Memo #13
Written June 1, 2001 added to the blog October 1, 2013
From: Grandpa Richard M. Pratt
To: All Pratt adults and Selected others
Re: LOVE, The Great Commandment
When Jesus was asked, Which is the greatest commandment? He answered, “Thou shalt love the Lord Thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” (Matt. 22: 37-40)
Paul speaking of married love says, “Men ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cheriseth it.....let everyone of you....so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.” (Ephesians 5: 28-33)
Therefore the ability to love is based on a mans self-esteem or self-love. During our life on earth we have a strong tendency to seek our own self-interest. We tend to seek worldly goods and the praise of others. There are three great and terrible masters which most men seek after. They are: 1. The love of money. 2. The love of power. 3. And the love of fame. Most men are enslaved by these masters to the point that they literally hate themselves and cannot love either themselves, their neighbor nor God. Because of man giving into these three masters the world currently is on a suicidal sweep to destruction.
Violence, divorce, wars, lawsuits etc. are evidence that men hate themselves and therefore cannot love but instead hate each other. And the savior said upon this commandment, LOVE, hang all the law. In other words if man hates himself by pursuing his own selfish interests he is on the road to self destruction. So, what is the answer?
First we can only show our love for God by keeping his commandments. All of which are designed to bring us happiness and success. There is no other way.
Secondly we show our love for our neighbor (all are our neighbor, but our spouse is our closest neighbor) by treating them like we want to be treated which means a life of service, service and service to our spouse, our children, our friends and the stranger that we don’t even know.
That’s why we serve two year missions and more at our own expense. (I’ve served 6 years and Grandma 4 years) That’s why in the Church of Jesus Christ we receive calls to serve in various ways from a Bishop and higher to the boys who pass the sacrament, giving of our time and paying any expenses involved therewith. As we serve others we overcome selfishness and become more like our Heavenly Father and his Son Jesus Christ. Every active member of the church is constantly given “calls” to serve and as he or she serves their ability to love increases until they will eventually reach the level of charity toward others called, “The pure love of Christ.”
The Savior said: “by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
If all men, then, would keep this commandment (LOVE) all the problems of the world would be solved. There would literally be no broken families, no violence, no law breakers, but peace, harmony and good will. This would envelope the earth in a mantle of love. This will be the condition of the earth during the millennium when Christ rules personally upon the earth and all who cannot evidence the “pure love of Christ” will be removed from the earth and the earth will return to its paradisiacal glory (to be treated starting with memo #15)
To be of service is to sacrifice of our time, talents and money and to do it willingly. That means that we place the needs of others above our own. Sacrifice can be very hard, but the rewards are great. In fact the Lord has said that the rewards are beyond mans wildest imaginations. Then, to truly love we must believe in God our eternal Father in his Son, Jesus Christ and that they are the rewarders of all who diligently seek them.
To help us overcome selfishness and to help finance our service the Lord has given two other laws: 1. The law of fasting and fast offerings and 2. The law of tithing.
To fast means to go with out food and drink for a period of time. It teaches us to control our physical bodies and our faith and spirituality grow stronger. When we fast we should also pray sincerely, for guidance and for special blessings for ourselves and others. Fasting can be a powerful way of gaining a testimony of the reality of the Father and His Son.
The church sets aside one Sunday each month (usually the first Sunday). During this day Faithful members fast for two meals from all food and drink and gather for a testimony sharing meeting. We give the money we save by fasting to the bishop to care for the needy. In this way we can show our love for the sick, needy, lonely and hungry and those who have other problems. It has been computed that if all people would live this simple law that it would eliminate all poverty and other ills in the whole world, and lower taxes for it would do away with all government welfare schemes, none of which succeed. It would also lower Doctor bills as fasting is very beneficial to the body. And, of course, it wouldn’t cost a penny.
The law of tithing is not new, in fact it is as old as eternity. To understand this law, we should remember that God is the source of everything we have. In the law of tithing, he commands us to return to him one-tenth of our income. The word “tithe” means “tenth”. Of course the money isn’t sent to heaven but stays right here to bless our lives in so many ways.
Tithing is a test of our faith. As we obey this commandment, the Lord promises to bless us both spiritually and temporally.
Suppose I told you that I would give you one hundred dollars if you would give me back ten. Would you do it? Our Heavenly Father has given us all we have. He asks only that we return 10% of it to him. This money is used to build meeting houses, temples and other worthwhile things.
For example the sealing covenants that make a man and wife an eternal unit with their children and their fathers and mothers united eternally can only be done in a special building called a temple. In no other way can families be united after this life.
May I close with a description of my own experience with these 3 great laws, love (service)
Fasting and offerings, and Tithing.
The more I love by giving service, the more I receive until I literally haven’t room to contain it all. It comes from my family, my friends and the strangers I try to help.
As to Fasting and offerings I’ve been living this law as long as I can remember and know that it is true. In fact for the past many years I have contributed each month a great deal more than the cost of the two meals. And I personally feel that fasting is a great contributor to my excellent health and activity as I live my 90th year.
I can’t remember when I haven’t paid a full tithing and my memory goes back more than 80 years. I haven’t kept track of it but I know that it amounts to tens of thousands of dollars. It seems that the more I pay the more I receive as the Lord has promised.
Yes we can do what the Lord commands and it is the only sure way to financial security in this life but more important it opens the windows of heaven and blessings are poured out until there is not room to contain them. To this I testify boldly and firmly in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen
Your loving Parent, Grandpa, Brother and / or friend forever
Excerpted from our Iowa Mission Journal
Monday February 8, 1982
We have finished our first week in the MTC (Missionary Training Center). During lunch hour we were called to the front desk. There to our surprise was our Hopi Indian friend, sister, and convert, Elizabeth Williams that we had baptized in Holbrook, Arizona in 1971.
Oh that I could paint a picture of her. But words must suffice. About 5 feet tall and close to 60 years of age, face wrinkled like a prune, but few teeth left, quite rotund in body, but very slim almost pipestem legs, ill fitting shoes and clothes, but a twinkling eye and happy smile coupled with a lilting spirit covers all the rest and humbles one to be in her presence with her child like faith in Jesus.
She had walked many blocks timidly wondering how she would find us in the white mans maze of technical wilderness. But find us she did. The weather was cold and the walks snow covered and slippery. She had endured all this to give us $75. Three twentys, one ten and one five dollar bills.
She said we had loaned it to her many years ago and she would have paid it sooner but we were always gone. She wanted us to have it before we went to a foreign country again. To her Iowa is foreign. Adaline tried to get her to keep part, at least one $20 bill, but she wouldn’t hear of it. We had a tearful goodbye and she left.
