BYU-Idaho, Frugality, and the Spirit of Sacrifice

A week after the September 11^th terrorist attacks President Eyring gave a landmark address at BYU-Idaho called “A Steady, Upward Course” explaining the mission of the new four-year institution. He spoke about the great innovation in teaching and learning that would take place there, something that we can clearly see now with its immense online program and the incredibly inexpensive and accessible Pathways program.  Part of his message focused on a principle that he said would guide the school and be very important to it, and it was a principle I was not expecting to read about in a talk on the future of a university.  He said, “The school will enhance another of its characteristics which will carry it safely through turbulent times, and it will come from showing students by example how to live with great faith. That characteristic is frugality.”  He continued by quoting then President David Bednar of the school who said, “If there is an example of use it up, wear it out, making do, or do without, we are that place. If we ever lost that, we would be in trouble.”  Since President Eyring suggested that what the university did as a whole could be applied to individual lives, is this characteristic of “frugality” important enough in our individual sphere such that if we don’t have it “we would be in trouble” as well? 

                From my reading of the scriptures, the answer is clearly yes.  The scriptures of course do not use the term “frugal” but there are I think several passages which give us in essence the same message the President Eyring was trying to portray.  Jacob said it very straightforwardly: “Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy” (2 Nephi 9:51).  Wasting money or time is the opposite of frugality; the Lord expects us to use to our best the resources that He has given us.  This of course brings to mind the concept of being a good steward.  In a time when the Saints had almost nothing as they were crossing the plains, the Lord told them this, “Thou shalt be diligent in preserving what thou hast, that thou mayest be a wise steward; for it is the free gift of the Lord thy God, and thou art his steward” (D&C 136:27).  The invitation to “preserve what thou hast” surely is scriptural equivalent to this idea that we should “use up and wear out” what we have before seeking to spend more resources on acquiring more stuff.  In one of the Lord’s parables we see a clear condemnation of not doing this.  In the parable of the unjust steward the Lord recounted, “There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods.  And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward” (Luke 16:2).  If we waste that which the Lord has given us, then we are acceptable stewards in the eyes of the Lord.  On the other hand, the Lord will say to the faithful, frugal, steward who made careful use of what the Lord granted him, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things” (Matt 25:21). 

                Perhaps the broader gospel theme here is that of sacrifice.  Being frugal means, at least in some sense, that we are willing to sacrifice.  President Eyring said this in the same talk, “I testify to you that that spirit of sacrifice, that spirit of trying to give just a little bit more and ask a little less brings down the powers of heaven.”  As we show God that we are willing to sacrifice some of what the world would tell us that we should have—always “in similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father”—then that frugality will bring upon us the blessings and powers of the Savior to accomplish the mission He has for us (Moses 5:7).