A Consumer's Report

A recent experience really struck me...Since moving to DC, I've been searching for the most convenient and affordable way to buy my groceries. One day after work, I decided to get off one Metro stop early to shop at Costco. Taking the shortcut through a mall, I was completely unprepared for the wave of temptation that inundated me. Just viewing the merchandise through the windows, my mind started forming thoughts like "ooh I don't have one in that color" or "those are trendy right now, maybe I should get one". I had to exert alot of mental effort just to keep walking on the straight and narrow path to the exit towards Costco. It's not that I've never walked through a mall, it's just that I've never had such buying power before.

It's incredible how different this summer has been from last summer, especially economically.

Summer 2011 It was an extremely grueling summer of job searching that pushed my faith to its limits as I accepted jobs that barely covered living expenses, much less help me save for grad school. I lived paycheck to paycheck, paid tithing, and took advantage of any free food I came upon (usually from church or school activities). I had to forego numerous social activities and cut out little luxuries like eating out because I know God would not trust me with more money if I was reckless with what I had. Add to that the stress of not knowing my exact career path or how I would pay for grad school without going into debt. My Mom strongly encouraged me to move home (WA state) until I figured my life out but I was determined to pass this trial of faith on my own.

Summer 2012 I've got a variety of job experience under my belt, and am on my way towards a career in Higher Education, where I can achieve my life purpose to inspire and assist others in reaching their goals and fulfilling their potential. Through many miracles, I've been accepted to my first choice graduate school and have a job with benefits that will allow me to graduate without debt. As a single healthy adult without a mortgage, car payment, or debt of any kind, I suddenly found myself with hundreds of dollars in discretionary money each month.

I am hardly explaining all of this to boast (Like Alma, I boast of my God! Alma 26:11-12) but to marvel that God had to see what I would do with very little means (like many college students, I was living below poverty level) before He would bless me with more. And you know what I found? Having too much money is just as hard, if not harder, than having too little money.

I don't mean I'd rather starve, but more money means more choices - distinguishing between needs, nice-to-haves, and extravagant luxuries. I no longer have to confine my purchases to bare necessities, but I try really hard to control my material indulgences. Like many people, I like nice things. But I have to constantly make sure that I don't own so many things or such fancy things that they end up owning me. I'm not gonna live a monk's life, but I'm don't want to get into the habit of spending money just because I have it, or own more shoes/clothes than I can wear.

Brigham Young said “The worst fear I have about this people is that they will get rich in this country, forget God and His people, wax fat, and kick themselves out of the Church...my greatest fear is that they cannot stand wealth.”

Money itself is not evil; it's an amoral medium of exchange. It's not like I'm going to avoid wealth; you can do alot of good with alot of money. I really admire people like John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, Bill Gates, and Warren Buffet - who became rich and poured (and are pouring) millions and billions of dollars into philanthropy. Our country and world has benefited greatly from their generosity. It's the love of money that causes our downfall.

Jesus taught, "How hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!" (Mark 10:24)

There is beautiful truth in Matt 6:21 - "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." When I start thinking too materialistically, I have to remind myself that the only things that are irreplaceable are my scriptures (w/ its notes and memories), pictures, and journals. A wise man once said something like - the things we can buy with money are not of this world, eternal things cannot be bought with money.

As with most phenomena, history helps explain American Consumerism...

During the 1930s and WWII, most Americans had to scrimp and go without. But after the war boosted the economy, people were excited to have the means to CONSUME things again (encouraged by public policy like the GI Bill and low mortgage rates) - from houses to cars to appliances to voluminous skirts (textiles were no longer rationed). It became the job of a good citizen to buy buy buy and support the economy. After all, creating a market for consumer goods creates more jobs, which helps support the millions of families during the Baby Boom. See this great article.

Another fascinating explanation of our Consumerism culture comes from a recent article called "10 Ways Walmart Changed the World". No joke. The part that struck me the most was how Walmart made things so inexpensive that they became disposable and we are no longer motivated to take good care of our things because it'd be easier to throw it away and buy another one. And with technology things like phones/cameras/computers/TVs/etc., we know the next model is just a few months away.

There is an environmental price to all of this, as institutions like National Geographic point out. Futuristic movies/TV shows/books predict a world of garbage - either clogging up our waterways, piling higher than skyscrapers, or projected into space and blocking the sun. This is a gloomy picture. Reduce, reuse, recycle!

So what are we to do? What am I to do? I don't proclaim to hold any radical global solutions, but I know the answer to all things can be found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And my questions are these -

*How do I find peace in this world of monumental temptations?
*How much of my money can I use to treat myself and how much should I save?
*How much money besides tithing and fast offerings should I donate to the poor and needy? (this is the hardest one, which I have already sought to answer in another blog post)

This life is a test, and I think money is one of God's tools to test us. Just like He has given us stewardship over the earth, our families, our callings, our time, our bodies, and sacred knowledge...God has given us stewardship over money. In all of these stewardships, He has lovingly given us instructions on how to handle them to our fullest happiness through the scriptures, modern prophets, and personal revelation. God has promised us that "he that is a faithful and wise steward shall inherit all things." (D&C 78:22)

Growing up, my wise mother (who is not LDS) taught me 2 things worth investing in that aligns with what the scriptures teaches: knowledge and health.

Knowledge is the only thing that cannot be taken away from us. We can be stripped of all our earthly possessions but no one can rob us of what we put into our minds. And indeed, this principle is even more beautiful when applied to spiritual knowledge - "Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection. And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come." (D&C 130:18-19)

Health is crucial to our success in all other areas of life, for we cannot do anything if our bodies cannot carry them out. This doesn't preclude people with disabilities or handicaps from success and happiness; health is relative to our individual optimal levels of well-being. Sleeping enough, eating nutritiously, drinking enough water, exercising regularly, and such are largely within our control. Preventing injuries and illnesses allow us to exercise our agency to a greater extent (unto righteousness). As prophets and apostles like to remind us, our bodies are precious gifts from God - "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are." (1 Cor 3:16-17)

So what do I do with my money? The Church gives no strict specific rules on finances (besides the commandment to pay tithing and fast offering - we can't afford NOT to do) but principles to apply to our individual circumstances:

- Keep a budget (I'll get better at this once I regulate my DC cost of living)
- Avoid debt
- Save for emergencies (Emptied my savings to move to DC, now saving for grad school. I'm excited for the day when I can just SAVE.)
- Teach others good financial management

To these, I'll add my own principles:

* Define my life by experiences and relationships, not the things I own
* "Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy." (2 Nephi 9:51)
* Invest in things that last
* Never come close to the description in Isaiah 3:16-24

The world would have us believe that we should "Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die; and it shall be well with us." (2 Nephi 28:7) This is a lie.

I want to live in a way that when I die and meet my Maker, He will say to me, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord." (Matt 25:21)

What are your thoughts on the use of finances?