The text of the conference talks was posted online today, and I was just studying some of the talks from priesthood session, as I wasn’t able to watch that one here since it’s not transmitted over the internet. I’ve been loving President Hinckley’s and President Faust’s talks as I’ve studied them, especially President Faust’s. I love this bit where President Faust was talking about professions:
“How you provide for your family is your decision. Acquiring a skill is a good way to pay the bills, but there really ought to be something more in terms of personal involvement. Do not become so preoccupied with the material things of life that you lose the essence of your humanity. You may recall Dickens's character Jacob Marley, who lamented his obsession with work when he exclaimed: ‘Business? . . . Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business.’ Each of us ought to play some role in strengthening society, especially in doing the work of God.”
Amen, brother. I hope to be able to live up to that. I hope to be able to grow up, as President Faust says, to be “a man of God.” My mission president used that phrase a fair amount, to refer to men like Nephi and the Prophet Joseph. As I would listen to him speak during mission conferences, I couldn’t think of anyone that I considered more a Christlike, humble, loving man of God than my mission president. I can’t think of a compliment that I would treasure more dearly than to be able to be considered like he is—to be a man of God.
1 comment:
My dad, the other English major in the family, used to quote "...Mankind was my business" all the time when I was growing up to us kids, ever reminding us to be careful we don't neglect the important things in life...those that aren't "things." I completely agree that finding personal meaning in work through service is infinitely more important that material things. And I like your thoughts on being called a "man" or "woman of God." I think it's expecially powerful in the context of King Benjamin's speech, "that ye may know when ye are in the service of your *fellow beings*, ye are only in the service of your *God*."
You're right--Ghandi held to this title reverently and fervently. What you said made so much sense to me yesterday: how beautiful, fulfilling (to say nothing of responsible!)to acknowledge our religious motivation undergirding our ideas for change, service, and everything we do. Puts a whole new spin on why to avoid the Hellenistic caveat of an "unexamined life."
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