Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Question

 

Hi Gramps,

I’ve heard my branch president and even my stake president use an article entitled “Stewardship” in their talks before. It was apparently by David O. McKay where he told some brethren exactly the series of questions that the Lord would ask them after their mortal lives. Have you heard of it? Is there truth to it? If so, I find it VERY shocking that the series of questions asks nothing about whether you’ve been obedient to the commandments, received necessary ordinances, etc. Is this article fact, or another urban legend?

Barbecuered

 

Answer

 

Barbecuered,

In a BYU devotional, Elder Hales gave the context and related the quote you reference.

“In June of 1965, a group of brethren in the Physical Facilities Department of the Church was doing some work outside the Hotel Utah apartment of President David O. McKay. As President McKay stopped to explain to them the importance of the work in which they were engaged, he paused and told them the following:

 

Let me assure you, Brethren, that some day you will have a personal priesthood interview with the Savior, Himself. If you are interested, I will tell you the order in which He will ask you to account for your earthly responsibilities.

 

First, He will request an accountability report about your relationship with your wife. Have you actively been engaged in making her happy and ensuring that her needs have been met as an individual?

 

Second, He will want an accountability report about each of your children individually. He will not attempt to have this for simply a family stewardship but will request information about your relationship to each and every child.

 

Third, He will want to know what you personally have done with the talents you were given in the pre-existence.

 

Fourth, He will want a summary of your activity in your Church assignments. He will not be necessarily interested in what assignments you have had, for in his eyes the home teacher and a mission president are probably equals, but He will request a summary of how you have been of service to your fellowmen in your Church assignments.

 

Fifth, He will have no interest in how you earned your living, but if you were honest in all your dealings.

 

Sixth, He will ask for an accountability on what you have done to contribute in a positive manner to your community, state, country and the world. [From Notes of Fred A. Baker, Managing Director, Department of Physical Facilities]”

Surely you can see the Lord is greatly concerned in these questions with the commandments. He Himself summed all of them up as love God and love your neighbor (Matthew 22:37-40). These questions deal with nothing but those two topics. Additionally, as you read President McKay’s opening paragraph you will see that this is specifically a personal priesthood interview in which you give an accounting of your stewardship. Such stewardship interviews seldom involve a recounting of all ordinances and legalities you’ve adhered to. If President McKay’s description of a PPI still seems foreign to you, you can find some good resources on accountability. The temple liturgy can serve as a template for how accountings should be done in theory. You should also meet with your priesthood leader regularly to see how such accountings are done in practice. If you have done so recently, meet with your quorum or group leader for a PPI.

 

Gramps

 

 

 

Copyright © 2024 Ask Gramps - Q and A about Mormon Doctrine. All Rights Reserved.
This website is not owned by or affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the Mormon or LDS Church). The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the position of the Church. The views expressed by individual users are the responsibility of those users and do not necessarily represent the position of the Church. For the official Church websites, please visit churchofjesuschrist.org or comeuntochrist.org.

Pin It on Pinterest