…thy people shall be my people

…thy people shall be my people Khinckley1@yahoo.com

J. Golden Kimball An interesting experience is told of Brother J. Golden Kimball in speaking to a meeting of Saints on the subject of tithing. He said, "All of you who would be willing to die for the gospel please put up your hands." Nearly every hand in the congregation was raised. Then he said, "All of you who have been paying an honest tithing please raise your hands." It seems that only a few hands were raised. Brother Kimball turned to the bishop and said, "See, they would rather die than pay their tithing."

Naomi Travels with her husband and two sons from Bethlahem to find food among the Moabites. Husband dies Both sons, marry, then die “I went out full and the Lord hath brought me home again empty…”

Question- Despite her losses and now her poverty, what was Naomi not seeing? Her own covenant blessings!

Naomi’s effect on her daughter in law? Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried…

Question As we keep our covenants what effect does that have on those around us?

Camille Fronk, BYU Women’s Conference We may believe that lifelong cheerfulness is achieved through our own management and efforts… When we look through the lens of our righteousness and take comfort in our good efforts, the idea of depending wholly on Christ seems a bit risky. Listen to a series of domino-like sentiments that such a perspective can produce: What if I depend on God, but He doesn’t answer me when I need His immediate help? With all the serious problems in the universe, why would He have time or interest in my personal crisis? Then again, if I organize my life carefully and think smart, I could resist temptation and not have to lean upon on the Lord for help at all. What is more, I will then not be one of those who contributed to His suffering in Gethsemane. If I just use my skills and brain, I can actually help the Lord rather than drawing on His strength. After all, so many people around here are in worse circumstances than I.

Bro. Robert Millett Interview with young couple “Bishop, Cindy and I have been active members of the Church all our lives. We both had wonderful parents, who brought us to Church and involved us in all the things LDS families do. I served an honorable mission, we were married worthily in the temple, and we now have four beautiful children. I work at a job that I enjoy and we are blessed with an income that allows us many luxuries. Supposedly we have everything a couple could ask for, but our questions are: Is this it? Is this all there is? Is this what we prepared all our lives for?” Bro. Millett: It is sobering to know that someone can possess the fullness of the gospel…be fully engaged in the work of the Church, and still feel empty and unsatisfied…

Question: What has happened when active, involved Saints still “feel empty”?

Remember Ammon? After all he had accomplished… “I do not boast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; but, behold, my joy is full, yea my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God. Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things.”

How did the Savior see Himself? “I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.” And “The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do…”

World’s Approach Self Esteem Classes Discover your own empowerment Assertiveness Training Take care of “Number One!” Lord’s Approach Meek (not weak) Teachable Loving (not enabling) Doing “nothing” except that we have seen the Savior do. How, then, do we achieve the joy of Ruth

C.S. Lewis The natural life [natural man] in each of us, is something self centered, something that wants to be petted and admired…and especially it wants to be left to itself; to keep well away from anything better and stronger or higher than it. It is afraid of the light and air of the spiritual world, just as people who have been brought up to be dirty are afraid of a bath. And, in a sense it is quite right. It knows that if the spiritual life gets a hold of it, all its self centeredness and self-will are going to be killed and it is ready to fight tooth and nail to avoid that.

Question How dependent are we on the Lord? How does that fit with church’s focus to be “self sufficient”

Temperance Ricks Hinckley In 1886, called as Relief Society President in Rexburg Idaho. Served for 17 years Stake stretched covered part of Montana, Wyoming and half of Idaho Yet, her children’s tribute to her: “She could knit in the dark”

…thy people shall be my people