Thursday, December 22, 2011

Subsidized Programs

It was my first sabbath  in Dunkerque, France.  My companion and I arrived at the building where church was held only to be greeted by an older woman.  (Yes, she was probably in her fifties, but considering I was 24 or so at the time I thought she was older, much older than myself!  Funny how my perspective has changed!)  She asked my companion where Elder so and so was.  My companion explained he had left the city.  No need to explain to her about missionary transfer day!  As we went into the building I asked my companion what that was all about. She explained that the missionary would give this woman a small amount of money each Sunday.  No more was said.  After our church meetings we 6 missionaries had lunch together in  this same building.  We had tons of food!!  We were just finishing up the meal when the parlez phone rang.  The district leader (the young missionary in charge of our group)  answered.  It was the 'older woman' wanting to know if we had any left over food we could possibly give her. Yes, we did have left over food.  No, he would not give her any. He told her no and hung up.   My face must have said it all.  He looked at me and explained:  "Elder so and so trained this woman to beg now she needs to be untrained."  No more was said, but I had a question that required an answer.  Was this District Leaders way of thinking right?  After all he was my priesthood leader.  But my gut told me what he did was wrong.  I posed this question all day long and that evening when I returned to my apartment still seeking answers I opened my Book of Mormon and voila it opened right to this scripture!  I had my answer.

"And also, ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need of your succor; ye will administer of your substance unto him that standeth in need; and ye will not suffer that the beggar putteth up his petition to you in vain, and turn him out to perish.


Perhaps thou shalt say: The man has brought upon himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand, and will not give unto him of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not suffer, for his punishments are just—


But I say unto you, O man, whosoever doeth this the same hath great cause to repent; and except he repenteth of that which he hath done he perisheth forever, and hath no interest in the kingdom of God.

For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind?"  Mosiah 4: 16-19

That answered my question!  Yes, the Lord loves an inquiring mind and He will always answer our questions.

In a nutshell on government subsidized programs.  I am fiercely independent when it comes to taking care of myself.  I also fiercely believe in helping out those less fortunate.  We are NOT all created equal. Yes, yes I know  lots of people say we are enabling them to be lazy or to remain addicted to drugs, but if I am going to errror let it be on the side of kindness and compassion.  I am more annoyed by those same people who complain  who have no problem using the system to benefit themselves.  My mother in law worked for years as secretary of Farmers Home Administration. She was a Democrat.  She always made the comment: "The republican farmers are first in line for  assistance."  I work in the school system and we have a lot who use the subsidized lunch program.  I live in a Republican  town and State.  If you are Republican and you are opposed to the government assisted programs fine.  But do NOT use them to your advantage while complaining about others who use it to theirs.

I will end on another true story. It was Halloween 2008.  I dressed up as a Democrat.  Red , white, and blue attire with an Obama button. To my knowledge I was the only democrat at our school.  Mormons generally tend to be Republicans.  I also had 'handouts'.  A 100 grand candy bar taped to a paper.  Yes, I was giving out 100 grand to my co-workers!  All but one partook of my democratic handout!  Bless her heart, she is a die hard Republican.  Pretty representative of the party if you ask me.

My father use to tell me:  "The Republicans are for the rich getting richer and the Democrats are for the working man."  To this day I sincerely believe what my father taught me.  Yes, I consider myself a conservative Democrat, but I would never no never consider myself a liberal Republican.  Never!  Stay tuned tomorrow for my finale on politics.  So glad it is coming to an end!

1 comment:

  1. Wise woman! What more can be said -- absolutely nothing. Zip, zero, nada!!! You hit the nail on the head, my dear.
    Scott

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