The Blessing of Work ~ Part One

 Good Morning or Good Afternoon or Good Evening, 

this post should take three minutes to five minutes read from start to finish.

This post focuses on a BYU Devotional in March 2005, and it is called "The Blessing of Work" by Elder David E. Sorensen. This post is part one, and I would like to share with you some highlights while I was reading the Devotional. 

Elder Sorensen has mentioned the following; 

"... We are here to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ. ... As you study the true Church and allow the Spirit to work within you, you will have the answers and come to know how to respond to the various situations you will face. Concerning the Book of Mormon, a young missionary shared this thought with me, which I have found to be true over the years: Remember that the Book of Mormon is not on trial - we are.

... It is my hope that what I say will help guide you in the work you are now doing or may be doing in the future.

Those of you who are graduating from high school or college, or are otherwise in the workforce, may be asking yourselves questions like this when you apply for employment: “What are my working hours?  

... Will I have enough time to hang out with my friends or pursue my hobbies?” With questions like these, however, when you focus on your leisure hours instead of your working hours, you may be prevented from seeing a much greater opportunity.

God’s Work

Work is an eternal principle. Whom do you know who has all the riches of the earth and more and yet is continually working? Our Heavenly Father! He is a worker. ... Jehovah worked to create the heavens and the earth. ... But Their work did not end with the Creation. 

In the Pearl of Great Price we read, “This is my work and my glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39; emphasis added). This, of course, includes every man, woman, and child. Of all the things He could concern Himself with, our Heavenly Father has chosen to labor for the benefit of our eternal souls your soul and my soul. ...

"the Harder you work the Better you get."

Work Is a Blessing

You and I also have a work to accomplish. Satan would tempt us to believe that our work is not worthwhile or that we have no need to work at all. He is wrong on both counts. We do have a need to work. 

We have a responsibility to take care of our own needs and the needs of our families. This tradition of being self-sufficient has been the Lord’s way since Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden. 

... But providing for ourselves is not the only purpose of work. Suppose you were given a great sum of money or for whatever reason became instantly financially self-sufficient. Even then the command to labor has not been lifted.

... As Elder Neal A. Maxwell described, “Work is always a spiritual necessity even if, for some, work is not an economic necessity” (CR, April 1998, 50; or “Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel,” Ensign, May 1998, 38).

Work is not a curse but a blessing; by work we not only obey the commandment of God but also enable ourselves to participate in God’s saving grace. ... Have you ever thought about what would happen if people did not work?Would our schools function? Would our government run? 

Would our televisions have programming? Although we sometimes think it would be nice to have all the money we ever wanted and never have to work again, I can assure you that is not the path to true happiness. ... Work is a family responsibility. I know some of you are away from home. I remind you that right now you are benefiting from the work of your family. 

Your parents have worked hard to provide for your physical, spiritual, and emotional well-being. They do not expect anyone else to take over this responsibility for them. They do expect you to share some of the load. ... You have received much. In turn, you are expected even required to offer similar support and love to your own children and families. 

... As you grow older, your parents expect you to provide for yourselves and become independent. We all share in the work. Remember it is important to start early in life to teach your children that they should do their part in the work of a family. 

Those of you who have had the experience of growing up in a home where you were taught to work can bear testimony to its value in your life today. ... So far as we are able, Church members should do their best to provide the basic necessities of life - food, clothing, and shelter for their families.

We understand that in some places in the world you may encounter hardships when trying to provide for your families. These trials could include chronic illness, the loss of a spouse, the addition of an elderly parent, or providing for your children’s education. Our Heavenly Father is mindful of families in these situations. It is my conviction that He will give you the strength to carry on. He will always bless us if we ask Him in faith.

Work Is a Service

Good work attitudes, habits, and skills are learned through successful work experiences. ... As Eleanor Roosevelt said, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent” (Points to Ponder, Reader’s Digest, February 1963, 261). You control your own attitudes - especially you young people in your attitude about work. Self-confidence and empowerment can serve you well—in the classroom, on State Street, or on Wall Street.

Instead of thinking of our daily work as an imposition, we should think of it as an opportunity. That’s just the way my father taught me to feel about the cows. Those teachings have remained with me all my life, and I continue to visit the ranch and its memories as often as possible. ... If my father could find purpose in a few cows, surely each of us can find purpose in our work."

Stay Tuned until next time.