Measuring the Cost: Life Balance

This lesson was full of learning and pondering on the strategies reviewed throughout this week. Something that stood out from President Thomas S. Monson’s Formula to Success are: 1. Fill your heart with love. 2. Fill your mind with truth. 3. Fill your mind with success.  President Monson taught that we have the responsibility to learn, understand, and live the word of God. “Missionaries should go forward knowing that they are in the service f God… as they share their testimonies…” President Monson declared. He further said: “I thank the Lord for the love he demonstrated by providing his life, that we might have life eternal.”

  

In addition, the following stood out key points discussed in the article titled “Balancing Your Life and Your Career Successfully” by Randy Komisar. One of the key elements that Komisar outlines in this article is to stay ethical and never put ourselves in a situation where we can not say no and cut back. We need to maintain a balanced life as priorities change. During this process, Komisar recommends seeking help from those people who know and respect us.

  

Another great reading this week was through an “Attitude on Money” by Stephen W. Gibson.

What is my attitude toward money? I believe that at home, money management between husband and wife should be on a partnership basis, with both parties having a voice in decision and policy making. When the children come of age of accountability, they too should be involved in money concerns on a limited basis. We taught our children the importance of working and earning money. Our children had chores and served others. Later in their life, they learned to look for employment and earn to save for rainy days. I learned through reading this article that money can make good men better, but also makes bad men worse. It is evident the terrible things that money can do in the hands of wrong people. Also, I learned what money can do in the hands of good people as it is in the case of Church leaders, Brother Huntsman, Bette and Stephen Gibson, and many other good people.

What can your view about money affect the way you live?

In my life, my wife and I pay our tithings as soon as we receive our income; so that we never see this money as we believe it is the Lord’s money. Also, we have learned that self-discipline and self-restraint are critical in all money matters and financial decisions within the family. My wife and I have learned together all money-management skills in spirit of cooperation and love. We have learned to carefully use and possibly avoid as much as possible installment of line of credits and have taken advantage of the power of savings, when possible. Our family uses a current family budget to monitor all our monthly expenses versus income.

What rules are recommended for prospering?

I enjoyed reading and learning the rules for prospering:

1. Seek the Lord and have hope in him.
2. Keep the commandment, that includes the temporal ones, tithings and fast offerings.
3. Think about money and plan how you can become self-reliant.
4. Take advantage of chances for learning so you will not be ignorant of these matters. Education is the key to opportunity.
5. Learn the laws upon which the blessings of wealth are predicated.
6. Do not send way the naked, the hungry, the thirsty or the sick of those who are held captive.