"Is Any Thing Too hard for the Lord"

I have been redesigning our home and found this gem at our local craft store.  It spoke to my soul.  Like many of us there are times in my life I find myself as "one hot mess."   And during those times it is so easy to forget how blessed we are.

I had an appt. to attend the temple yesterday afternoon and I arrived early.   I sat in my car and started browsing through a church magazine when I came across this question that President Kimball used to ask, "Is anything too hard for the Lord."  As I read the article I found myself reflecting on times in my life where I agreed with Brother DeHaan, "Lord this task is going to be just to hard for you."  and like Brother DeHaan the Lord has lovingly and in His own time proved me wrong.

As I was sitting in the session I found that question running through my mind and there was a period of time during the session I found my clothing in total disarray and I was a mess as I was trying to adjust and fix.  A tender mercy instantly came to mind as the temple worker lovingly smiled at me and then started helping me adjust my clothing.  It took me back to the first time I entered my Heavenly Father's hallowed house.  I was literally a mess.  I was alone but yet I wasn't alone.  I felt my family and my Heavenly Father all from the other side all around me supporting me with their love and then I found myself surrounded by temple workers who were there physically adjusting my clothing with tears in their eyes and hugging me.  I hope all who enter our Father's hallowed house for the first time feel that amazing love and support.  It forever changed my life,

I am learning that our Father in Heaven allows trials in our life which are messy, so that we can learn to become more like Him.  I am learning that it is after those trials if we come through humbled and not angry amazing blessings are poured upon our heads.  It is then we are able to lift others around us because we have been lifted.  I love the scripture stories  where the Lord has lifted one of His disciples  as they faced their trials; and they found their faith in Him  increased and they are able to "reach out with their right hand and lift another."  

I think of Jona, Paul, Moses, Enoch, our beloved Prophet Joseph Smith and countless others  who felt inadequate and I am sure had their moments where they felt "Lord even this is to hard for thee."  But each and every time the Lord proved that "there is nothing to hard for the Lord."  The key is having faith in Him and patience in His timing.  Something that I will be working on even through the eternities.  

In closing I would like to Share a talk by Douglas W DeHaan which describes how our vision of hard is really is no obstacle for the Lord at all.

“Is Any Thing Too Hard for the Lord?”

Douglas W. DeHaan

At times, working on a Church welfare production project can seem to be largely a temporal experience. We may have just spent a long, hot day on one of our farms thinning, weeding, or lifting. Or perhaps we are returning home near midnight, knowing that we are expected to be on our own jobs at 7:00 A.M. after working a swing shift in one of our canneries. While we may have a tired but satisfying feeling inside, it may not register with us that much of it was a spiritual experience. Yet D&C 29:34 makes it clear that requirements the Lord places upon us are always spiritual. He says to us, in part, “And not at any time have I given unto you a law which was temporal.”

Just three years ago, at this same time of year, I had this great principle demonstrated to me at the hands of the Lord in a very special way. The Portland Oregon East Stake has been developing a dairy farm over the past half dozen years or more. It is located on an island in the Columbia River and is one of the largest single-stake projects in the Church. This fact, coupled with the need to develop the project almost from scratch, has placed a heavy burden upon our people, both in time and in money.

With a new project, we had run in the red each year, but 1977 was to be our turnabout year. The final result depended upon harvesting about seventy-five acres of corn, which was to be made into silage for feed. Unseasonably, it had rained almost every day during the month of September, and by the first day of October, our scheduled harvest date, I knew the crop was in trouble. We have a very high water table on the island, and when the ground gets saturated with too much water we get so much mud our harvest equipment cannot get into the fields without sinking. Once the land is saturated, it takes about a month of dry weather to make the fields passable to vehicles. During the winter months and right up until June, the corn ground is entirely under water.

I visit the farm about once a week, so I keep a pair of rubber boots in my car. I drove to the farm that October day and decided to pull on my boots and walk down into the corn fields. I immediately found even the road turned to mud and puddles. In places the mud came near the top of my eighteen-inch-high boots, and I don’t really know why I continued walking. It was a dark gray, overcast day, and drops of rain were splashing in the open puddles everywhere. The farm crew told me they had taken a corn chopper down into the fields a few days earlier but had it down to the axles in mud somewhere in the long corn rows.

As I walked I noticed that the corn itself was a fine crop, with row after row ten to fourteen feet high. Now, I rarely get depressed, but I was feeling really low that day. I knew how hard everyone had worked and what it meant to lose that fine crop. I eventually came to the spot where the chopper had gone in, and looking way down the rows I saw it sunk deep into the mud. For some reason I decided to walk to the chopper, and as I entered the rows and splashed on through the mud and water, I was startled to hear a voice. I am sure that the voice came to me only in my mind, but I could hear the voice and admonition of President Kimball. He said softly, “Is any thing too hard for the Lord?” (Gen. 18:14.) Now, like you, I have heard him say that many times, but I did not fully focus upon it before this time. I smiled to myself as I walked and said, “Yes, President, I believe this mess may be too hard even for the Lord.”

As I neared the chopper, I was impressed to climb up on it and upon doing so found my head was about two feet above seventy-five acres of that tall, splendid corn. As I looked about in discouragement, the voice seemed to come to me again, but this time in a more serious tone, “President, is there anything too hard for the Lord?” At once I felt ashamed of my attitude of depression, and soon I was no longer looking down but up into the sky. Before I realized it, I was talking, yes, pleading aloud with the Lord in faith. When I had finished, I had committed that crop and the harvesting of it into the hands of the Lord and had done so by the power of the priesthood of God. I recall that as I climbed down from the chopper, tears were still streaming from my eyes. I grew concerned as I slowly walked away considering what it was that I had just done. Yet I knew that I had done it in total faith, that there was a proper need, and that it was a righteous request of the Lord.

Because of the spiritual nature of my experience, I think I had decided not to tell anyone of it. But the very next Sunday I was sitting on the stand during one of our ward sacrament meetings. I was not scheduled to speak, but the bishop got up with about ten minutes remaining and said, “I feel President DeHaan has had a spiritual experience that he needs to share with us.” I got up reluctantly, knowing what it was I had to relate. I did so and asked the congregation to join me with their faith. Now, we have Saints with great testimonies in our stake, and my experience spread rapidly throughout the wards. I learned several weeks later that members were even telling their nonmember friends to go ahead and plan picnics and outdoor activities, because even in Oregon it was not going to rain throughout October. On the day following my experience in the corn fields, the sun came out for the first time in nearly thirty days. Then the next day we had sun, and the day following that. Before long the temperature was back into the high seventies. Every day for the next three weeks the weather forecast called for rain, but each day no rain fell.

I recall that about two weeks later I flew to Seattle, about two hundred miles to the north, on business. It rained very hard there all day, and as I made the return trip to Portland it rained all the way until we reached the Columbia River, which surrounds our farm. Miraculously, the clouds parted and the rain ceased. That day I cut a little weather map from the newspaper showing the rain ending at the river and put it on our refrigerator as a reminder to keep my faith. Three weeks after my original experience in the fields, I drove to the farm once again. I put on my boots and went back into the corn. This time the ground was soft but firming. That was on a Friday, and our fine farm crew was already making plans to begin the harvest on the following Monday.

That same day an acquaintance of mine from a local television station called. He said, “I understand the Mormons are developing a fine dairy farm on Sauvies Island.” I answered in the affirmative, and he inquired, “Is there a story there?” I told him there was, but I knew he could never capture the real story. That very Monday, as we began our harvest, we had a camera crew on the farm for several hours, and we did get some fine publicity for the Church.

With the loyal assistance of many of the members, we worked day and night for the next five days. By the following Saturday, all of the freshly chopped corn was safely in our silage pits, and we finished covering it over with plastic. At last we had the feed needed to get us through the winter. Within an hour after having covered the crop, the heavens just seemed to open and commenced one of the heaviest and longest downpours I can remember. The fields from which the corn had just been removed were flooded and remained under water from that day until the following June. As I stood in the rain with feelings of gratitude that I’ll never be able to adequately describe, it seemed to me that the Lord had just saved it up until our spiritual understanding had been fulfilled.

Now, you could say to me that all of this is simply coincidence, and I would understand that. But I bear you my witness that I know exactly what happened and why it happened. May I recount with you some of my spiritual reflections that came from this and other experiences of my life:

The temporal requirements placed upon the Church and our members are never simply temporal. They only seem temporal because our vision is lacking. The Lord’s requirements are always spiritual.

The welfare programs of the Church are considered vital by the Lord, and if we will do our part, he will do his and more. It matters not that often we cannot see the end from the beginning.

Most of the blessings of the Lord seem to come in the second mile. The first mile is doing what is expected of us. As we move beyond the first mile in faith and determination, we may draw down the powers of heaven, but this only so far as we are in spiritual condition to do so.

Finally, I bear my solemn witness that there is nothing too hard for the Lord. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

The Greatest Gifts

 

Having just celebrated my birthday and now with Christmas coming I have been reflecting on the best gifts. I recently returned to nursing and I am finding myself dealing with the aftermath and current effects of the COVID.  I am saddened by much of what I see in healthcare and people in general.

One of my greatest joys have been in nursing.  I love to serve and nursing for me has the been the greatest way to serve so many.  Sadly for many all they see in nursing is the money they can make by taking advantage of a broken system.

Daily I find myself surrounding by negativity, anger and no compassion.  I find myself wondering "if you hate this field so bad why don't you move on."  It always come down to the "money they make."

Each day as I walk onto the floor I find myself carrying a prayer that the negativity will not wear on me and then a resident will pass by and their face will light up and they greet me with a huge smile seeing that I am there.  Others approach me just to talk about their upcoming day, affectionately calling me by my nickname and reaching for my hand.  Words cannot describe the joy that fills my soul as I look upon their joyful faces and as I look around I am stumped why so many are missing this greatest gift of joy.

On one particularly trying day when my soul was worn down and tired from all the negativity that surrounded me I received a text from a very special friend who had spent my birthday day with me and said "how grateful I am that I have you in my life..."  My soul was rejuvenated as I was lovingly reminded of who I was and who I was striving to be and that I had no control over how others chose to feel or see but that my light was truly shining and those who mattered most were helping my light to shine brighter and brighter because of their love and support.  They were helping me become the daughter my Heavenly Father knew I could be.

I found a talk given by Elder Marvin J Ashton who beautifully described the most beautiful gifts one could be blessed with which truly fills the soul with peace and joy.  The greatest gift the no one can take away and is not fleeting.  I have been blessed with many of the gifts he has mentioned and I hope to open my heart to be blessed with many more.

I hope as you read his inspired words you will find possibly unknown gifts that you have been blessed with and some that you would like to be blessed with.

There is no other time than this time of year to reflect on the greatest gift of all the birth of our Lord and Savior whose love for us was so pure He gave His life so that we too could have all the gifts His Father promised.

Merry Christmas my friends and thank you for all the wonderful gifts you have shared with me. 

 “There Are Many Gifts”

Marvin J. Ashton

One of the great tragedies of life, it seems to me, is when a person classifies himself as someone who has no talents or gifts. When, in disgust or discouragement, we allow ourselves to reach depressive levels of despair because of our demeaning self-appraisal, it is a sad day for us and a sad day in the eyes of God. For us to conclude that we have no gifts when we judge ourselves by stature, intelligence, grade-point average, wealth, power, position, or external appearance is not only unfair but unreasonable.

From D&C 46:11–12, we have this truth: “For all have not every gift given unto them; for there are many gifts, and to every man is given a gift by the Spirit of God.

“To some is given one, and to some is given another, that all may be profited thereby.”

God has given each of us one or more special talents. Socrates made the famous statement, “The unexamined life is not worth living” (“Apology,” The Dialogues of Plato, trans. Benjamin Jowett, Chicago: Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1952, p. 210). It is up to each of us to search for and build upon the gifts which God has given. We must remember that each of us is made in the image of God, that there are no unimportant persons. Everyone matters to God and to his fellowmen.

From the Book of Mormon, particularly 3 Nephi, chapters 11 through 26 [3 Ne. 11–26], when the Savior Jesus Christ showed himself to the people on the American continent, many gifts are referred to as being very real and most useful. Taken at random, let me mention a few gifts that are not always evident or noteworthy but that are very important. Among these may be your gifts—gifts not so evident but nevertheless real and valuable.

Let us review some of these less-conspicuous gifts: the gift of asking; the gift of listening; the gift of hearing and using a still, small voice; the gift of being able to weep; the gift of avoiding contention; the gift of being agreeable; the gift of avoiding vain repetition; the gift of seeking that which is righteous; the gift of not passing judgment; the gift of looking to God for guidance; the gift of being a disciple; the gift of caring for others; the gift of being able to ponder; the gift of offering prayer; the gift of bearing a mighty testimony; and the gift of receiving the Holy Ghost.

We must remember that to every man is given a gift by the Spirit of God. It is our right and responsibility to accept our gifts and to share them. God’s gifts and powers are available to all of us.

Time will permit my emphasizing only a few of these God-given gifts.

1. The Gift to Ponder

As I study the scriptures, I am challenged and moved by the word ponder used so frequently in the Book of Mormon. Dictionaries say that ponder means to weigh mentally, think deeply about, deliberate, meditate.

When Jesus Christ came to teach the Nephites, he said, “Therefore, go ye unto your homes, and ponder upon the things which I have said, and ask of the Father, in my name, that ye may understand, and prepare your minds for the morrow, and I come unto you again” (3 Ne. 17:3).

Moroni used this term as he closed his record. “Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, … ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, … and ponder it in your hearts” (Moro. 10:3).

By pondering, we give the Spirit an opportunity to impress and direct. Pondering is a powerful link between the heart and the mind. As we read the scriptures, our hearts and minds are touched. If we use the gift to ponder, we can take these eternal truths and realize how we can incorporate them into our daily actions.

Today, millions, at President Benson’s encouragement, are reading the Book of Mormon, some for the first time, others as a regular habit. We must remind all that the fruits of this great book are the most beneficial when we ponder as we read.

Pondering is a progressive mental pursuit. It is a great gift to those who have learned to use it. We find understanding, insight, and practical application if we will use the gift of pondering.

2. The Gift to Look to God for Direction

How often have we ourselves said or have heard others exclaim in times of crisis or trouble, “I just don’t know where to turn”?

If we will just use it, there is a gift available to all of us—the gift of looking to God for direction. Here is an avenue of strength, comfort, and guidance.

“Behold, I am the law, and the light. Look unto me, and endure to the end, and ye shall live; for unto him that endureth to the end will I give eternal life” (3 Ne. 15:9).

“Look to God and live.” This is the wonderful promise given so often in the scriptures.

If we look to God for guidance, what do we look for in his children that we may be profited thereby? Some of us seem to prefer the practice of looking for and pointing out the weaknesses of our associates. The gifts others have, not their failings, make it possible for all to profit thereby.

What a spiritual comfort and blessing it is to know that, if we look to our Savior Jesus Christ and endure to the end, eternal life and exaltation can be ours. Our capacity to see and comprehend is increased only in proportion to our willingness to look. God becomes more approachable as we look to him. Looking to God teaches us to serve and live without compulsion. Being a leader in the Church should never diminish our “looking to God” time.

3. The Gift to Hear and Use the Small Voice

Still, small heavenly voices penetrate the heart with their gentle, convincing declarations:

“And it came to pass that while they were thus conversing one with another, they heard a voice as if it came out of heaven; and they cast their eyes round about, for they understood not the voice which they heard; and it was not a harsh voice, neither was it a loud voice; nevertheless, and notwithstanding it being a small voice it did pierce them that did hear to the center, insomuch that there was no part of their frame that it did not cause to quake; yea, it did pierce them to the very soul, and did cause their hearts to burn” (3 Ne. 11:3).

Most often, hope, encouragement, and direction come from a soft, piercing voice.

Small voices are heard only by those who are willing to listen. Soft and small voice communications with our associates make priceless friendships possible. I am appreciative of people who find no need to raise their voices as they try to impress or convince. It seems most people who argue and shout have ceased listening to what the small voice could powerfully contribute.

We love the small voice of a child saying, “Mommy, Daddy, I love you.”

How powerful is a small voice that knows how and when to say, “Thank you.”

Think of the heavenly voice saying, Joseph, this is my beloved son. Hear him (see JS—H 1:17).

It is heartwarming and reassuring to hear the small voice declare, “Be still and know” (D&C 101:16).

Remember that one of our greatest gifts is the small voice of the Holy Ghost whispering directions in our lives and making mighty testimonies possible.

4. The Gift to Calm

What a majestic gift it is to be able to calm others! We thank God for those who are calm instead of contentious.

“For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another” (3 Ne. 11:29).

Contention is a tool of the adversary. Peace is a tool of our Savior. What a wonderful tribute we pay people when we describe them as being gentle, firm, and calm!

Contention stops progress. Love brings eternal progression.

Where contention prevails, there can be no united effort in any purposeful direction.

“Cease to contend one with another; cease to speak evil one of another” (D&C 136:23).

Argument and debate must be supplanted by calm discussion, study, listening, and negotiation.

The gospel is one of harmony, unity, and agreement. It must be presented in love, and with glad tidings, by those who are calm.

We should learn to talk together, listen together, pray together, decide together, and avoid all forms of possible contention. We must learn to curb anger. Satan knows that when contention begins, orderly progress is thwarted.

There has never been a time when it is more important for us as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to take a stand, remain firm in our convictions, and conduct ourselves with calm assurance under all circumstances. We must not be manipulated or enraged by those who subtly foster contention over issues of the day.

“Behold, this is not my doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another; but this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away” (3 Ne. 11:30).

“Ye should live in peace one with another” (Mosiah 2:20). Those with the gift of being calm make lasting peace possible.

5. The Gift to Care

How grateful we should be for families, friends, and organizations who care! They make life easier and more meaningful. They, too, reap rewards in their Christlike caring when they serve for the right reasons. Leaders on every level should be primarily interested in rendering compassionate caring for others.

“And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God” (Mosiah 2:17).

Our Savior cares for all of his sheep. What a tribute it is to be recognized as one who cares. Let me share with you a story about the quiet caring of an unusual person who was brought to my attention during the last few weeks.

Recently, during a twenty-fifth anniversary ward reunion in the Salt Lake Valley, a “Best Scouter Ever” award was presented. The special evening in the cultural hall, which included dinner as well as a fine program, drew many people back to the ward event because of the good feelings created over the past twenty-five years.

The person acting as master of ceremonies introduced a young man to make this special award. He looked to be about six feet four inches tall and well over two hundred pounds. He walked to the microphone and said, “We would now like to pay tribute to the best Scouter this ward has ever had.”

Immediately names and faces of past Scout leaders jumped into the minds of those attending. Who would it be? There had been many great Scoutmasters in this ward. How could those in charge decide?

The tall, handsome young man mentioned many names of past Scout leaders and then said, “No, it is none of these, though they have all been great Scouters. Our ward ‘Best Scouter Ever’ award goes to someone who has worked in the Primary and as a Scout leader teaching boys for forty years. This individual has received the Silver Beaver Award, one of the highest awards given in Scouting, and the Silver Beehive Award, the highest award given by the Church in Scouting.” Then with a voice that trembled slightly, he said, “Our ‘Best Scouter Ever’ recognition goes to Sister Jennie Verl Keefer.” There came a hush over the audience, then knowing voices of approval, then a burst of applause that seemed to go on forever.

Sister Keefer was called up to the front. All present intently watched her quietly make her way. From the back of the room, this gray-haired bundle of energy hesitatingly came forward, her five-foot frame barely taller than those who were seated. Once at the microphone, the surprised recipient expressed a quiet and emotional, yet firm, thanks. She said between tears of gratitude it wasn’t quite forty years she had served. It was only thirty-seven years. And then Sister Keefer proudly added that during all her time of service, she had never had a bad boy.

Then the presenter asked all those whom Sister Keefer had ever taught and cared for to come to the stage. Here was the amazing thing. Men and boys started from the audience and filled the space behind this tiny woman. Big men, men in suits, doctors, bishops, presidents of companies, husbands, fathers holding babies, returned missionaries, contractors, computer workers, dentists, carpenters, and more. All these Scouts had been boys touched by the service and caring of this one noble and great woman—the best Scouter ever in the ward’s entire history. She had the gift of caring, and here were some of the fruits of her labors. Generations yet to come will bless her name for what she has done. What a great gift have those who know how to care!

“And to every man is given a gift” (D&C 46:11). This is true. God help us to recognize, develop, and share our gifts that all may profit thereby is my earnest hope and plea.

God does live. He does bless us with gifts. As we develop and share our God-given gifts and benefit from the gifts of those around us, the world can be a better place and God’s work will move forward at a more rapid pace. To these truths I bear my testimony and leave my personal witness in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Flawed but True

The Sabbath has always been a day of reflection for me and today I have had many thoughts run through my mind.  For the last few weeks I have been working four twelves on our covid unit and on my days off I have been re painting and re decorating our interior space.  It has been very therapeutic for me.

As I gaze around our new space I am filled with peace and a sense of accomplishment.  Some of my pictures I hung are not straight and most the art work attiring our walls are paintings created by friends some just for me via special request.  Each piece holds a tender memory.

I have been trying my hand at creating my own type of artwork which also has its flaws because I am not an artist but I love creating.  As I look at the flaws the perfectionist in me wants to clean them all up but then I realize I am flawed and there is nothing wrong in admitting that I am far from perfect and I am still clay in the Potters Hands and He is still molding me.

Our cousin came over to see my progress and as she looked at my kitchen walls she commented, "your shelves are crooked."  I smiled and replied, "I know, that's because I'm a bit off."  But above my crooked shelves I hung a metal piece that states "Thankful, Grateful and Truly Blessed."  A constant reminder that I am all three.

During my cancer journey when covid first hit I was torn due to I so wanted to be out there helping but because of my journey at that time I was sidelined.  Now that I am back and covid is still very real for us healthcare workers I am saddened by the negativity, covertness and slothfulness that have come hand in hand with this virus.

I have tried to remain positive and true to who I am but the last few days I have used language that I have not used in many years.  

In fact in 97 I remember tears filling my eyes as I realized the foulness my mouth could spew and how I would give anything to get rid of that foulness and here I've been spewing that foulness because I have allowed all the negativity  surrounding me to infiltrate my boundaries.

My crooked pictures, paint dripped walls and crooked shelves are a reminder that I am a bit off but as I glance at the beautiful artwork my friends created a peace fills my heart and I know that they know I can do better and rise above the negativity surrounding me.

We have been encouraged to make our homes feel like the temple and I can honestly say that even though getting to the temple is challenging right now I have a piece of the temple in our home which is my sanctuary and reminder that I am flawed clay that is still being molding and one day I will be a piece of brilliant art as long as I do not forget what truly matters and why I am here.  

I'm in hopes that I can continue to follow this wise counsel:

You Can Buy Anything in this World with Money

I have been reading some essays written by Hugh Nibley and one in particular has been on my mind.  In his essay he was talking about Lucifer and his tricks and his motto so speak:   "You Can Buy Anything in This World with Money."    That one sentence has been repeating itself over and over in my mind.

Years ago I was going to school for a Business Degree when the Spirit whispered, "You need to go into nursing."  I am so grateful I followed that whisper.   My career as a nurse  has brought me great joy.  As a nurse I make a decent wage but I did not go into nursing for the "money."  I went into nursing because I truly love the adopted grand mas and grand pas that I have the privilege of  caring for.  Their smiles, appreciation and love for me is the greatest gift that no amount of money can buy.

I recently volunteered to work on our COVID unit because of my love for those affected by the disease and because of their love and trust in me in caring for them.  My first day on I was approached by a nurse and asked, "How much more are you getting paid for working back here."  I smiled and replied "I have no idea."  She looked at me as if I was crazy.  "You Can Buy Anything In This World With Money."       

 I received a message from my job offering "bonuses."   I wasn't surprised at the many who responded wanting that extra but as for me I have no interest.   I would rather invest in my Heavenly bonuses.  Brother Nibley shared an insight when Lucifer was selling his motto and there were many who took him up and continue to take him up on his offer but there were and are a few who stood firm and stated, "We have sufficient for our needs."  Like them I'm happy to say "I have sufficient for my needs."

Each night I work I see eyes light up and smiles spread across faces as I hear, "I'm so happy your my nurse."  To which I respond, "I 'm happy that I can be your nurse."  In my minds eye I hear coins dropping into my Heavenly Treasure chest as my heavenly family smiles.  For me there is no greater treasure and no amount of money can buy that.

I recently had the privilege of putting on my hospice nurses hat as I sat with a dear adopted grandpa who was transitioning back to his heavenly home.  When he was called I was the one to notify his son.  Tears were shed and then I received an amazing message from that heartbroken son that  filled my heart with joy.  Another gift that no amount of money can buy.  I look forward to seeing my friend again one day and meeting his son.  "Oh what joy shall fill your hearts."

Yes, there are many things one can buy with money but the greatest things cannot be bought with money for me some of those things are:  Love, Integrity, Loyalty, Character, Honesty, Peace and Happiness.  In closing I found an article by Brother Sill I wanted to share.   My hope is that instead of falling for the line "you can buy anything in this world for money."  we can firmly say "I have sufficient for my needs" as we lay up treasures for ourselves in Heaven.

A Fortune to Share

Sterling W. Sill

In the greatest sermon that was ever preached, the greatest man who ever lived gave what was probably the wisest counsel that has ever been given when he said that we should lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven. And that is probably our most profitable idea.

However, the thing that we spend more time doing than about anything else in our lives is laying up for ourselves treasures upon the earth. And that is also a great idea, providing we know how to handle it. Many people have contended for the treasures in heaven on the grounds that they have much greater value, they are a lot more satisfying, they are a lot more permanent. Someone has complained that one of the disadvantages of the treasures of the earth is that you can’t take them with you. Someone else has pointed out that with taxes like they are, you can’t even keep them while you are here. This man put this idea in rhyme. He said:

“You can’t take them with you,

That’s practically sure;

For they’re generally gone,

Quite a long time before you’re.”

Now that may not be very good poetry, but it is a striking idea. And some pessimist has added that even if you could take them with you, they would only melt. However, it seems to me that frequently we spend a lot more time than is necessary in downgrading these great treasures that we get from the earth. We sometimes refer to our medium of exchange by calling it such unsavory names as “filthy lucre” or “tainted money,” and sometimes that may be an accurate description, but it need not necessarily be so.

Somebody said, “Money can’t buy happiness,” but his friend said, “Maybe not, but it does enable one to pick out the particular kind of misery that he enjoys the most.” And someone has pointed out that if there is anyone who can’t buy happiness with money it must be that he just doesn’t know where to shop. We can build temples with money, we can send out missionaries with money, we can erect educational institutions, operate hospitals, and pay our tithing with money. We can feed and clothe our families with money, and in many ways we can build up the kingdom of God with money.

Someone said, “Money ain’t everything,” and his friend said, “Just name me three things that it ain’t.” But we also should think of some of those things that it is. Money is preserved labor, it is industry made negotiable, it is stored up accomplishment. It is the medium of exchange that we can trade for things that we can take with us and a great many of them we can actually send on ahead. We can take our families with us. We can take our education with us. We can take our great character qualities with us. And money is the medium that we can use to share the treasures of the earth with others who need our help.

In 1931, Vashni [H.P.] Young wrote a popular best-seller entitled A Fortune to Share (Bobbs-Merrill). Vashni Young had worked as a salesman during the lush, easy, prosperous years of the late 1920s, and then the market crash of October 1929 had plunged Vashni Young, with a few million other people, into the bottomless economic pit of the early 1930s. But he did not like the depression and he had become pretty sour on this world generally. And so he bought a gun and decided to have a look at the next world by committing suicide. But before he pulled the trigger, he spent a little time thinking about his wife and children and he decided that suicide was not a very manly way to solve a problem. And so instead of shooting himself, he did a little analyzing and he discovered that his mind had been operating like a giant junk factory, turning out all kinds of mental, emotional, and spiritual junk.

Then he remembered William James, the great Harvard psychologist who said, “The greatest discovery of my generation is that you can change your circumstances by changing your attitudes of mind.” And while everybody wants to change his circumstances, Vash Young decided to change himself. He said: “I got tired of being a fool.” He wanted to get out of the junk business and so he dumped overboard a lot of his bad habits of liquor, tobacco, and irresponsibility. He decided to adopt some good attitudes, think like a man, be responsible, and go to work.

It wasn’t long before Vash Young discovered that life was much more pleasant and that his prosperity level was going up by leaps and bounds. And then he made a great discovery that he had personal possession of a vast fortune which he could share with every other person in the world without lessening his own supply.

He wrote his great book, A Fortune to Share, and gave it as wide a circulation as possible, telling people about his discovery. Then he set aside one day each week which he called “trouble day” during which he worked with other troubled people trying to persuade them to get out of the junk business and share in this great fortune which was so readily available.

If I were asked to give the best idea of which I am capable, it would be closely related to this, that we should get out of the junk business and then start laying up treasures in heaven by sharing with others that vast fortune which each of us has or can get possession of.

Yesterday President Rex D. Pinegar mentioned Patrick Henry, one of our early American patriots who lived a long, useful, and successful life. Just before his death he said, “I have now finished distributing all of my property to my children. However, there is one more thing that I wish I could give them, and that is the Christian religion. If I could give them that, though I had not given them a single shilling, they would be rich. And if they did not have that, though I had given them the whole world, they would be poor.”

I hold in my hand a copy of the Holy Bible. In this is written the word of the Lord. It contains the covenants that he has made and would like to make with every person who has lived or who ever will live upon the earth. This book gives an account of one occasion some 34 centuries ago when the God of creation came down on to the top of Mt. Sinai in a cloud of fire, and to the accompaniment of the lightnings and thunders of that sacred mountain gave us the Ten Commandments, in which he enumerated ten ways that we can get out of the junk business. Just think what would happen in our world if we all fully observed the Ten Commandments. That would mean that we would stop cheating and lying and stealing and killing and being immoral and violating the Sabbath day. Then this earth would soon be God’s paradise and our material prosperity would go up like a skyrocket. The Lord has also included in the Bible a great credenda of those soul-saving truths that we can share with other people. The Bible is the Lord’s own fortune-to-share book.

As Sir Walter Scott lay dying, he said to his son-in-law, “Lockhart, read to me from the book.” His son-in-law said, “Which book?” Sir Walter said, “Lockhart, there is only one book. Read to me from the book.”

But in our own day, the Lord has given to the world three great volumes of new scripture outlining in every detail the simple principles of the gospel of Christ, with a “thus saith the Lord” attached to each one. Therefore, the Lord now has four fortune-to-share books.

However, one of the shortcomings of even the holy scriptures is that they are not automatic. That is, they will not work unless we do. More than anything else the great message of the Lord needs messengers. The Lord has invited us to have as large a share as we like in his important family concern which Jesus referred to as “my Father’s business.” Now that is the business of building integrity and character and righteousness and eternal life into the lives of his children. The Lord has told us many things about the importance of the family. He has given us this miraculous power of procreation where we can create children in God’s own image and share with them the tremendous blessings of life itself. Then during our family home evenings we may share with them the great treasures of the gospel of salvation. And through the missionary program we can share the blessings of eternal life with all of our friends and neighbors. God has promised us that if we will effectively be his messengers he will share his fortune with both those who give it and those who receive it.

In speaking of the oath and covenant of the priesthood, he has said:

“For he that receiveth my servants receiveth me;

“And he that receiveth me receiveth my Father;

“And he that receiveth my Father receiveth my Father’s kingdom; therefore all that my Father hath shall be given unto him.” (D&C 84:36–38.) If you can think of something more exciting than that, I don’t know what it would be.

God is a very wealthy personage. We all like to inherit from a wealthy parent and what could be more exciting than to inherit from God, to get everything that God has. Someone has said that thrift is a great virtue, especially in an ancestor. And God has been very thrifty, he has also been very wise and he has been very generous. To begin with, he created us in his own image and has endowed us with a set of his attributes and potentialities, the development of which is one of the purposes for which we live. He desires that every one of us should be rich. He has said: “… the fulness of the earth is yours …” (D&C 59:16), and it pleaseth God that he has given all these things unto men to be used with judgment and thanksgiving. He has shared with us the fulness of the treasures of the earth and he desires to share with us the fulness of the treasures of heaven. He wants us to inherit the celestial kingdom and belong to that celestial order of which he himself is a member. And he has said that the greatest of all the gifts of God is the gift of eternal life in his presence.

And so we come back to the place where we began and hear again those great words as they come down to us from the mount in which the Lord of Hosts has said, “… lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. …” (Matt. 6:20.)

And that we may be fully successful in this greatest of all enterprises, I humbly pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.