Gospel Principles Manual
“Work and Personal Responsibility”
Lesson 27 p. 155-160
Sister Crowther
We Are Commanded to Work
Work has been the way of life on earth since Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden. The Lord said to Adam, “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread” (Genesis 3:19). Adam and Eve worked in the fields so they could provide for their own needs and the needs of their children (see Moses 5:1). The Lord said to the people of Israel, “Six days shalt thou labour” (Exodus 20:9). It's important for us to work, learn so we can teach our children and if we do right things to do, we can live back with Heavenly Father.
Family Responsibility
Parents work together to provide for the physical, spiritual, and emotional well-being of their family. They should never expect anyone to take care of this responsibility for them. The Apostle Paul wrote, “If any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith” (1 Timothy 5:8). Children should do their part in the work of the family. It is necessary for children to have work assignments to fit their abilities. They need to be praised for their successes. Good work attitudes, habits, and skills are learned through successful experiences in the home.
We can always teach our children to do their own duties, like clean their bedrooms, empty dishwasher, throwing the garbages out, pick up the toys and more. so they can learn to live on their own in future. Also we as a family help cleaning our church bldg. It's a good experience for the children and parents. So we can keep our house clean like a temple and church.
Also to learn how to pull weeds, mowing the lawn, and watering the flowers and yard work. My children loves helping their grandpa Crowther at the farm. They loves getting eggs from chicken, feeding the cows.
We Can Enjoy Our Work
To some people work is a drudgery. To others it is an exciting part of life. One way to enjoy life’s fullest benefits is to learn to love work.
Not all of us can choose the kind of work we do. Some of us labor for long hours for the bare necessities. It is difficult to enjoy such work. Yet the happiest people have learned to enjoy their work, whatever it is.
We can help one another in our work. The heaviest load becomes lighter when someone shares it.
I want to share this story.
The following story shows how one man saw beyond his daily labor. A traveler passed a stone quarry and saw three men working. He asked each man what he was doing. Each man’s answer revealed a different attitude toward the same job. “I am cutting stone,” the first man answered. The second replied, “I am earning three gold pieces per day.” The third man smiled and said, “I am helping to build a house of God.”
It's interesting how to responded.
God Condemns Idleness
The Lord is not pleased with those who are lazy or idle. He said, “The idler shall not have place in the church, except he repent and mend his ways” (D&C 75:29). He also commanded, “Thou shalt not be idle; for he that is idle shall not eat the bread nor wear the garments of the laborer” (D&C 42:42). As far as they are able, all Church members should accept the responsibility to care for their relatives who are unable to provide for themselves.
Work, Recreation, and Rest
We should each find the proper balance between work, recreation, and rest. There is an old saying: “Doing nothing is the hardest work of all, because one can never stop to rest.” Without work, rest and relaxation have no meaning.
Not only is it pleasant and necessary to rest, but we are commanded to rest on the Sabbath day (see Exodus 20:10; D&C 59:9–12). This day of rest after each six days of labor brings refreshment for the days that follow. The Lord also promises the “fulness of the earth” to those who observe the Sabbath day (see D&C 59:16–20; see also chapter 24 in this book). On other days of the week, in addition to working, we may spend time to improve our talents and enjoy our hobbies, recreation, or other activities that will refresh us.
The Blessings of Work
President David O. McKay said, “Let us realize that the privilege to work is a gift, that the power to work is a blessing, that the love of work is success” (Pathways to Happiness [1957], 381).
“Men are, that they might have joy” (2 Nephi 2:25). Work is a key to full joy in the plan of God. If we are righteous, we will return to live with our Heavenly Father, and we will have work to do. As we become like Him, our work will become like His work. His work is “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39).
