Are We Doing it Right?

I recently finished participating in the church offered “Personal Finances for Self-Reliance” class.  At the end of a 12 week period, after much studying and learning in a group-facilitated setting and individually, the class is asked to voluntarily bear testimony of what they have learned during this course.  As I sat in class and contemplated my personal growth, my mind wandered to the concept of retirement.  As I contemplated the future of my spouse and I, I began to realize that perhaps we were doing it all wrong.

Now, don’t get me wrong.  It is not the concept of saving money and preparing for our future that I am refuting, but the attitude for which we do it.  The concept of retirement has come about as life expectancy has increased and we, as a society have become more rich and abundant in our means and our blessings.  100 years ago this concept did not exist.  People worked their entire lives or their family was expected to provide for them (www.thebalance.com “What is Retirement?”)  This cycle reminds me of a recurring theme in the Book of Mormon...poor in heart, humility, discipline, and Love of God lead to abundant blessings.  Having more than we need then often leads to pride and feelings of entitlement which in turn lead to eventual destruction.  This cycle is especially clear in Helaman 3-12 and 3 Nephi 5-9.  

Sometimes we plan and work and save and scrimp and sacrifice with an end goal of doing nothing.  “Retirement”  the ability to do what we want, when we want, and how we  want;  the action of leaving one’s job and ceasing to work.  This concept, of sitting back and doing nothing, does not seem to coincide with a gospel that teaches eternal perfection (2 Corinthians 13:11), continual pressing forward (2 Nephi 31:19-20), hope (2 Nephi 31:20, Jacob 2:19), and enduring to the end (D&C 14:7, 50:5) .  Perhaps, considering what we preach, our goal should be not to be done, but rather to become.

President Uchtdorf taught, “Work is an antidote for anxiety, an ointment for sorrow, and a doorway to possibility.” (“Two Principles for Any Economy” Ensign Nov 2009 56-57)    And Brigham Young taught, “I have come to the conclusion that we shall be judged according to the deeds done in the body and according to the thought and intents of our hearts.” (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church, Brigham Young.  Ch 39 Eternal Judgement 285-290)  Neither of these statements qualify, “...until the age of 65.”

So in a gospel that teaches work and growth, why do we think that we have “hit the mark” when we reach the ability to do nothing?  Why not, instead, aim to see just how much we can accomplish and become before we die?  Then we can do as President Gordon B Hinkley admonished and “rise to the stature of the divine within you” for “yours is a Godly inheritance.”  (Rise to the Stature of the Divine Within You October 1989 General Conference)  We need to shift our attitude of striving to do less and intend to do more; to serve more, to have more so that we can give more, and ultimately to become everything that we can in this life.  Any race that you ever have, or ever will, run has, and will, always be to the finish line.  There is never a golden bench three-quarters of the way through for those who have run long enough or fast enough and are ready to sit back and watch others run.  Is our pursuit for earthly joy aligned with God’s idea of eternal joy?  Is our idea of earthly rest and relaxation aligned with God’s idea of exalting ourselves, and others, and becoming truly sanctified?  What would He have us do?  Are we planning and preparing and sacrificing only to be less than our potential because it sounds easy and nice and relaxing and we deserve it?  Or do we aim to step over our earthly finish line, stumbling to our knees in exhaustion because we gave every last thing, every last ounce, that we could possibly give until our bodies gave up the good fight.  And when we look forward to meet our brother, and Savior, will we be proud of the scrapes on our knees or will we be left sitting on our golden benches watching the runners go by?

I know you are tired.  I know that you have, more than once, hit the wall of pure exhaustion where you wonder how you can possibly take another step.  It happens in long races like the one we are running.  But it is in our best efforts to move one foot forward, and then another, that God will lift us, make us more, and even carry us for a mile or two.  And with this knowledge why would we not aim higher?  Why would we not aim the highest?  (See 1 Nephi 13:37)

President Gordon B. Hinckley said: “Seek for the real things, not the artificial. Seek for the everlasting truths, not the passing whim. Seek for the eternal things of God, not for that which is here today and gone tomorrow. Look to God and live” (Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley [1997], 494).

Look to God and live.

Much Love, 

Jeri Dawn McKellar