Over the years we have been commanded to be prepared by becoming self-reliant both temporally and spiritually. An untiring counsel has always been brought to our attention to keep a Home Storage or slowly but gradually increase our supply of water and food according to our abilities.
As I was reading and pondering this message by President Marion G. Romney from the March 2009 issue of the ENSIGN, i thought and had felt impressed to share some of the inspiring words President Romney had left us to understand the celestial nature of SELF RELIANCE and how doing our responsibility as Visiting Teachers is actually an opportunity to becoming spiritually self-reliant and Slowly but gradually we can increase our ability to serve others as we perform our duty.As President Marion G. Romney said:
"THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR SPIRITUAL NATURE SHOULD CONCERN US MOST.SPIRITUALITY IS THE HIGHEST ACQUISITION OF THE SOUL, THE DIVINE IN MAN; THE SUPREME, CROWNING GIFT THAT MAKES HIM KING OF ALL CREATED THINGS. IT IS THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF VICTORY OVER SELF AND OF COMMUNION WITH THE INFINITE. IT IS SPIRITUALITY ALONE WHICH REALLY GIVES ONE THE BEST IN LIFE."
MARCH 2009, ENSIGN, President Marion G. Romney, The Celestial Nature of Self-Reliance
Doctrine and Covenants 29:34-35 tells us there is no such thing as a temporal commandment, that all commandments are spiritual. It also tells us that man is to be "an agent unto himself." Man cannot be an agent unto himself if he is not self-reliant. Herein we see that independence and self-reliance are critical to our spiritual growth. Whenever we get into a situation which threatens our self-reliance, we will find our freedom threatened as well. If we increase our dependence, we will find an immediate decrease in our freedom to act.Thus far, we should have learned that self-reliance is a prerequisite to the complete freedom to act. We have also learned, however, that there is nothing spiritual in self-reliance unless we make the right choices with that freedom. What, then, should we do once we have become self-reliant in order to grow spiritually?
"The key to making self-reliance spiritual is in using the freedom to comply with God's commandments. The scriptures are very clear in their command that it is the duty of those who have, to give to those who are in need."
JACOB 2:17-19> "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."
"But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God."
"And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall contain riches, if ye 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."
DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS 42:29-30> "If thou lovest me thou shalt serve me and keep all my commandments."
"And behold thou wilt remember the poor, consecrate of thy properties for their support."
DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS 44:6> Behold I say unto you, that ye must visit the poor and the needy and administer to their relief.
"Service is not something we endure on this earth so we can earn the right to live in the celestial kingdom. Service is the very fiber of which an exalted life in the celestial kingdom is made.
Without self-reliance one cannot exercise these innate desires to serve. How can we give if there is nothing there? Food for the hungry cannot come from empty shelves. Money to assist the needy cannot come from an empty purse. Support and understanding cannot come from the emotionally starved. Teaching cannot come from the unlearned. And most important of all, spiritual guidance cannot come from the spiritually weak.
