The beehive 

We moved from the cowboy or equality state to the beehive state a number of years ago. The reason for the appellation of beehive is that this symbolizes industry. The saints for the most part have been known as an industrious people. Your ancestors were part of a group of people who came here to turn the desert into a fruitful field. 

My concern is that there is a spirit of indolence that is prevalent among the people here in our nation today. The church teaches the following: independence, industry and thrift. [1]

These are the qualities that we should have and be guidelines for our life   

Some people expect that if they get into trouble they anticipate others to bail them out. They want others to pay for the consequences of their action or inaction. 

I am not referring to natural disasters such as earthquakes and hurricanes. I am referring to things such as the results of poor planning on our part, unwise management of our resources, or not preparing for obvious things that occur in everyone's lives. These can be as devastating to us and our well being as natural disasters. 

Independence 

As much as possible we should be independent. We should not rely on the government or the state to take care of our problems.  If we do, we become subservient and beholden to an outside influence. It makes us so that we expect things that we have not earned. 

There are those that turn to the church for assistance. The first principle of priesthood correlation is that the individual and the family do everything in the church. Thus if we have needs that are necessary that we cannot meet we should turn to the family first for our support. 

Industry 

We used to sing, "The world has no use for a drone. " This referred to the beehive and the fact that there were worker bees that gathered the honey and the drones that just stayed in the hive and did nothing. 

Sitting around playing video games and watching TV all day is either done out of idleness or is excessive indulgence. We are expected to make good use of the time we are given here on earth. We are to learn about everything. We should be active every day of our life. We should try to learn something new every day. Unless we are disabled we need to be productive at least a third of the time. 

Thrift 

"A penny saved is a penny earned." Frugality is not practiced by the majority of people. We do not need to be penurious. We do have to realize that we will be held accountable for the goods that have been placed at our disposal. " Waste not, want not. Is the maxim that we preach." [2]

Every person should be able to manage both their time and their money. They should have a years supply of money in reserve. Obviously this cannot be accomplished when we first start out, but if we don't have a plan in place to achieve that, we will always be behind the eight ball. 

The missionaries are taught to plan their day to make the best use of their resources. Some do not follow through after they are released. 

So my grandchildren remember independence, industry and thrift and strive to live in accordance to these eternal principles. 

Love,

Grandpa

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[1] One of President Heber J. Grant's greatest legacies as president is the church's welfare program, which he instituted in 1936: "our primary purpose was to set up, insofar as it might be possible, a system under which the curse of idleness would be done away with, the evils of a dole abolished, and independence, industry, thrift and self-respect be once more established amongst our people. The aim of the Church is to help the people help themselves."

[2] Wise use of one's resources will keep one from poverty. For example, I just hate to throw out good food—waste not, want not. This proverbial saying was first recorded in 1772 but had an earlier, even more alliterative version, willful waste makes woeful want (1576). Also at this Link for the words to the song.