Have you ever heard one of those
talks, where you can say “We are done. Everything we needed to learn was just
taught.” That is how I felt after watching Elder Gay’s talk “Entrepreneurship
and Consecration”
That talk summed up everything that
needed to be taught in this course. As I watched it and rewatched it again and
again, I was drawn to the story of Brother Goddard and the basket of rags. I
looked the story up online and read more details of the story. When Brother
Goddard joined the church in the 1800’s, he was rejected by his relatives. He
and his wife brought their seven children to America and across the plains to
Salt Lake City. Four of his children died on the way. After their arrival, he became
a leader in the church, and a prominent businessman. At that time, the church
needed rags to convert into paper to advance the cause of the church. Rags were
hard to come by because the saints barely had enough to keep themselves warm.
Brigham Young called Brother Goddard to a “rag mission” where he was to go door
to door asking for spare rags. As Brother Goddard said:
This calling] was
a severe blow to my native pride. . . . After being known in the community for
years, as a merchant . . . then to be seen on the streets going from door to
door with a basket on one arm and an empty sack on the other, enquiring for
rags at every house. Oh, what a change in the aspect of affairs. . . . When
President Young first made the proposition, the humiliating prospect almost
stunned me, but a few moments’ reflection reminded me that I came to these
valleys of the mountains . . . for the purpose of doing the will of my Heavenly
Father, my time and means must be at His disposal. I therefore answered
President Young in the affirmative, and for over three years, from Franklin,
Idaho, in the north, and Sanpete in the south, my labors extended, not only
visiting many hundreds of houses during the week days, but preaching rag sermons
on Sunday. The first time I ever spoke in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, was a
rag discourse, and Presidents Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball backed it up
with their testimony and enlarged upon it.”
I can only imagine the
humility that he had, to do all that he could to further the Lord’s cause.
Although he built up a successful business, he was not too proud to go door to
door, begging for old rags.
How many times have I been too
embarrassed to or unsure of myself when it comes to building the Kingdom of
God? It isn’t about us, it’s about what we need to do in order to help others.
I have included the links below so that you are able to listen to this amazing talk!
Questions to answer:
- Based on what you read in the first two pages (pages 3
and 4), why are virtue and integrity so vital to an economy?
If people stop trusting the integrity of businesses, they will quit
investing in them. The businesses will soon fail, and the economy will be devastated.
- According to Charles Handy, what is the “real
justification” for the existence of businesses?
The real justification for the existence of businesses is to do something
more or better for others.
- What are two solutions proposed by Handy that you agree
with? Why?
One solution is to give dividends to those who contribute their skills as
well as those who have contributed their money. Another solution is for
businesses to measure success in terms of outcomes for others, as well as
for ourselves; to associate with a cause.
I agree with these solutions because it is the right way to treat others.
