1. Personal Finance: Another Perspective Another Perspective on Wealth

2. Objectives A. Understand why you need to “Decide to Decide” B. Understand the Key Principles for Understanding and Using Wealth Wisely C. Understand other Gospel Truths about Wealth

3. A. Why “Decide to Decide”? President Spencer W. Kimball said: “We hope we can help our young men and young women to realize, even sooner than they do now, that they need to make certain decisions only once. … We can push some things away from us once and have done with them! We can make a single decision about certain things that we will incorporate in our lives and then make them ours— without having to brood and re-decide a hundred times what it is we will do and what we will not do. “… My young brothers [and sisters], if you have not done so yet, decide to decide!” (Ensign, May 1976, p. 46; italics added.)

4. Why “Decide to Decide”? (continued) Why is perspective important? Elder Neal A. Maxwell commented: We see the world and the people in it differently, because, as C. S. Lewis observed, “it is by the light and illumination of the gospel that we see everything else.“ The gospel is like the lens of a cosmic kaleidoscope that, instead of showing life, man, and the universe as senseless, unconnected fragments, shows us pattern, beauty, and purpose! It is this vision that can give us a special sense of proportion about the things in life that matter most...This perspective can make so many differences in so many ways that, unintentionally, we may be unconscious of the implications of our difference in outlook. (Neal A. Maxwell, “Talk of the Month,” New Era, May 1971, 28.)

5. Questions Any questions on why you need to Decide to Decide?

6. Are there key principles that we should remember when trying to understand wealth? What are those principles? B. Understand the Key Principles for Using Wealth Wisely

7. Principle 1: Ownership 1. Everything we have is the Lord’s The Lord is the creator of the earth (Mosiah 2:21), the supplier of our breath (2 Nephi 9:26), the giver of our knowledge (Moses 7:32) and our abilities (Mosiah 2:21). Nothing we have is our own—its all God’s There should be no feeling of pride for the things we have, are, or will become. Rather, they should encourage greater obedience to God’s commandments as we realize they are gifts from a loving Father in Heaven

8. Principle 2: Stewardship 2. We are stewards over all that the Lord has or will share with us The Lord through the Prophet Joseph Smith stated: “It is expedient that I, the Lord, should make every man accountable, as a steward over earthly blessings, which I have made and prepared for my creatures.” (D&C 104:13) As wise stewards, it is our responsibility to learn everything we can about our stewardship The purpose of this class is to help you understand and manage that stewardship better!

9. Principle 3: Agency 3. We were given our agency by a loving Father in Heaven President Marion G. Romney said: “Agency means the freedom and power to choose and act. Next to life itself, it is man’s most precious inheritance.” (Ensign, May 1976, p. 120.) Instead of feeling pride for our things we have or are We should do everything in our power to thank a loving Father and Son for this wonderful right to choose—and then use that agency wisely!

10. Principle 4: Choice and Accountability 4. We have been blessed with the gift of “choice,” but we will be held accountable for its use The Lord through the prophet Joseph stated: Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness. For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward. (D&C 58: 27-28) An additional purpose of this class is to help and encourage you to make those choices wisely

11. On the subject of what’s really ours, Elder Neal A. Maxwell stated: The submission of one’s will is really the only uniquely personal thing we have to place on God’s altar. The many other things we “give,” brothers and sisters, are actually the things He has already given or loaned to us. However, when you and I finally submit ourselves, by letting our individual wills be swallowed up in God’s will, then we are really giving something to Him! It is the only possession which is truly ours to give! (italics added, “Swallowed Up in the Will of the Father,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 22.) What is really ours?

12. Questions Any questions on the Key Principles for understanding and using wealth wisely?

13. C.Understand Other Gospel Truths About Wealth Ownership Truths 1. Wealth is not a Sign of Righteousness While financial blessings may be a result of righteousness, more often than not the blessings are spiritual. The best sign of righteousness is not wealth, but how well we follow the example of our Savior Do we have His image in our countenances?

14. Ownership Truths (continued) 2. Since God gives us blessings freely, we should share them freely The prophet Jacob taught: “Think of your brethren like unto yourselves, and be familiar with all and free with your substance, that they may be rich like unto you.” (Jacob 2:17) God does not ask us to be rich to help him. God gives us riches so we can show the world and ourselves what we will do with them

15. Stewardship Truths 3. We have not earned the things we possess In D&C 130:20-21 it tells us: “There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated— And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.” Blessings are not earned; rather, they are given by a loving Heavenly Father. We should work as hard as we can to thank our Heavenly Father for all his wonderful blessings.

16. Stewardship Truths (continued) 4. Wealth is not a necessary qualification for service in the Lord's kingdom Of this President Gordon B. Hinckley said: “If that is the perception, I am sorry, because it is a false perception. Out of the experience of nearly a quarter of a century in organizing and reorganizing scores of stakes, I can say that the financial worth of a man was the least of all considerations in selecting a stake president. Wealth and financial success are not criteria for Church service.” (“Tithing: An Opportunity to Prove Our Faithfulness,” Ensign, May 1982, 40.)

17. Agency Truths 5. Wealth can be a Blessing or Curse President N. Eldon Tanner said: “The Lord gave the greatest success formula that I know of : Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (“Constancy Amid Change,” Ensign, Nov. 1979, 80.) President Brigham Young stated: "The worst fear... I have about this people is that they will get rich in this country, forget God and His people, wax fat, and kick themselves out of the Church.... My greatest fear for them is that they cannot stand wealth." (“This Is The Place,” Tambuli, July 1977, 25.)

18. Agency Truths (continued) If wealth is bad, should we ever seek riches? The Nephite Prophet Jacob counseled: "But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God. And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good-to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted.“ (Jacob 2:18-19) Our first goal should be the Kingdom Only then should we seek riches. And we will seek them for the right reasons, to do good, to serve God, to help others

19. Agency Truths (continued) President Gordon B. Hinckley said: The Lord will love us, I think, to the degree to which we lift and bless those in distress. I believe that with all my heart, mind, and soul. The accumulation of means is not a bad endeavor when those means are used to bless the needy of the earth. (Discourses of President Gordon B. Hinckley, Volume 2, Intellectual Reserve, 2005, p. 593)

20. Agency Truths (continued) 6. Love of money (not money) is the root of all evil Elder Theodore M. Burton commented: “Paul did not say that money itself was evil, but that “the love of money is the root of all evil.”(1 Tim. 6:10.) Love of money, status, possessions, or position more than righteousness begets a kind of false pride that must be avoided. That is why the Lord also told us that “if ye seek the riches which it is the will of the Father to give unto you, ye shall be the richest of all people, for ye shall have the riches of eternity,...but beware of pride, lest ye become as the Nephites of old.”” (D&C 38:39) (“A Disease Called Pride,” Ensign, Mar. 1971, 26.)

21. Choice and Motivation Truths 7. Money will not Bring Happiness or Solve your Problems Henrik Ibsen said: "Money may be the husk of many things, but not the kernel. It brings you food, but not appetite; medicine, but not health; acquaintances, but not friends; servants, but not faithfulness; days of joy, but not peace or happiness.“ (in James E. Faust, “Our Search for Happiness,” Ensign, Oct. 2000, 2.) My wife Anne Sudweeks added: “If you can’t be happy without money, you will never be happy with it.”

22. Questions Any questions on these selected gospel truths about wealth?

23. Summary There is another perspective on Wealth that is important for us to understand. It is based on key principles for using and understanding wealth. The principles are: 1. Ownership: Everything we have or are is a gift from God. Remember that it is not ours 2. Stewardship: We are stewards over the things the Lord has blessed us with. We must learn to be better stewards—this class will help 3. Agency: The ability to choose is a God-given gift. Use it wisely 4. Choice and Accountability: We are the final decision makers. We must learn to choose wisely—this class can help - 23 -

24. Summary (continued) It is critical to have a correct perspective on wealth. Remember these truths: Ownership 1. Wealth is not a sign of righteousness 2. Because God shares freely with us, we should share freely with others Stewardship 3. We have not earned the things we enjoy 4. Wealth is not a necessary qualification for service in the Lord's Kingdom

25. Summary (continued) Agency 5. Wealth can be either a blessing or curse 6. The love of money (not money) is the root of evil Choice and Motivation 7. Wealth will not bring happiness nor solve all your problems

26. Review of Objectives A. Do you understand why you need to Decide to Decide? B. Do you understand the Spiritual Foundation for Using Wealth Wisely? C. Do you understand some of the Gospel Truths about Wealth?

27. Review Questions 1.Why is it important to “decide to decide” now? What problems can it help us to avoid? 2.What is the purpose of wealth in our lives? What scriptures support that purpose? 3.What are the four pillars of the spiritual foundation for using wealth wisely? Why are they important? What can we do to incorporate these pillars into our lives now? 4.Some have asked: “If wealth is so bad, should we seek for riches?” What did the prophet Jacob in Jacob 2:18-19 say about this question? What should we seek for first?

28. Possible Answers 1.Now is a critical time in your lives. If you can make the decisions now that will lead to financial self reliance in the future, you will be so much farther ahead in life. Prepare now by becoming a wise financial steward and you will avoid many of the problems of those who do not understand the place of wealth in their lives: debt, bankruptcy, failed marriages, poverty, etc.

29. Possible Answers 2. The Nephite Prophet Jacob shared with us the purpose of wealth in our lives. He counseled us that if we seek wealth, we should do it for the right reason: “After ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good-to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted.“ (Jacob 2:18-19) Riches are to help us to fulfill our missions here on earth, to raise righteous families, to move the kingdom forward, to help and serve others. Remember D&C 14:7 and 11:7: “Behold, he that hath eternal life is rich.”

30. Possible Answers 3. The four pillars are: 1. Ownership Everything we have or are is a gift from God. It is important as the things we have are not ours, but are on loan. We can incorporate this into our lives by learning that when we share with others, we are only giving back to God what was His in the first place.

31. Possible Answers 2. Stewardship We are stewards over the things the Lord has blessed us with. It is important as we must learn to be better stewards over our blessings as we will be held accountable. We can incorporate this into our lives by learning as much as we can so that we can become the best stewards we can over the blessings our Heavenly Father shares with us.

32. Possible Answers 3. Agency The ability to choose is a God-given gift. It is important as we need to use this gift wisely so we can return and live with God eternally. We can incorporate this in our lives by studying all areas of our decisions and decision making processes so we can make the best decisions possible.

33. Possible Answers 4. Choice and Accountability We are the final decision makers in life. It is important as we must learn to choose wisely. We can incorporate this into our lives by setting good goals and then by making wise choices to help us attain those goals.

34. Possible Answers 4. The prophet Jacob said seeking for riches is OK “if” we first seek the Kingdom of God, and if we seek riches for the right intent--for righteous purposes. "But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God. "And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good-to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted". First, we should seek for the Kingdom of God.