Today we heard from Cristy Davis on Elder Holland's talk "Laborer's in the Vineyard" In this talk Elder Holland paraphrases the Matthew 20 parable as follows:

"I wish to speak of the Savior’s parable in which a householder “went out early in the morning to hire labourers.” After employing the first group at 6:00 in the morning, he returned at 9:00 a.m., at 12:00 noon, and at 3:00 in the afternoon, hiring more workers as the urgency of the harvest increased. The scripture says he came back a final time, “about the eleventh hour” (approximately 5:00 p.m.), and hired a concluding number. Then just an hour later, all the workers gathered to receive their day’s wage. Surprisingly, all received the same wage in spite of the different hours of labor. Immediately, those hired first were angry, saying, “These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.”1 When reading this parable, perhaps you, as well as those workers, have felt there was an injustice being done here."

He conmtinues, "But just at day’s close, the householder returns a surprising fifth time with a remarkable eleventh-hour offer! These last and most discouraged of laborers, hearing only that they will be treated fairly, accept work without even knowing the wage, knowing that anything will be better than nothing, which is what they have had so far. Then as they gather for their payment, they are stunned to receive the same as all the others! How awestruck they must have been and how very, very grateful! Surely never had such compassion been seen in all their working days."

"First of all it is important to note that no one has been treated unfairly here. The first workers agreed to the full wage of the day, and they received it. Furthermore, they were, I can only imagine, very grateful to get the work. In the time of the Savior, an average man and his family could not do much more than live on what they made that day. If you didn’t work or farm or fish or sell, you likely didn’t eat. With more prospective workers than jobs, these first men chosen were the most fortunate in the entire labor pool that morning." - Elder Holland

The first Laborer's are not concerned about their own contract but with their neighbors contract. They were measuring their blessings by comparison with others. Likewise we may feel the same way when we compare with others.

In order to compare your reward to someone else you have to believe that you are worth more than they are. The Lord provides sufficient for our needs. When we think along the terms of having what we need then we will be grateful for our blessings.

We cannot find happiness when we compare our success to others.

"Furthermore, envy is a mistake that just keeps on giving. Obviously we suffer a little when some misfortune befalls us, but envy requires us to suffer all good fortunethat befalls everyone we know! What a bright prospect that is—downing another quart of pickle juice every time anyone around you has a happy moment! " - Elder Holland

The mark of a mature invidivual is the ability to be happy for others. Children have a hard time when siblings get a birthday present or a new pair of shoes, but they must learn others can have gifts, blessings and even talents.

"We are not diminished when someone else is added upon. We are not in a race against each other to see who is the wealthiest or the most talented or the most beautiful or even the most blessed. The race we are really in is the race against sin, and surely envy is one of the most universal of those." -Elder Holland

Those that we should have empathy for are those that did not get a chance to work and earn money. They also needed to provide for their families. Throughout the day those that were not chosen must have been devastated. However, there were many chances. Likewise we are often given chances again and again to serve and be the 11th hour worker. Sometimes though we may be left behind. We may be waiting. It is significant that those that were chosen at the 11th hour were patient and still waiting instead of giving up. We also can be comforted in knowing that when our turn comes we will get all that we need.

"This parable—like all parables—is not really about laborers or wages any more than the others are about sheep and goats. This is a story about God’s goodness, His patience and forgiveness, and the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a story about generosity and compassion. It is a story about grace. It underscores the thought I heard many years ago that surely the thing God enjoys most about being God is the thrill of being merciful, especially to those who don’t expect it and often feel they don’t deserve it.

I do not know who in this vast audience today may need to hear the message of forgiveness inherent in this parable, but however late you think you are, however many chances you think you have missed, however many mistakes you feel you have made or talents you think you don’t have, or however far from home and family and God you feel you have traveled, I testify that you have not traveled beyond the reach of divine love. It is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ’s Atonement shines." -Elder Holland

Lesson Summary: July 15th, 2012

Today we heard from Ashley on the topic of "Doing our Part to Share the Gospel." 

The idea of sharing the Gospel effectively is rather abstract. People who share the gospel effectively are good listeners, are happy, are outgoing and personable, they are interested in others, enthusiastic, have a zeal for life, they have the Holy Ghost. Sometimes we have the tendency to only think about overt activities like giving a Book of Mormon, inviting people to church, etc. 

"In his tireless efforts to share the gospel with others, George Albert Smith followed this statement from his personal creed: “I would not seek to force people to live up to my ideals but rather love them into doing the thing that is right.” He felt that the most effective way to share the gospel was to look for the good virtues in people of other faiths and then, with boldness but kindness, offer to share the additional truths of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ." - George Albert Smith

Missionary work is most effective when we do it with love and kindness, not contention, coersion or pride. Ashley shared the story of Ammon and King Lamoni. You can read it in Alma 20. We see how Ammon's actions impacted King Lamoni, but we don't think about how it impacted King Lamoni's father. When Lamoni tells his father of his conversion, his father doesn't understand and is angry. When he becomes violent, Ammon stands up for him and Lamoni's father turned his aggression to Ammon. Ammon overpowers Lamonis father and spares His life. Later Lamoni's father meets missionaries and he remembers Ammon's kindness to his own son and this kindness has changed his heart. He desires so much to understand the gospel that he is willing to forsake his kingdom. 

Likewise in our mission we are piloting a program where the missionaries serve rather than solely proselyte. Another sister shared that her husband often shares the gospel on airplane trips.  On one trip he sat next to someone that had a lot of piercings and tatoos. Living in Salt Lake she felt judged many times, but thanked this sister's husband for being kind and nonjudgmental.

If we love and understand our relationship with god we should not be ashamed of sharing the gospel. We are really building on the truths that people already know.

"That is the beauty of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is not for a few individuals, but it is for every soul that is born into the world to know. … Today there are those who know that God lives, and there are thousands of others who could know it if they would. … These people are not dependent upon us to know, but they are dependent upon us to teach them how they may know. " - George Albert Smith

Ashley shared an experience in sharing a book of Mormon with an atheist friend. She shared with him that she understood that this may not be of interest to him but that this was such an important part of her life. He appreciated her gesture and it brought them closer even though he is still atheist. 

What doesn't mean to share the gospel earnestly? It is an enthusiastic sincerity in sharing the gospel. One sister shared that she shared a Book of Mormon with a far away cousin. After a few weeks, her housekeeper found it on top of the garbage and she started reading. The housekeeper and her seven children were baptized. It is for everyone, not just who we think is ready. We may say that a person doesn't match the typical member of a church member. But everyone needs the gospel, even if they don't look the part or have problems. 

In Ashley's mission there was a couple that gave away an entire case of Book of Mormons every year, yet only a couple of people over decades had been baptized. But there is a power in sharing the word of God, even if it is simply in their home. 

Henry B. Eyring says, "That is the mark of every person who is bold and effective in sharing the gospel. They see themselves as children of a loving, living Father in Heaven. And they see themselves as disciples of Jesus Christ. It takes no discipline for them to pray. They do it naturally. It is no special effort to remember the Savior. His love for them and theirs for Him is always with them. That is who they are and how they see themselves and see those around them.."

In order to be effective we need to understand who we are - that we are children of God and everyone else around us are children of God as well. 

Ashley shared a story about when someone was a missionary to her. There was a boy that had made it his mission to convert all the Mormons away from the church. He wanted to get together to discuss the church, and she asked him to join them for family home evening. She received him, listened, and she expressed that she felt grateful that he cared so much for her. It didn't change her belief in the church, but it did help her understand how it felt to be cared for so much that someone would share with her.