Attitude on Money

This week we were asked to read talks and watch stories about money and happiness.  Many of the presenters had differing opinions on how it was achieved, but the majority of them did agree that money does not buy happiness unless you are using it to help others.

One of the talks was called, "Attitude on Money” by Stephen W. Gibson.  I felt he had two main points, first, that we all have a distorted view of money, whether it is distorted by our own thoughts or those around us.  It could be as minimally distorted as people should pay tithing to as large as the only way to get to heaven is to give all of our money away.  Mr. Gibson gave an example of glasses and how they distort the way things are seen even though that distortion makes what you see as perfectly clear, to someone else it is completely blurry.  But either way it is a distortion of what is really there.  His other, more important, point, in my opinion, is that money can be used for good or evil, but money itself is not evil.  We can spend time earning a lot of money.  But what is important is what we do with that money, do we use it for ourselves to buy large mansions or do we use it for others to build schools or for others to buy bombs?  One is good for just me, while the other is good for others and the last one is technically bad for all.  

We were asked to answer the following questions:

• What is your attitude toward money?
• Honestly, mine is a love/hate relationship.  I have always said that.  I need it, so I want to get enough for my needs.  Plus I really do want to do things or use the money in a way to help others.  But I find myself obsessing over it sometimes.  Not necessarily on how to get more, well some of that, mostly because I really want to pay off the two credit cards that we currently have, so I am always trying to think of ways we can cut back on costs or increase income so we can use the money to pay off our debt.  I don't like it having control over me. I want to be able to control it a lot better.  I am glad we are following the Dave Ramsey way of budgeting and working on paying things off.  This will really help us now and in the long run to be in control of our money instead of letting it control us.
• How can your view of money affect the way you live?
• I believe that your view dictates how you use money and in turn how you live. If you believe that it is there to help you and others you come in contact with, then you are more willing to live your life giving. However, if you believe that money is there to help you buy the bigger house, the newest car, or the next great gadget, then you will be obsessed with earning more to spend more.
• What rules are recommended for prospering?
• Here is what Mr. Gibson suggests:
• Rule 1. Seek the Lord and have hope in him 
• Rule 2. Keep the commandments, that includes the temporal ones, tithing and fast offerings. 
• Rule 3. Think about money and plan how you can become self-reliant. 
• Rule 4. Take advantage of chances for learning so you will not be ignorant of these matters. Education, as President Hinckley has taught us, is the Key to Opportunity. 
• Rule 5. Learn the laws upon which the blessings of wealth are predicated. 
• Rule 6. Do not send away the naked, the hungry, the thirsty or the sick or those who are held captive. 
• I really like these rules.  I think that as we focus on the Lord and what he wants us to do and how he wants us to handle money; we will do the right thing.  Ultimately, we are here to do our best and return to live with our Heavenly Father.  If we cannot say that we have loved others, given service in whatever way is required and followed the commandments of the Lord, then, I feel, we will have wasted our life.