Being Honest in Business

Jesus talks a little about business in Luke 16. He basically comments that it's wise to be a good businessman through a story. Then he makes a general statement about doing well in general:

10 He that is ^afaithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.

11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your ^atrust the true ^briches?

This is one of the best reasons we have "are you honest in your dealings with your fellow man?" and "is there anything involving conduct with another family member that is not in harmony with the teachings of the gospel?" in the temple recommend interview. These are two basic questions that most people outside of the church should answer well themselves. If these basic elements of a good life are not being lived, how could a person be ready for the true riches promised in the temple?

When we talk about the gospel being simple, this is one example. It is critical to be good.

Have a great day.

Stake Presidents and Bishops - tremendous volunteers

We had temple recommend interviews today with the Stake President. He looks like he's around 45 and was a nice man. I'm pretty impressed with him and all Stake Presidents. He was spending another hour or two today doing temple recommend interviews. He's a Senior Vice President over the mobile division for Nvidia, a computer graphics company worth around $11B. He's certainly busy and successful, and he spends many, many hours every week with church members just because he's been asked to. I think it's so important to remember that our church leaders are just volunteers doing the best they can.

His advice for me was to serve. He said that's the best thing Melchizedek Priesthood holders can do and that it's important for children to see their fathers serve and to be involved in that service as early as possible. I appreciated the suggestion, especially as it's not easy to carve out time to serve, but it's very worthwhile. Kids will learn from our examples. President Monson has said he learned the gospel from his parents and that it was through the service they performed that he learned it. I felt that this advice was inspired for me.

I appreciate the service those men give. They're very good men in my experience and certainly they have other things they may want to be doing with their time.

Here's a link to a general conference message about stake presidents by Gordon Hinckley.

http://lds.org/general-conference/2000/04/the-stake-president?lang=eng

He mentions the first time he called a Stake President as a General Authority and how he was inspired to call the right person. Also, he mentions the confidence the Brethren have in the Stake Presidents (as well as a quick fact - temple recommends were signed by the president of the church until Pres. Woodruff's time when that duty became too much of a burden - the church continues to change as time goes on, and those changes occur in an inspired way).

Here's one paragraph I enjoyed:

I have total confidence in the men who fill this office. Their duties are numerous, their responsibilities great. They recognize their own inadequacy, and I know that they pray for guidance and help. I know they study the scriptures to find answers. I know they place this work first in their lives. Because we have such confidence in them, we urge local members that they not seek out General Authorities to counsel with and bless them. Their stake presidents have been called under the same inspiration under which the General Authorities were called.

Have a great week.

LaDon