"Lesson 23: Providing for Temporal Needs," The Eternal Family Teacher Transmission (2015)
Introduction
God entrusts individuals with the responsibleness of providing for their own temporal needs and the basic needs of their families. Parents have a sacred duty to provide their children with the temporal "necessities of life" ("The Family: A Proclamation to the World," Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2010, 129). In this lesson, students will acquire how the principle of self-reliance can contribute to their temporal and spiritual stability at present and in the future.
Background Reading
M. Russell Ballard, "Becoming Self-Reliant—Spiritually and Physically," Ensign, Mar. 2009, 50–55.
Robert D. Hales, "Becoming Provident Providers Temporally and Spiritually," Ensign or Liahona, May 2009, 7–10.
Marvin J. Ashton, "Ane for the Money," Ensign, Sept. 2007, 37–39.
Provident Living website, providentliving.org
Suggestions for Teaching
Mark 6:1–3; Luke ii:51–52
Self-reliance
Write the following question on the board: "In what means did Jesus Christ prepare Himself for His mortal ministry?" Invite students to read Mark 6:i–iii and Luke 2:51–52, looking for means in which the Savior prepared Himself in His early on years for His afterwards ministry. As students requite answers, list the following on the board:
Worked with his father as a carpenter (vocationally)
Increased in wisdom (educationally)
Increased in stature (physically)
Increased in favor with God (spiritually)
Increased in favor with man (socially)
How can following the Savior's example in the 5 identified areas help you prepare to meet your ain needs and those of your hereafter family?
Read the following statement by President Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985), and enquire students to listen for what President Kimball identifies as the responsibility of every Latter-day Saint:
"The Church and its members are commanded by the Lord to exist self-reliant and independent. (Come across D&C 78:13–14.)
"The responsibility for each person'due south social, emotional, spiritual, physical, or economic well-being rests get-go upon himself, 2nd upon his family, and third upon the Church if he is a faithful fellow member thereof.
"No true Latter-24-hour interval Saint, while physically or emotionally able, will voluntarily shift the burden of his own or his family'southward well-being to someone else. So long as he can, under the inspiration of the Lord and with his own labors, he will supply himself and his family with the spiritual and temporal necessities of life" (Teachings of Presidents of the Church building: Spencer W. Kimball [2006], 116).
What responsibility did President Kimball say we each have?
Why is it important to become "self-reliant and independent"? (Students should place the post-obit: As we become self-reliant, we tin can provide ourselves and our families with the spiritual and temporal necessities of life.)
Invite students to share what self-reliance means to them. Then display the following statement by Elderberry Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and ask a student to read it aloud:
"Self-reliance is taking responsibility for our own spiritual and temporal welfare and for those whom Heavenly Father has entrusted to our care. Only when we are self-reliant can we truly emulate the Savior in serving and blessing others.
"It is important to understand that self-reliance is a means to an end. Our ultimate goal is to become similar the Savior, and that goal is enhanced by our unselfish service to others. Our ability to serve is increased or diminished by the level of our self-reliance" ("A Gospel Vision of Welfare: Faith in Action," Bones Principles of Welfare and Self-Reliance [booklet, 2009], 1–ii).
What is the ultimate purpose of cocky-reliance?
How is our ability to serve others macerated if we are not self-reliant?
To help students farther understand cocky-reliance, display the following statement by Sis Julie B. Beck, old Relief Society general president:
"How do nosotros become self-reliant? We become cocky-reliant through obtaining sufficient noesis, education, and literacy; by managing money and resources wisely, being spiritually potent, preparing for emergencies and eventualities; and by having physical health and social and emotional well-beingness" ("The Welfare Responsibilities of the Relief Society President," Basic Principles of Welfare and Self-Reliance, 4).
Write the following words along the top of the board: instruction, finances, spiritual strength, home production and storage, health, and employment. Instruct students that self-reliance involves these six areas of a balanced life (run into Providing in the Lord'due south Way: Summary of a Leader's Guide to Welfare [booklet, 2009], one–2). Have some time as a form to discuss what immature single adults might do to become more cocky-reliant in each of these areas so that they will be better able to provide for the temporal and spiritual needs of their future families and to serve in the Church. Write students' responses on the lath. Ideas might include the following:
Education: Obtain a caste or certification from a university or trade school, improve study habits, acquire boosted work skills, learn to perform basic abode and motorcar repairs.
Finances: Pay an honest tithe and fast offer, learn to create a upkeep and adhere to it, learn self-discipline, avoid unnecessary debt, pay off debts, salve some money from each paycheck.
Spiritual strength: Pray, study the scriptures, fast with a purpose, nourish the temple regularly.
Habitation product and storage: Learn how to preserve and shop foods, grow a garden (even just a few plants).
Health: Obey the Discussion of Wisdom, exercise regularly, swallow healthily, become sufficient slumber, obtain health insurance.
Employment: Develop new job skills, foster a strong piece of work ethic, earn avant-garde certifications.
What have you done to increment your cocky-reliance in one of these areas? How did this attempt increase your feelings of self-reliance and self-worth? How did it increase your ability to provide for yourself and to serve more fully in the Church?
Invite students to prepare a goal to improve in one of these six areas.
Malachi 3:8–12; Matthew 6:19–21; i Timothy half-dozen:7–ten; two Nephi 9:51; Jacob ii:13–14, eighteen–19; Doctrine and Covenants 104:13–18
Fiscal management
Remind students that if they aren't already, they volition someday be responsible for providing for themselves and possibly for a family unit. Therefore, they must learn to be wise with their temporal resources.
Assign each student to read some of the post-obit passages and place principles related to prudent financial direction.
Malachi 3:eight–12 (obey the constabulary of tithes and offerings)
Matthew 6:19–21 (avoid setting our hearts on worldly possessions)
ane Timothy 6:seven–x (be content with what we have—"the love of coin is the root of all evil")
2 Nephi nine:51 (do not spend coin or labor on things without worth)
Jacob 2:xiii–14, eighteen–nineteen (seek riches for righteous purposes)
Doctrine and Covenants 104:13–eighteen (use our abundance to help the poor and needy)
Later on sufficient time, invite students to share what they institute with the class. Make sure students sympathise the following principle: By applying wise financial principles, individuals and families tin increase their own financial stability and be prepared to assist others. (Y'all might point out that in the scriptures the Lord often draws a connection between obtaining riches and the obligation to aid the poor and the needy. For example, run into Jacob 2:eighteen–19 and D&C 104:18.)
What blessings take you experienced from applying wise financial principles in your life?
Doctrine and Covenants 104:78
Avoiding unnecessary debt
Read Doctrine and Covenants 104:78. Then brandish the post-obit statement by Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin (1917–2008) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and ask a pupil to read it aloud:
"Retrieve this: debt is a form of bondage. It is a financial termite. When we make purchases on credit, they requite usa only an illusion of prosperity. We think nosotros own things, only the reality is, our things own us.
"Some debt—such as for a modest home, expenses for teaching, perhaps for a needed start car—may be necessary. But never should we enter into financial chains through consumer debt without carefully weighing the costs" ("Earthly Debts, Heavenly Debts," Ensign or Liahona, May 2004, xl–41).
Why is debt a form of bondage? (As students reply, help them understand the following principle: Avoiding unnecessary debt helps keep individuals and families free from financial bondage.) President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910–2008) taught, "Self-reliance cannot [be] when at that place is serious debt hanging over a household. One has neither independence nor freedom from bondage when he is obligated to others" ("To the Boys and to the Men," Ensign, November. 1998, 53).
Invite a student to read the post-obit counsel from President Thomas South. Monson aloud:
"Avoid the philosophy and alibi that yesterday's luxuries take become today's necessities. They aren't necessities unless we ourselves make them such. Many of our young couples today desire to begin with multiple cars and the type of dwelling Mother and Dad worked a lifetime to obtain. Consequently, they enter into long-term debt on the ground of two salaries. Perhaps also late they find that changes do come up, women have children, sickness stalks some families, jobs are lost, natural disasters and other situations occur, and no longer can the mortgage payment, based on the income from two salaries, be made. Information technology is essential for us to alive within our means" ("Abiding Truths for Irresolute Times," Ensign or Liahona, May 2005, 20).
What are some possible consequences for individuals and families who fail to recognize the difference between wants and needs?
What are some ways to distinguish between wants and needs?
Encourage students to think near the following questions and write their answers in their journals:
In what areas of life could you become more cocky-reliant?
How tin can you better manage your temporal resource?
Student Readings
Malachi 3:8–12; Matthew six:19–21; Mark six:one–3; Luke 2:51–52; 1 Timothy 6:7–x; 2 Nephi nine:51; Jacob 2:17–xix; Doctrine and Covenants 56:17; 75:28; 104:13–18, 78.
Robert D. Hales, "Becoming Provident Providers Temporally and Spiritually," Ensign or Liahona, May 2009, 7–x.
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