Timely Advice from 29 Years Ago

[natickgirl]

My brother came across this talk by Pres. Benson, given in 1980. I can't believe how relevant some of it is for our situation today. (I have to admit, I haven't have time to read it all yet, but I will.) I wish I could give everyone in the country a copy of the first 3 paragraphs!!!

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Let me know what you think.

[Meticulous madness]

Interesting read! Thanks for sharing.

[natickgirl]

For those who don't want to read it all, the following is what I'd like to share with the world re: self-reliance.

(My own opinion...the church & nation's welfare systems are set up to help those who need temporary help due to circumstances beyond their control. Too many people are "abusing the system" as a means to get something for nothing, or as a way to delay taking responsibility for providing for themselves. If more people had a "help-yourself before asking for help", "live within your means", and "pay for your own mistakes" attitude, we wouldn't need this multi-trillion government bailout.")

Here's the article....Remember, it was given almost 30 years ago....

"For over forty years, in a spirit of love, members of the Church have been counseled to be thrifty and self-reliant; to avoid debt; pay tithes and a generous fast offering; be industrious; and have sufficient food, clothing, and fuel on hand to last at least one year.

Today there are compelling reasons to reemphasize this counsel. We heard it done effectively in that great welfare meeting this morning. May I add just a word.

Members of the Church are feeling the economic pinch of higher taxes and inflation coupled with conditions of continuing recession. Some have come to their bishops seeking assistance to pay for house payments, car loans, and utilities.

Unfortunately, there has been fostered in the minds of some an expectation that when we experience hard times, when we have been unwise and extravagant with our resources and have lived beyond our means, we should look to either the Church or government to bail us out. Forgotten by some of our members is an underlying principle of the Church welfare plan that “no true Latter-day Saint will, while physically able, voluntarily shift from himself the burden of his own support” (Marion G. Romney, in Conference Report, Oct. 1973, p. 106).

One of the first principles revealed to father Adam when he was driven out of the Garden of Eden was this: “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground” (Gen. 3:19). All we obtain in life of a material nature comes as a product of labor and the providence of God. Work alone produces life’s necessities.

In saying this, I am aware of and sympathetic to the plight of many young families who are struggling to make ends meet. They are faced with the financial burden of providing for the three great necessities of life: food, clothing, and shelter. I am also sympathetic to the situation of widows and other sisters who rear families alone. By revelation, the Lord made provision for their care and support. (See D&C 83:1–2, 4–6.)

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."

[5ft Diva]

NG, thank you for posting this. I have every intention of reading this talk and just need a big chunk of time in order to do it. I guess I just need to print it off so I can read it one bite at a time.....

Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you. It definitely looks relevant to the things going on around me in my neck of the woods.

[5ft Diva]

NG, thank you for posting this. I have every intention of reading this talk and just need a big chunk of time in order to do it. I guess I just need to print it off so I can read it one bite at a time.....

Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you for taking the time to post this article. It definitely looks relevant to the things going on around me in my neck of the woods. It's information like this that reminds me of why I want to attend Women's Conference; perspective. Sorry, I know that had nothing to do w/ the talk/thread.....I just find myself feeling a little anxious at times. I feel I am being bombarded w/ information in a negative and fearful way and so it's really helpful for me to put myself in a place where I will hear many messages of hope that foster the peaceful feeling I know comes from the Spirit. So I'm especially looking forward to this year's conference as it is focusing on finding strength in the Lord.

[runamyrun]

I thought it was really interesting and so wise. I agree with you. There are a lot of people out there who want to try and make it on their own when they fall upon hard times, but there are also a lot out there who abuse the system. When we lived in Salt Lake we came into contact with a lot of those people who would abuse the system. It was interesting. It seemed that they had grown up in a situation like that and they didn't know how to get out of it. So as adults (and raising children) they also lived that way. And they didn't see anything wrong with it, because that is the way they had been taught. DH and I were frustrated with it, because we figured that if they were taught differently, they could get out of the cycle.

[Dia Minha]

Amy me too.

I was going to go on and on about the people I know that abuse the system and realized how negative I was getting. Over the last year I have really tried to just let that go. I have to quit worrying about where my fast offerings are going, because them I'm liable to quit giving so much, and I need the blessings.

However, thoughts like these get me really ambitious to get my food storage room finished and filled. I have dreams about having to provide not only for my little family, but for my extended family as well. I don't want to ever have to turn some one away that is in need. My goal is to have a year supply of all the things we use on a regular basis and than plenty extra of basic needs such as wheat, beans, rice, oats, etc. to share. Even if I never have the opportunity to share what I store, just knowing it is there would give me so much comfort.

[runamyrun]

Dia, it used to really bother me too, but then I realized that these people usually weren't intentionally abusing the system. They were just doing what they knew. And what a great attitude you have about sharing your food!

I have been so proud of our ward. It has been great to see people adding to their food storage. With all of the craziness that has been going on around us, it feels great to know that we are following what the prophets have counseled us to do. It gives me a great feeling of peace, that even though I don't have a years supply of everything, we will be alright. Heavenly Father doesn't expect us to run out and get everything at once (I'm sure if you can financially, it would be okay!), but to do what we can and we will be blessed for that.

[5ft Diva]

I'm beginning to wonder if I read the same talk as the rest of you. I just sat there thinking to myself, "Why didn't I plan fruit trees when I first moved here? They would be 10 years old now if I had. How come I'm not an expert on planting a garden? Do I still have enough time to learn these things and get them stored onto my shelves?" It really helped me understand that those things that were talked about nearly 30 years ago were for our day. They were spoken to our parents so that we would be taught those principles to handle them in our day......now connect that idea to what we're being taught now.

I don't mean to sound like I'm feeling guilty or anything and I don't want it to sound like I'm placing any blame. I just have observed that I don't remember being taught any of this when I was growing up. My mom canned, but didn't want us in the kitchen canning w/ her. My dad is an excellent gardener, but didn't want us in the garden w/ him because that was his "cave". I see that I had the opportunity as a child to learn how to be prepared for today and I'm not. So.....what things am I being taught now that I need to be TEACHING to my children so they will feel like they're prepared in their day rather than having to learn it on their own. Does this make sense? I know my parents did the best they could. I just recognize how important it is to listen w/ strict obedience and share these things w/ our kids. I hope this came across the way I intended for it to.

[runamyrun]

I feel the same way about fruit trees. When we first moved here, DH thought we would only be here about 3 years, so I figured it wouldn't help us any to plant fruit trees. We have almost been here 7 years and now I am kicking myself!

I think it is really interesting how things have changed. Like it said in there somewhere, I feel like we are going back to basics. We are trying to find ways to cut back on expenses and cut some of the fluff. More of us are planting gardens or fruit trees. In some ways, I like how life is becoming more simple.

[Dia Minha]

Diva, it's because you are such a positive person. You look for the positive in everything. You most likely looked right over the paragraph the rest of us are dwelling on.

I too wish we had our fruit trees in. It frustrates me that I let people convince me that I needed to finish my yard before taking care of the most important things. Our fruit trees would be three years old this year and really starting to produce if I hadn't been so worried about getting the yard in first. Oh, well. Learn lesson and move on. That is why my storage room is going in first. Honestly I can live without an other bedroom or two, but the storage room is the most important thing we will be doing in our basement. And it will be full, before I remodel the kitchen.

I believe that is what the article is saying. People go out and spend their money buying big houses, nice furniture, new cars, boats, family vacations, finishing their yards, their basements etc. and then when something happens like loss of job or income, they go to the church for help, when in reality they should have been saving their money for such an occassion.

I just feel blessed, because I have been given the opportunity to fix my mistakes. It is hard to think about what would have happened to us if Matt lost his job or part of his income, before we got our debt paid off. I just hope that as I get my financial situation in order that Heavenly Father will bless me with opportunities to help those that were not able to do so. Right now that is in the way of fast offerings.

[5ft Diva]

In regards to people taking advantage of the "system" I believe the system is misunderstood. To illustrate: a bit of counsel I heard was given by one of the apostles at a meeting recently when a bishop asked him, "How do I help a newly divorced woman (she lives in Draper) who has a $3500 mortgage payment and no way of paying for it?" The counsel given was, "Well, Bishop, you should be working on helping her strengthen her testimony because if she does lose her house she will need her testimony to help her get through that trial."

The Church is not about bailing people out, but that is the government's approach. I have to remember not to confuse the two.

[Dia Minha]

Yes, Diva, the church system is not meant to bail out people, but it does happen. Sad but true.

I would like to think the system is perfect, but it isn't. Thank goodness it is not up to me to make those decisions. No wonder a Bishop of a ward ages twice as fast.

[Erudite]

LOL and I wonder about the fruit trees we planted in Tooele oh 6 or 7 years ago now. They must be booming!

Now is the time to be thinking about thinking about gardening. My daughter and I have pulled out my gardening books and made a list of the veggies we'd like to do this year. Next we have to go through the list and see when they all need to be planted so that we can get them in the ground at the right time. I missed the cold season veggies last year, but I'm not going to this year!

For you thinking about fruit trees, they can be planted now, if you can find them (online if a local nursery doesn't have them). They'll just be winter sticks until the spring no matter when you plant them. But if you can work the ground, you can put trees in the ground.

It's amazing that you should give us this article right now, NG. I watched a documentary just this morning called "Escape from Surburbia" and it was all about how the petroleum isn't going to last forever and it'll be bad when it does peak. This is especially true for those who live in cities and are unable to produce any food on their own. The documentary spent a lot of time talking about community gardens and how much they benefit the people, which would be especially true if trucks couldn't bring in food. It made me wonder if I could do more with my garden to provide for our winter needs. We eat a lot out of our garden through the summer and I preserve what I can, but I know there's more to do so that we're not as dependent on the grocery store.

But I think one point that has been made here is important in the hysteria that could come from what I just said...that is if you keep trying to prepare, you'll be prepared and thus you won't need to fear. So take one step toward a garden, then the next to preserve something you've grown. I'm there with some of the more simple things, but there is a sister in our ward who makes and bottles her own tomato soup. I asked her about it once and she said "oh, you just make a rue..." She'd lost me right there, but I think I'll go and learn from her this year.

Our Stake President challenged us to learn to grow and preserve something last year. I did green beans. We had our first package of them just the other day and I DID GOOD! And my daughter, LOL, in the carpool home today was telling a neighbor child that she was eating zucchini bread for her snack and it was zucchini "fresh from our garden". I had to laugh; it's been grated in the freezer for the last few months waiting to go into zucchini bread, but it DOES feel good that we can do that, you know? She did take the time to explain that that is how you get to eat something that it isn't in season. LOL something is sinking in when I talk at least.

[natickgirl]

I really miss our Bountiful home. We had peach, cherry, apple & apricot trees, as well as a large garden plot (which I pathetically tried to grow veggies in each summer). We also had a large food storage room. I used to make all kinds of jams, and bottle peaches, tomatoes, occasionally apricot puree, and grape juice from the grapes off of my neighbor's vine. There is something very satisfying about eating food you've grown/preserved yourself.

(BTW, Erudite, a "rue" is just flour added to melted butter & simmered down. At least, that's how I make it. Usually you add milk to make a thik white sauce, which is then added to whatever soup or sauce you are making. It's a way of thickening up soups/sauces without using heavy cream.)

It is amazing here (Boston area) how people make a run for the grocery stores whenever a big storm is predicted. Shelves do get a little empty, and it makes you realize how many people are reliant on the food in stores. It's kind of scary, actually. Makes me glad I have what little food storage I can fit in our small rental house.

[5ft Diva]

The talk also mentioned saving seeds. Makes sense after these last couple of posts.

[Erudite]

Originally Posted by natickgirl

(BTW, Erudite, a "rue" is just flour added to melted butter & simmered down. At least, that's how I make it. Usually you add milk to make a thik white sauce, which is then added to whatever soup or sauce you are making. It's a way of thickening up soups/sauces without using heavy cream.)

Oh that's right! She said that, but I've never made a soup that way before so it didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. I make broth soups a lot, but have never made those thick creamy ones. And because of that, making tomato soup didn't seem like a real possibility, since I wouldn't have a clue how to add the tomatoes.

5D, you have a point about the seeds. I've been thinking about that a bit, but don't know quite what to do. I tried to save the green bean seeds from the ones that were overgrown when I picked them, but they got all moldy in a few days and so I threw them out. I also took a gardening class where I remember being told that many seeds are hybrids...as in NOT the same as the parent plant, but I can't remember what that applied to. I'll have to look it up I guess.

I pulled out our seeds saved from last year (in packets, so I don't know if they're any good) and looked them over to prioritize which beds would be worked on first. Spinach, peas, and lettuce go in in two weeks (I will be buying new seeds for that though)!

[Stargazer]

E - I've eaten peaches off of those trees you planted here. Mmmm Mmmm. And I know they have been canning jam, etc. So, they are doing well and I'm sure the new owners think they're wonderful!