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17 July 1965
(after finishing B of M during Chas mission 62-64)

Misc. Notes by Dorothy Smith Clark

Open Letter to All Latter Day Saints (at least our descendants) of the Late 20th Century

How great are your privileges and advantages of being born in this era of scientific achievement & tremendous technical advancement! (There is hardly a common task that has not been much changed to relieve you of time-consuming drudgery.)

The allowance for leisure time pursuits has grown to huge proportions and can still be added to will be further increased according to your ability to plan & schedule your time and energy.

But what to do with it all? The choices are so many. The world provides entertainment of all kinds at our elbow or but a few minutes or miles distant. But is this all our leisure is for?

It is natural to assume off hand that we may do with it what we please. Have we earned the right as citizens of this generation this dispensation to accept the rewards of the dedicated efforts of our pioneer forefathers, without any thought of our particular responsibilities?

Perhaps they were chosen to live when they did because they were imbued with great faith and fortitude and foresight. They had a wilderness to tame - a struggle that

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OPEN LETTER (cont.)

sapped their strength continually. But did they forget their responsibility to their God who led them to peace and freedom from persecution? 

NO. They were diligent in building temples, universities, and maintaining all the organizations revealed wherein the Gospel could be taught to ^members of all ages. They even went abroad to spread the gospel message. 

Are we peculiarly favored, and that stewardship of the earth in these (living this dispensation) latter days guess who have the right to accept all the leisure available without sufficient feeling of responsibility for its use. Have we earned the special right to sidestep duty in favor of pleasure and relaxation? 

There are thousands living who haven't heard the gospel, ^{as well as millions the many who die before the true Gospel was restored again} and thousands of dead likewise. Are we preparing to share with them thru missionary service, genealogy, research & temple activity?

We have many talents and capabilities to get busy and develop - much information to read for enrichment if our minds & convincing of our souls. 

We have finest of leaders to guide us but the decisions and application of time & effort is up to us. 

Would you want to be guilty of letting your benefactors down thru failure to carry on the torch of freedom, failure in diligent achievement, no matter what the distractions?

Don't you as they - your forefathers - owe a debt to your Creator for being granted the bounties & opportunities ^{this great gift of mortality} of earth-life?

Is your tithing (a mere material contribution) enough as a token of gratitude?

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OPEN LETTER cont.

Is living a clean life enough?

Is raising a respectable family enough?

Is loving and assisting your neighbor enough?

Is developing & sharing your God-given talents enough?

Is serving your church enough? Paying tithes & offerings

Is charity toward all mankind enough?

What IS Enough?

Isn't it the total of all these requisites?

Surely we can each accomplish more in ^{the line of our} some direction than we're now doing, own abilities and

We can: 

1. Allow ourselves only sufficient relaxation to maintain an active mind and body

2. Learn to combine study and training of various kinds with our relaxation.

3. Since change is as good as a rest, very little leisure need be spent on pastime except where group socializing is needed for fellowship & personality development ^{nature, trips, or meditation,} or to relieve tension and to reappraise our goals

4. We can teach ourselves and our children to so plan our lives that time will always be allotted for personal growth & achievement. 

5. Prepare ourselves thru study, attendance at specific classes, personal fasting & prayer to become more useful tools for the in the work of Redemption of mankind (our brethren).

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4  "OPEN LETTER" (cont) from [arrow]

Resumé

Who but each one of us has had greater opportunity in this world for ultimate achievement?

Nothing we desire fervently enough to achieve will be denied us.

Why shouldn't we want to share the good things that we have inherited or rec'd thru conversion?

These are not all necessarily material. They include primarily a Testimony of the divinity of Jesus Christ & of his mission to the World.

The Book of Mormon describes His visit and teachings to ancient inhabitants of the American Continent. It also relates the teachings of early American prophets - their faith in the Lord's promises and their miraculous protection from persecution.

It recounts the wars & conflicts between the righteous & unrighteous people of that itme - the divine protection & revelation provided of the former. Their integrity, faith & good works is a personal testimony to me that the same blessings exist for me as well, according to my faithfulness & for you according to yours.

END