Self-Reliance Tip of the Week - Bucket List

The Five Gallon Bucket - More Than Meets the Eye (though...not a Transformer)

While I was a "Ma" to ten youth in my stake this summer, I took the opportunity to get to know them individually a little more. As we walked...and walked...and walked I asked them what they had in their buckets (we had a list we were supposed to have filled before we came on Trek). They told me the usual:

• socks
• jacket
• extra shoes
• mess kit (pie tin and a spoon)
• cup with handle  and d-ring (for them to have easy access to their cups for water breaks)
• toiletries ( washcloth, soap, hand towel etc)
• no extra snacks
• no electronics

Then I started asking them, "What if you were doing this for real, and you could choose only enough of your personal items to fit in a five gallon bucket, what would you take? They answered: 

• my phone
• my basketball
• other similar answers

Then I asked the clincher... "What if the place you were going had no electricity? What would you take then?" The answers changed dramatically. 

• a pocket knife
• fire starters
• soap
• survival things
• other similar answers

A phone was never mentioned again. Why? The obvious answer is, that without electricity, phones would not work and would then be worthless. It is amazing to me how such simple questions can change our thinking on certain issues. I think this can be a great lesson to us on many levels. 

Recently in the news I have seen the Catholic Pope under attack by saying things like, "Pope Forgives All Women Who Have Had an Abortion" or " Pope Endorses Climate Change." If the reader reads the full article, it isn't true at all. The headline has been misleading. The media can be so deceptive, so we have to be careful. It would be easy to abandon other faithful people of various Christian religions because of a headline. When we change our thinking just a little bit, like the bucket list, it can change our whole outlook. 

The most famous quote by Martin Niemoller (a German Protestant Pastor) who became a prisoner after he spoke against Hitler. The quote goes as such: 

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out— 
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out— 
Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

Please, remember when we hear or read something about another faith, to do a little bit of research first before we pass it on. It might be inaccurate. We need to have all Christians on our side walking arm in arm for wouldn't it be amazing to have Catholics on our left flank, Protestants on our right flank, and Baptists surrounding the enemy in back? If we support each other, despite the differences in doctrine, we will become more united through Jesus Christ. 

President Henry B. Eyring said :

We see increased conflict between peoples in the world around us. Those divisions and differences could infect us. That is why my message of hope today is that a great day of unity is coming. The Lord Jehovah will return to live with those who have become His people and will find them united, of one heart, unified with Him and with our Heavenly Father.

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2008/10/our-hearts-knit-as-one?lang=eng

What kinds of things could we put in our spiritual buckets to look forward to a great day of unity?

• Kindness
• understanding
• let go of unrighteous judgments
• release misunderstandings
• forgive

Let us fill our spiritual buckets with things that would unite all Christian faiths. The persecutions of the past would be better compared to the second list above. They will be useless if we are to look forward to a "great day of unity" as President Eyring says. It will not only help us survive, but flourish and blossom as the rose.