Sister Walter gave an excellent lesson last Sunday. The topic was Individual Responsibility. You can read the lesson from President Joseph Fielding Smith here. Sister Walter began by reading the story of the "Little Red Hen." We are all familiar with the story of the little red hen. She found wheat and grew it, harvested and made bread all by herself without the help of her neighbors, who she asked to participate in many times in the wheat growing and bread making process. Each time the neighbors declined. When she was ready to eat the wheat she had grown, this time instead of saying no, of course they all wanted to 'reap' the benefits of her hard work. Sister Walter asked us what lessons we have each learned from this story.
One of the most important things we learn from the story is that it is important to work hard. Enjoying the fruits of our labor is very hard work, but satisfying. As we go through our lives, it is important to help others learn what we know, so that they can take care of themselves as well.
D&C 75: 28-29
We should be industrious in spiritual and temporal matters.
We need to remember that our own salvation is most important. We work to sustain our testimonies and then help others to grow into their testimonies.
On page 293 of the manual: "It is an important fact, shown by direct acts and by implication in all the scriptures, that God has done for men all that men cannot do for themselves to secure salvation, but he expects men to do all for themselves that is in their power."
Sister Walter then read the parable of the 5 foolish and 5 wise virgins who were waiting for the bridegroom in Matthew 25. This opened up a very interesting discussion about preparedness and testimony. Some of us when reading the scriptures may feel uncomfortable reading the story, feeling bad for the five virgins who needed oil. The wise virgins sent them to buy oil, telling them they couldn't share their oil. We discussed that back in that time, it would have been physically impossible to pour oil out of their lamps into another lamp.
We interpret these passages in this way: each of us has a testimony and each has our own personal experiences which bring us closer to our Heavenly Father. Each of us must build a relationship with Christ, and prepare ourselves for his coming. No one can do that for us, we must do it for ourselves. We must work everyday to be prepared. How can we put our testimony in another? We each must gain our own testimony.
Further in the chapter of Matthew 25 we read: 'Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not'. Joseph Smith translation it reads: "You knew me not". Clarifying the point that we all must know the Savior individually, and we cannot borrow another's light, testimony or spiritual oil to to return to the Savior.
One sister mentioned that one of the biggest tragedies of the story of the five foolish virgins is that at the beginning of the story all of the women had their lamps lit. As the night went on, the foolish virgins did not have enough oil to return to Heavenly Father. We all want to return to Heavenly Father, and we must work daily to keep our light burning brightly.
We then began talking about self reliance. Skills like spiritual oil, must be experienced and learned to be internalized. We can't give someone skills in gardening, financial planning, cooking or sewing. We can teach someone, but they must learn and practice their skills to become proficient.
By being good examples, we encourage others to live well, and seek for the good. Finally, this wonderful quote by President Kimball:
"The foolish asked the others to share their oil, but spiritual preparedness cannot be shared in an instant. This was not selfishness or unkindness. The kind of oil that is needed to illuminate the way and light up the darkness is not shareable. How can one share obedience to the principle of tithing; a mind at peace from righteous living; an accumulation of knowledge? How can one share faith or testimony? How can one share attitudes or chastity, or the experience of a mission? how can one share temple privileges? Each must obtain that kind of oil for himself. The foolish virgins were not averse to buying oil. They knew they should have oi. They merely procrastinated, not knowing when the bridegroom would come. In the parable, oil can be purchased at the market. In our lives the oil of preparedness is accumulated drop by drop in righteous living. Attendance at sacrament meetings adds oil to our lamps, drop by drop over the years. Fasting, family prayer, home teaching, control of bodily appetites, preaching the gospel, studying the scriptures- each act of dedication and obedience is a drop added to our store. Deeds of kindness, payment of offerings and tithes, chaste thoughts and actions, marriage in the covenant for eternity- these, too, contribute importantly to the oil with which we can at midnight refuel our exhausted lamps".
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