There is no value in moving the kitten chow from a prosperous individual to the Church
storehouse unless there is significant joy experienced by that individual in the act of giving. The
Lord can fill the storehouse without our help if it’s just a matter of having enough food and
substance in inventory to cover the needs of the poor. In that case, it’s only a computer systems
or logistics issue and not a salvation one. The Church storehouse itself is not a righteous entity;
it’s a mirror reflection of our hearts and who we are as a people. How we consecrate, manage,
and distribute the wealth we have been given (or, again, lack thereof) as Church members is what
matters most to the Lord<\/span>. <\/p> <\/p>
The people who need our help may not always be perfect in their attitude to reward us
immediately with the proper thanks and gratitude. That is an extra challenge we face. But our
attitudes on the giving side are not perfect either, presenting us with problems of our own as we
encounter the problems of others. Love for the soul of another goes beyond the food or monetary
assistance that is given on the outside. Teaching another person the value of hard work, whether
through example or by giving them a job, will help in some of these cases. But in the end, we
just have to judge righteously and do all we can to help as many persons as we can. There may
be those among the poor who abuse the system and are less worthy of our help; and, in that
respect, they undermine the plight of all the other poor who are truly worthy and need our
assistance. But a soul is a soul is a soul. A poor person who is less worthy of our assistance is no
different than a rich or middle-class person who refuses to share. We want everyone to succeed
in life if possible. Everyone has weaknesses and everyone needs help in one way or another. The
severely wicked persons of this earth who are beyond the reach of the Spirit of God, those we
just have to leave in the hands of the Lord and His justice. The heavens weep for them and their
evil acts, and we should, too.<\/p>
<\/p>
Corruption or selfishness of any kind cannot be found in the implementation of the law of
consecration in our lives, otherwise the effort will be of no avail. The early saints of the Church
will attest to that fact. <\/p>
<\/p>
But it is exactly their example—those who tried to live high principles in the early
restored Church of the 1830s—that we need to learn from. There was an immediate clash of the
personal weaknesses of good individuals with the good precepts they were trying to live.
Circumstances were tough, and numerous problems were encountered; it was not easy to do what
they were trying to do. But we should give them more credit than we often do. They at least
tried. And there were also plenty of successes along the way and much to feel good about. Their
experiences helped set the foundation for much that came later in Utah. It gave the Church
members and leaders revelation on the subject and important experience.<\/p>
<\/p>
What we have learned from the early saints is this––there are no shortcuts and no hidden
pathways to Zion. The formal administrative steps involved in the creation of a stake of Zion are
good to know, but they are far less important than the degree of righteousness had by the
members of the Church who strive to build it. The changes in our lives needed to get there from
where we are today as a people are significant, if not intimidating, to consider. Zion is a daunting
task. A full-fledged city of Zion in this modern age would be the greatest achievement of
mankind, trumping the effort to put a man on the Moon by leaps and bounds. Zion is not a
technological marvel. It is a goodness in human character marvel.<\/p>
<\/p>
A city of Zion in practical terms, therefore, is a long way off, and it isn’t really within our
short-term or medium-term goals as a Church. <\/p>
<\/p>
What we can do in the meantime, however, is work towards greater levels of excellence
in our congregations by creating prototypes of Zion. This is achievable. We can build upon the
fine quality of devotion and good works that has been the trademark of the Church since 1830.<\/p>
<\/p>
But we need to begin. <\/p>
<\/p>
The building of Zion is a critically important work of the gospel. All peoples of God
should seek after it, and most especially in these latter days, THIS people of God. <\/p>
<\/p>
We need to be positive, have faith, and go after it. <\/p>
<\/p>
To paraphrase a few passages from Les Miserables<\/i>:<\/p>
<\/p>
If we say “No” to the pursuit of Zion<\/i> in <\/i>the Church<\/i>, there is only one reply, \"Yes<\/i>.<\/i>”<\/i><\/p>
<\/p>
No way is open to the thinking which makes all end in the monosyllable, No. <\/i>We live by
affirmation<\/i> in <\/i>the Church<\/i> even more than by bread.<\/i><\/p>
<\/p>
Every<\/i> little thing<\/i> we<\/i> can<\/i> do towards Zion is something<\/i>.<\/i><\/p>
<\/p>
Morality is a blossoming out of truths. Contemplation leads to action. The absolute
should be practicable. It is necessary that the ideal should be breathable, drinkable, and eatable
to the human mind.<\/i><\/p>
<\/p>
To move a step closer to the ideal, we need a basic understanding of exactly what Zion is,
and what it is not.<\/p>
<\/p>
Zion is not some small communal society located in Oregon, left over from the 1960s,
nor is it a compound or ranch sitting out in the middle of the desert, surrounded perhaps by
barbed wire, where one goes to flee from society. And it is not something built up around the
strong personality of a charismatic leader. <\/p>
<\/p>
Practically speaking, Zion is nothing more than what our common sense might already
tell us about it. There is no big mystery here. <\/span><\/p> <\/p>
Zion first requires a strong testimony of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. To this we
add spices––sprinkles of humility, desire, sincerity, obedience, and the consecration of one’s
time, talents, and wealth. We have to be genuine in our hearts, and in compliance fully with the
principles of the gospel, if we aspire to take part in something this grand. The Lord will not be
fooled by weak imitations, and He will not be mocked; for surely, the work of Zion is something
He holds very dear to His heart. It must be done right.<\/span><\/p><\/p><\/span><\/p>
Zion, organizationally, might be defined in the Church as something that operates at a
ward level, a stake level, or even a larger geographic area comprised of many stakes. But for our
purposes, we should think of Zion as something initiated at the individual or family level—a
feeling or aspiration inside of us that expands our souls and increases our desires to do good<\/span>.<\/p> <\/p>
There is no need for us to hurry or feel rushed in this effort. Time is on our side. Step by
step, little by little, we can move slowly in the pursuit of excellence. The law of consecration is a
lifetime effort, not something accomplished in a single day, or in a single good act. Careful
planning is required along with much prayer and reflection on what the Lord would have us do
with that which He has given us.<\/p>
<\/p>
The personal safety and emotional stability of our families is important, as is the need to
provide our families with food, clothing, shelter, medical care, and education; for surely, a true
man of God would not sacrifice his money in a way that leaves he and his family wanting. So we
have to be wise and careful in the choices we make, even if we have good intentions. Our faith in
God, and our knowledge of how to go about celestial things as individuals, and as a Church, is
not perfect. Timing is important. Good planning is important.<\/p>
<\/p>
On the other hand, many of us in the Church, and most all of us in Utah, are blessed far
beyond the basics of life. We have all that we need and more––clean water, plenty of food to eat,
nice clothing to wear, comfortable homes to protect us, and an economy stronger than most.<\/p>
<\/p>
Safe and wonderfully delicious food is plentiful for us to enjoy every day, but do we even
notice? Just take a look around you! Fast food, home-cooked food from the store, restaurant
food––it’s all unbelievably good if you think about it, particularly if you are on a diet and
counting calories! And it’s getting better and better each passing year, often driven by market
forces in the food industry, safety guidelines, technology advances, and the opportunity to mix
ingredients and the food preparation process together in infinite ways. This one thing alone, a
large and delicious food supply, is ample evidence of how wealthy and prosperous we are as a
people.<\/p>
<\/p>
But we have much more than an abundant food supply. <\/p>
<\/p>
There is an infinite supply of good, affordable clothing for everyone, clothes that are
nice, modern, comfortable, and even stylish. More expensive clothing can even be purchased if
we so desire. One just needs to save up money over time and decide what is affordable. <\/p>
<\/p>
We also enjoy the finest, the most beautiful, and the most advanced home designs ever
created by man. We are kept warm or cool, usually abiding inside our homes or work areas at
perfect temperatures when there are extremes of seasonal weather outside. <\/p>
<\/p>
We have access to educational resources and unlimited amounts of information with a
click of a button. <\/p>
<\/p>
We can move about quickly from place to place anywhere in the world for business or
pleasure. <\/p>
<\/p>
We can communicate in an instant and share information with virtually anyone,
including, most particularly, family members. <\/p>
<\/p>
We know about big news events going on in the world instantaneously.<\/p>
<\/p>
Our lives are filled with entertainment options, so not only are we fed, clothed, and
housed, but we can enjoy our leisure time as well. We can see wonderful movies and hear
beautiful music in our homes and in theaters, amazing moments of life that can be experienced
over and over.<\/p>
<\/p>
So, if we are out of work for a few months, or even for a few years, or if we become
underemployed for an extended period of time, the financial distress may require a lifestyle
change on our part and may put significant stress on us emotionally, but it won’t usually take
away all of these common luxuries and necessities of modern life that we have been given. <\/p>
<\/p>
Take food again, for example. When we experience economic hardship, our fear is almost
never for the want of food itself, but only for the loss of the nicer food to which we have grown
accustomed. Nobody in Utah should go hungry at any time. The amount of fresh food eaten
every day by residents of the state of Utah is probably matched by the excess amount of fresh
food we as families and businesses routinely throw out without even a moment’s thought on our
part—food we could easily share with those in need. There is more than enough good food and
water in Utah to go around. And unlike past generations, technology will continue to improve
our ability to make use more and more of desalinated ocean water, solving at some point the
problems of economics, energy efficiency, and distribution we currently have. The Lord can
surely lend us a hand in this effort (in Utah and in other places around the world) to ensure we
have enough fresh water, just as Carolyn was more than happy to refill the cat dish with fresh
water for Coco. The principle is the same.<\/p>
<\/p>
Our fear is also not for a lack of good clothing. With the exception of growing children,
the clothing we have can usually last and last for years without the need to acquire more...
except, obviously, for purposes of style and appearance, and, also, as a means for us to help
provide jobs for those who make and sell apparel and shoes. It would surely be rare in Utah
today to find someone with urgent clothing needs that are a matter of life and death. And if
indeed there are such persons, he or she is welcome at any local Desert Industries store during
regular business hours where such needs can easily be taken care of. <\/p>
<\/p>
Our fear is not for the want of shelter to protect us from wild animals, rain, snow, wind,
cold, or extreme heat. A bad employment situation may move us into a home or apartment that is
a step down from what we had before, but it will be in most every case, something more than
adequate for our needs. A safe and secure neighborhood, however, is much more of a concern. In
that respect, we could have needs that go unmet for an extended period of time. In any event, the
main principle for us to understand is that a beautifully constructed home is not essential to our
salvation, nor is it an entitlement guaranteed to us by the Lord. We can make do with a modest
home or apartment and still enjoy all of the modern conveniences of life. We can still be happy.<\/p>
Our fear is not for the want of the basics of medical care. Rich kings and queens of past
generations would have been exceedingly grateful to have been able to provide their children
with the basic treatments, vaccines, and medical diagnoses available to us today, even to the
poorest among us. The righteous King Benjamin had no such marvels of medicine to protect his
little boy Mosiah from diseases, nor did Mary and Joseph have all the equipment and staffing of
a modern hospital to help bring the baby Jesus into this world. We do. We have all of this and
more, but still we live in fear. Why? We fear that we will not have the resources to pay for every
possible luxury of modern science that can save us from pain or further extend our lives or the
lives of loved ones. We should certainly try to do everything we can to relieve pain and sustain
life, whether for the young or for the old; but, on the other hand, we should always remember the
lives of past generations of men, women, and children (including the pioneers). They had to
accept the limitations and difficulties of the world they lived in, lacking many of the basics
necessities of life we take for granted today.<\/p>
<\/p>
In our search for happiness, we sometimes become like a cow reaching for the grass just
beyond the fence out of reach, rather than appreciating what we already have all around us.
There is a time to live and a time to die. Medical treatments are valuable, but we should be
humble in our wants and feel gratitude to God for even the smallest blessings received in this
area. <\/p>
<\/p>
The bottom line is that we, the Latter-day Saints living in Utah, are spoiled. We have
forsaken the obedient, innocent, and hopeful natures of small children and acquired instead only
their immature and demanding ones. If we have to do without some of these medical marvels for
reasons of cost or insurance plans, we are still blessed more than we can ever repay, and
certainly blessed way beyond most all of those who came before us. <\/p>
<\/p>
It is, however, possible to get what we need. Just as Carolyn routinely took care of
Coco’s health needs routinely at the local vet, so the Lord is desirous to help us in all of our
medical needs, both in dealing with the costs of care and in being able to receive the quality of
care we pray for. If we can match the perfect hope, humility, and trusting nature of a small kitten,
that is often all the Lord asks in order to lead us to a solution.<\/p>
<\/p>
We often fear for the loss of some of our material possessions, and then we mourn for
them once they are gone—like the Nephites of old mourning for the swords and personal
belongings that had become slippery to them. But the substantial riches we do have, and the
opportunities we have in life to do exciting things, often go completely unnoticed. The pioneers
would have been overwhelmed to have heat controls in their wagons and pull carts, or DVD
players to keep their children’s attention during the long trek. The depth of snow and the weather
outside was not really a consideration for them as to whether they would go sleigh riding or
skiing on the coming weekend; rather, it was usually a source of danger, sometimes determining
whether they lived or died.<\/p>
<\/p>
Relative to the pioneers, and to all the generations of the earth that have come before us,
those of us living today are rich, extremely rich—rich in personal liberties and freedoms, rich in
heritage, rich in education and opportunities to improve ourselves, rich in the finer things of life, <\/p>rich in modern advances that constantly improve the quality of our lives, and rich in knowledge
of the restored gospel. We are a rich and prosperous people of God. <\/span><\/p>
<\/p>
The law of consecration is ready and waiting for us—ready to make us even richer and to
help us succeed in life. It is there to help us save our own souls and to bring celestial joy into the
world to help save the souls of others<\/span>.<\/p> <\/p>
===<\/p>
<\/p>
The following three chapters present three excerpts of Les Miserables<\/i> to help us
appreciate further the plight of the poor among us.<\/p>"}