Why Is Work An Important Gospel Principle?

Did you know work is a Commandment?The Lord has commanded us not to be idle.

Galatians 6:4-5

4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.

 5 For every man shall bear his own burden.

1 Thessalonians 4:11

 11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;

Avoid idleness....The Lord has commanded us not to be idle.

Idleness can lead to inappropriate behavior, damaged relationships, and sin. One form of idleness is spending excessive amounts of time in activities that keep you from productive work, such as using the Internet, playing video games, and watching television. (FTSOY)

Learn how to work...One important need I see for you, today’s

young people, is to learn how to work. Everyone needs to feel at least partially self-sustaining and self-supporting, and I wonder whether these feelings may be slipping away or ignored. (Elder Stephen Oveson)

Work VS. Fun In many cases, today’s teens have traded skilled

work for activities that are merely fun. But those who successfully seek out job opportunities gain a sense of accomplishment and security that is far superior to merely having fun. Through successful work experiences while you are young, you will begin to feel that you can support a family and help build the kingdom of God on the earth. (Elder Oveson)

Opportunities are everywhere I see opportunities everywhere

for young people to work. For example, I’ve often seen “Help Wanted” signs, and I’ve observed the difficulties of trying to find a good babysitter and of locating someone who wants to mow lawns. (Elder Oveson)

A blessing to others...Developing the capacity to work helps us

contribute to the world in which we live.

How I admire men, women, and children who know how to work! How

the Lord loves the laborer! Those who are unafraid to roll up their

sleeves and lose themselves in the pursuit of worthwhile goals are a blessing to their families,

communities, nations, and to the Church.(October 2009, President

Uchtdorf)

Work is a doorway to possibilities...“Work is an antidote for anxiety, an

ointment for sorrow, and a doorway to possibility. Whatever our circumstances in life, let us do the best we can and cultivate a reputation for excellence in all that we do. Let us set our minds and bodies to the glorious opportunity for work that each new day presents.” (President Uchtdorf)

Work can improve our livesAs a child President Uchtdorf

experienced great trials as his family escaped East Germany...

“It wasn’t easy, but the work kept us from dwelling too much on the difficulties of our circumstances. Although our situation didn’t change overnight, it did change. That’s the thing about work. If we simply keep at it—steady and constant—things certainly will improve.” (President Uchtdorf)

Work blesses our familiesWork brings an increased sense of self-worth. It

blesses us and our families, both now and in the future.

“If we devote ourselves to the pursuit of worldly wealth and the glitter of public recognition at the expense of our families and our spiritual growth, we will discover soon enough that we have made a fool’s bargain. The righteous work we do within the walls of our homes is most sacred; its benefits are eternal in nature. “ (President Uchtdorf)

Work is...Do you think of work as an opportunity

or as something you want to avoid?

Vs.

Have a good attitude...One afternoon I was hoeing

weeds with a friend. I was complaining and moaning and groaning about the hard work, but he looked at me and said, “You know, you really need to consider that if we weren’t doing this, we might be doing something worse.” That was his attitude. He was always happy doing any type of work because he knew he could be doing something worse. I have tried to reflect that attitude in every job I have had since that time. (Elder Stephen Oveson)

No substitute for work...There Is No Substitute for Work

Building a strong family takes hard work, and part of that work is teaching our children how to work. Though some may see work as something to avoid, the gospel teaches that working for and with our families brings great blessings. God Himself calls His plan for His children “my work and my glory” (Moses 1:39).

Teach children to work...One of parents’ most important responsibilities

is to teach their children to work. Even young children can begin to experience the benefits of working when they are involved in household chores and in service to others. (Bishop Burton)

Make work a habit...President Monson

learned from his father how to work in business and began his first part-time job when he was

14, working in the printing shop that his

father managed. President Monson relates that after age 14, there

have not been many days in his life—other

than Sundays—when he didn’t work. “When you

learn to work while you’re young, the habit

stays with you,” he says.

Begins in the home...Learning to work begins in the

home. Help your family by willingly participating in the work necessary to maintain a home. (FTSOY)

Work to accomplish goals...Set high goals for yourself, and be willing to

work hard to achieve them. Develop self-discipline, and be dependable. Do your best in your Church callings, schoolwork, employment, and other worthwhile pursuits. (FTSOY)

Heavenly Father’s Guidance

Heavenly Father has given you gifts and talents and knows what you are capable of achieving. Seek His help and guidance as you work to achieve your goals. (FTSOY)

God has work for you to do...Remember that

God has a great work for you to do. He will bless you in your efforts to accomplish that work. (FTSOY)

Do YOUR best!...The Lord doesn’t expect us to work

harder than we are able. He doesn’t (nor should we) compare our efforts to those of others. Our Heavenly Father asks only that we do the best we can—that we work according to our full capacity, however great or small that may be.

Self Reliance...One of the blessings of work is

developing self-reliance. When you are self-reliant, you use the blessings and abilities God has given you to care for yourself and your family and to find solutions for your own problems. (FTSOY)

Self Reliance...Self-reliance does not

mean that you must be able to do all things on your own. To be truly self-reliant, you must learn how to work with others and turn to the Lord for His help and strength. (FTSOY)

Work is an instrumentWork builds and refines

character, creates beauty, and is the instrument of our service to one another and to God.

(Elder D. Todd Christofferson)

Live by what we have learned...

How can we live what we learned today?

Work hard in school. Set goals and work hard to achieve them. Help siblings with their homework.

Help more with household chores, cook meals at home, get a part-time job, or volunteer with a local service organization.

Work hard to gain a testimony. Set spiritual goals for yourself.

Complete one or more of the following in Personal Progress: Knowledge value project 1, Choice and Accountability value project 5.