligence. He directed that I should work, and I began to
work when I was twelve years of age, and I found joy in it, and have
earned my living and helped others during more than fifty years."
Let us be DO-ers of the work and not just HEAR-ers only.
The lesson wrapped up with a final topic, - If we are generous with our means, there is a no need for anyone to go without.
It said, " Let us … look around us in our neighborhood—not leave it to the Bishop
and the Relief Society, but let each of us be ministers of loving
kindness to those who will need us so much....If we desire to be identified with the kingdom of our Lord, the
celestial kingdom, this is our opportunity to prepare,—with love
unfeigned, with industry, with thrift, with perseverance, with a desire
to do all that is within our power to bless others, to give—not to be
always feeling we must receive, but desire to give, for I say to you:
“It is more blessed to give than to receive.” [Acts 20:35.]
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel of giving, not only of our
substance but of ourselves, and I thank my Heavenly Father that I belong
to such an organization that has been so instructed."
Thank you Sis. Pressler for your energy and relate-able stories. We enjoyed hearing from you!