ELDER JAMES E. FAUST 23

Genealogical Data Man-days of labor donated to Names cleared in 1985 for temple Welfare Services 244,766 endowments 10,552,130 Bishop's orders from storehouses 344,562 Temples Number of endowments performed Prominent Members Who Have during 1985: Passed Away Since Last April For the living 54,554 For the dead 4,857,052 President Spencer W. Kimball, at age Temples in operation 37 twelfth President of the Church, Temples planned or under ninety, on November 5, 1985; Elder construction 10 Bruce R. McConkie, a member of the Temples closed during the year Council of the Twelve Apostles; P. wife of Elder for renovation 1 Norma Anderson, Five temples were dedicated and one ; Dorothy C. Stone, rededicated in 1985. wife of Elder O. Leslie Stone; and Richard P. Condie, director of the Salt Lake Tabernacle Choir for seventeen Church Educational System years. Total enrollment during 1984-85 school year: Seminaries and Institutes, including President Monson special programs 349,827 Thank you, Brother Edling and Church schools and Brother Watson. colleges 45,558 It will now be our opportunity to Continuing education 366,257 hear from Elder James E. Faust, a member of the Council of the Twelve Welfare Services Apostles. He will be our first speaker, Persons assisted Social by LDS and he will be followed by Bishop Services 82,804 Glenn L. Pace, Second Counselor in Persons placed in gainful the Presiding Bishopric. employment 34,552

Elder James E. Faust

Care for poor and needy, and help themselves" (in Conference Re- become self-reliant port, Oct. 1936, p. 3). Some of us are children of the I wish to speak of the basic prin- Great Depression in the United States ciples that keep our feet on the ground over fifty years ago. Most of us who economically. This is important to our passed through that period will never happiness. Let us examine ourselves forget the difficult economic times al- and, like pilots in the sky, take our most everyone experienced. At that bearings to see if we are on course fi- time many banks failed; people lost nancially. We must build upon sound their life's savings; a great many were principles. The bedrock principle of unemployed, and some of them lost which I speak is that the responsibility their homes because they could not pay for welfare rests with me and my fam- the mortgage. Many went hungry. If ily. In 1936 the First Presidency said in we didn't eat our oatmeal cereal for a great statement of purpose, "The aim breakfast, we would often have it fried of the Church is to help the people to for lunch or dinner. Such widespread 24 GENERAL CONFERENCE

Saturday, April 5 First Day

economic problems could come again. tices described as "leverage," "credit But any of us, at any time, could meet wealth," and "borrow yourself rich." with a personal calamity, such as sick- Such practices may work successfully ness or an accident, which could limit for some, but at best they succeed only or destroy our income. for a time. An economic reversal al- The purpose of the welfare pro- ways seems to come, and many who gram is to care for the poor and the have followed such practices find needy and make the members of the themselves in financial ruin and their Church, by their obedience to gospel lives in shambles. principles, strong and self-reliant. At Elder stated: "A the center of caring for the poor and the large proportion of families with per- needy in a worldwide church is a gener- sonal debt have no liquid assets what- ous contribution to the fast offerings, soever to fall back upon. What troubles and personal and family preparedness. they invite if their income should be At the very heart of taking care of our suddenly cut off or seriously reduced! own needs is our own energy and abil- We all know of families who have ob- ity, with help to and from our own ligated themselves for more than they families. could pay" (Pay Thy Debt, and Live, I should like to discuss five pre- University Speeches scriptions which, if followed, will of the Year [Provo, 28 Feb. 1963], make each of us better able to control p. 10). our destinies. Owning a home free of debt is an important goal of provident living, al- First prescription: Practice thrift though it may not be a realistic possibil- and frugality ity for some. A mortgage on a home leaves a family unprotected against se- There is a wise old saying: "Eat it vere financial storms. Homes that are up, wear it out, make it do, or do with- free and clear of mortgages and liens out." Thrift is a practice of not wasting cannot be foreclosed on. When there

anything. Some people are able to get are good financial times, it is the most by because of the absence of expense. opportune time to retire our debts and They have their shoes resoled, they pay installments in advance. It is a truth patch, they mend, they sew, and they that "the borrower is servant to the save money. They avoid installment lender" (Proverbs 22:7). buying, and make purchases only after Many young people have become saving enough to pay cash, thus avoid- so hypnotized by the rhythm of ing interest charges. Frugality means to monthly payments they scarcely think practice careful economy. (See Web- of the total cost of what they buy.

ster's New World Dictionary, 2d. col- They immediately want things it took lege edition.) their parents years to acquire. It is not The old couplet "Waste not, want the pathway to happiness to assume not" still has much merit. Frugality re- debts for a big home, an expensive car, quires that we live within our income or the most stylish clothes just so we and save a little for a rainy day, which can "keep up with the Joneses." Pay- always seems to come. It means avoid- ment of obligations is a sacred trust. ing debt and carefully limiting credit Most of us will never be rich, but we purchasing. It is important to learn to can feel greatly unburdened when we distinguish between wants and needs. It are debt-free. takes self-discipline to avoid the "buy now, later" pay philosophy and to Second prescription: Seek to be adopt the "save now and buy later" independent practice.

There are some investment coun- The Lord said that it is important selors who urge speculative credit prac- for the Church to "stand independent ELDER JAMES E. FAUST 25

above all other creatures beneath the mind. It includes family solidarity and celestial world" (D&C 78:14). Mem- spiritual increase" (in Conference Re- bers of the Church are also counseled to port, Oct. 1979, p. 119; or Ensign, be independent. Independence means Nov. 1979, p. 81). many things. It means being free of It is my firm belief, after many drugs that addict, habits that bind, and years of close observation, that those diseases that curse. It also means being who honestly pay their tithes and free of personal debt and of the interest offerings do prosper and get along bet- and carrying charges required by debt ter in almost every way. It is my testi- the world over. mony that in discharging this debt to the President J. Reuben Clark's Lord, one enjoys great personal satis- classic statement on interest bears faction. Unfortunately this great satis- repeating: faction will be known only by those "Interest never sleeps nor sickens who have the faith and strength to keep nor dies; it never goes to the hospital; this commandment. it works on Sundays and holidays; it never takes a vacation; it never visits Third presciption: Be industrious nor travels; it takes no pleasure; it is never laid off work nor discharged from To be industrious involves ener- employment; it never works on reduced getically managing our circumstances to hours; it never has short crops nor to our advantage. It also means be of droughts; it never pays taxes; it buys no enterprising and to take advantage re- food; it wears no clothes; it is unhoused opportunities. Industry requires and without home and so has no re- sourcefulness. A good idea can be pairs, no replacements, no shingling, worth years of struggle. plumbing, painting, or whitewashing; A friend who owned some fertile sister his it has neither wife, children, father, fields complained to his about mother, nor kinfolk to watch over and lack of means. "What about your

care for; it has no expense of living; it crops?" asked the sister. The impover- has neither weddings nor births nor ished man replied, "There was so little there deaths; it has no love, no sympathy; it snow in the mountains, I thought is as hard and soulless as a granite cliff. would be a drought, so I did not plant." Once in debt, interest is your compan- As it turned out, unforeseen spring ion every minute of the day and night; rains made the crops bountiful for those you cannot shun it or slip away from it; industrious enough to plant. It is a de- you cannot dismiss it; it yields neither nial of the divinity within us to doubt to entreaties, demands, or orders; and our potential and our possibilities. whenever you get in its way or cross its The great poet Virgil said, "They course or fail to meet its demands, it conquer who believe they can" (Inter- crushes you" (in Conference Report, national Dictionary of Thoughts, F. Apr., 1938, p. 103). comp. John P. Bradley, Leo Extended economic dependence Daniels, Thomas C. Jones [Chicago: humiliates a man if he is strong, and J.C. Ferguson Publishing Co., 1969], debilitates him if he is weak. p. 661). Alma testified, speaking of a Payment of our tithes and offer- just God, "I know that he granteth unto ings can help us become independent. men according to their desire" President Nathan Eldon Tanner said: (Alma 29:4). "Paying tithing is discharging a debt to To be industrious involves work. It involves creativity. It also involves the Lord. . . . "If we obey this commandment, rest. It includes both aspects of Sabbath we are promised that we will 'prosper day observance. On the one hand, we in the land.' This prosperity consists of are to labor six days. On the other hand, more than material goods—it may in- we are to rest one day. This rest will clude enjoying good health and vigor of leave us with more energy and re- 26 GENERAL CONFERENCE

Saturday, April 5 First Day

sources to make the rest of the week year's supply of luxury items, but find more productive and fruitful. it more practical to store staples that might keep us from starving in case of Fourth prescription: Become emergency. Surely we all hope that the self-reliant hour of need will never come. Some have said, "We have followed this I have always admired those who counsel in the past and have never had have the ability and skills to make need to use our year's supply, so we things with their hands. When those have difficulty keeping this in mind as skills were passed out in the previous a major priority." Perhaps following world, I must have been out to lunch. this counsel could be the reason why The ability to make repairs around the they have not needed to use their re- home, to improvise, to take care of our serve. By continued rotation of the sup- own machinery, to keep our auto- ply it can be kept usable with no waste. mobiles running, is not only an eco- The Church cannot be expected to nomic advantage, but it also provides provide for every one of its millions of much emotional resilience. members in case of public or personal President Spencer W. Kimball disaster. It is therefore necessary that counseled: "I hope that we understand each home and family do what they can that, while having a garden, for in- to assume the responsibility for their stance, is often useful in reducing food own hour of need. If we do not have the costs and making available delicious resources to acquire a year's supply, fresh fruits and vegetables, it does then we can strive to begin with having much more than this. Who can gauge one month's supply. I believe if we are the value of that special chat between provident and wise in the management daughter and Dad as they weed or water of our personal and family affairs and the garden? How do we evaluate the are faithful, God will sustain us through good that comes from the obvious les- our trials. He has revealed: "For the sons of planting, cultivating, and the earth is full, and there is enough and to eternal law of the harvest? And how do spare; yea, I prepared all things, and we measure the family togetherness have given unto the children of men to and cooperating that must accompany be agents unto themselves" successful canning? Yes, we are laying (D&C 104:17). up resources in store, but perhaps the Much of our own well-being is greater good is contained in the lessons bound up in caring for others. Good of life we learn as we live providently King Benjamin, speaking through the and extend to our children their pioneer pages of the Book of Mormon, coun- heritage" (in Conference Report, Oct. sels, "I would that ye should impart of 1977, p. 125; or Ensign, Nov. 1977, your substance to the poor, every man p. 78). This heritage includes teaching according to that which he hath, such as our children how to work. feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and administering to Fifth prescription: Strive to have a their relief, both spiritually and tempo- year's supply of food and clothing rally, according to their wants" (Mosiah 4:26). The counsel to have a year's sup- ply of basic food, clothing, and com- A lamp to light the way modities was given fifty years ago and has been repeated many times since. You may ask, "How can I discern Every father and mother are the fam- which of the prophetic utterances of ily's storekeepers. They should store this conference have a particular mes- whatever their own family would like sage for me?" My answer is, you can to have in the case of an emergency. know. You can know by the whisper- Most of us cannot afford to store a ings of the Holy Spirit if you righ- BISHOP GLENN L. PACE 27

teously and earnestly seek to know. ised that they who are wise and "have Your own inspiration will be an un- taken the Holy Spirit for their guide" erring vibration through the compan- will have the earth given unto them ionship of the Holy Ghost. As the Lord (D&C 45:57-58). It is further prom- spoke to Elijah, this will come, not in ised that "the Lord shall be in their the great strong wind, nor in the earth- midst, and his glory shall be upon quake, nor in the fire, but in a still, them, and he will be their king and their small voice. (See 1 Kings 19:11-12.) lawgiver" (D&C 45:59). May it ever be This will help us, if necessary, to make so I pray humbly in the name of Jesus the required change in our lives and Christ, amen. life-styles to get onto a sure course.

The parable of the ten virgins , five President Monson wise and five foolish, has both a spiri- tual and a temporal application. Each of Elder James E. Faust, a member us has a lamp to light the way, but it of the Council of the Twelve Apostles, requires that every one of us put the oil has just spoken to us. in our own lamps to produce that light. We shall now hear from Bishop It is not enough to sit idly by and say, Glenn L. Pace, Second Counselor in "The Lord will provide." He has prom- the Presiding Bishopric.

Bishop Glenn L. Pace

Meetings with President Marion G. President Romney leaned across his Romney desk with that twinkle in his eye and with a chuckle in his voice said, Five years ago I was asked to be "Brother Pace, am I getting the impres- the managing director of the Welfare sion you think you have something bet- Services Department of the Church. ter to do?" Within a few days I received a phone call from President Marion G. Purpose of welfare program Romney. He said, "Brother Pace, do

you know anything about welfare?" How I cherish those precious ses- Under the circumstances, this was sions spent with a man who has dedi- a sobering question, and I responded, cated fifty years of service to the "President, I'm sure I have much to kingdom, especially in the area of wel- learn." fare. He helped me to know President He asked me to set aside 3:00 p.m. Harold B. Lee, President J. Reuben each Friday for a meeting with him in Clark, and other great leaders who em- which we could discuss welfare prin- phasized the principles of welfare. I ciples. was counseled to measure all recom- When I arrived at his office on the mendations by the stated purpose of the first Friday, President Romney's secre- welfare program as given by President tary went into his office and an- Heber J. Grant in 1936. is nounced, "Glenn Pace here, President Romney would quote it President." from memory: "Our primary purpose He replied, "Oh yes, I'd like to see was to set up, in so far as it might be him, if he doesn't stay too long." possible, a system under which the On my second visit, with "if he curse of idleness would be done away doesn't stay too long" still ringing in with, the evils of a dole abolished, and my ears, I covered two items and then independence, industry, thrift and self started shuffling my feet and papers, respect be once more established subtly signaling I was ready to leave. amongst our people. The aim of the