- Be generous

- Share substance- Give time, love

Speaking of those "who God has always loved and spoken of in an urgent way," Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve used scripture stories to illustrate the needs of the poor.

Speaking in the Saturday afternoon session, he told the story of the widow who cared for Elijah after that prophet had sealed the heavens and brought a drought and famine upon wicked Israel. Although the widow only had a handful of meal and a little oil, Elijah asked her to bring him some cake first and then make more for her and her son. The widow demonstrated her faith by obeying the prophet, and her "barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail." (See 1 Kings 17:1-24.)

Then Elder Holland spoke of the widow "whom Christ admired so much - she who cast her farthing, her two mites, into the synagogue treasury and thereby gave more, Jesus said, than all others who had given that day." (See Mark 12:41-44.)

Turning to the Book of Mormon, he told the story of the Zoramites who cast the poor out of the synagogues simply because of their poverty. He reviewed Amulek's teachings to those people about the atonement and his counsel that they should pray for atoning mercy.

Elder Holland then said: "But this masterful discourse on the atonement is not finished. With great directness Amulek says of these fervent prayers, `Do not suppose that this is all; for after ye have done all these things, if ye turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not the sick and afflicted, and impart of your substance, if ye have

itT, to those who stand in need - I say unto you, if ye do not any of these things, behold your prayer is vain, and availeth you nothing, and ye are as hypocrites who do deny the faith. (Alma 34:28)' If this is the message to those who had so little, what must it mean for us?"

Elder Holland also cited the words of King Benjamin to his people, as recorded in Mosiah 4:26, that they "should impart of your substance to the poor, every man according to that which he hath, such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and administering to their relief, both spiritually and temporally, according to their wants."

"I pay tribute to all of you, to all who do so much and care so deeply and labor with `the intent to do good (see Jacob 2:19),' " Elder Holland said. "So many are so generous. I know that many of you are struggling to make ends meet in your own lives and still you share something with others."

He acknowledged that it is difficult to cut through temporal inequity, but testified "that the gospel of Jesus Christ holds the answer to every social and political and economic problem this world has ever faced.

"And I know we can each do something, however small that act may seem to be. We can pay an honest tithe and give our fast and free-will offerings, according to our circumstances. And we can watch for other ways to help. To worthy causes and needy people, we can give time if we don't have money, and we can give love when our time runs out."