"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Matthew 6:19-21)
Real treasures
I went to the Temple Tuesday and had a most unusual experience. I had been though an endowment session, and was doing my usual 5 initiatories. The last one was a man whose only known name was Pehr who was born in 1892. I remembered Heather telling me she could see the spirits who had their work done that day around her roommate after she got back from the Temple, and I wondered if I would have them to be with me as well. The instant I thought that, it was made clear to me that Pehr was now my friend, one of my "treasures in Heaven" because of what I had done for him that day -- he was so grateful.
I realized from this that assisting others to make and keep the required covenants with God is what constitutes "Treasures in Heaven." Bringing souls to Christ in any form -- a neighbor, friend, or colleague; those who have already died, even our own children -- is what makes us great in Heaven because "the worth of souls is great in the sight of God." (D&C 18:10) Things are temporary; people are forever. Nephi counsels, "do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy." (2 Nephi 9:51) and, "But the laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion; for if they labor for money they shall perish." (2 Nephi 26:31)
Bear fruit
Laboring for Zion is working for the salvation of souls, the fruits of our labors. Jesus explains, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit." (John 15:1-2) We bear fruit when we help others to come to Christ in a myriad of ways: doing work for the dead, preaching the Gospel, teaching Sunday School, being "an example of the believers," or holding Family Home Evening. Our labors to perform in this life are those things that bring joy to the soul.
"And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father! And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!" (D&C 18:15-16)
The greatest service we can ever perform in the world is to bring others to Christ. Peter and John Whitmer were witnesses of the Golden Plates and otherwise assisted Joseph Smith to restore the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Yet, when they were independently praying to know what would be the greatest benefit, the Lord answered them in exactly the same way: "the thing which will be of the most worth unto you will be to declare repentance unto this people, that you may bring souls unto me, that you may rest with them in the kingdom of my Father. Amen." (D&C 16:6) After we are saved, we can then in turn help others to find salvation.
Some of the souls we bring to Christ will not even know us. I knew of one woman who was given a Book of Mormon and put it on the shelf. Many years later her daughter picked up the book and was converted to the Lord, but she never knew who gave her mom that book. God knows -- it's recorded. We also never know when our example is a shining light that helps people to see the Lord. "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16) What's more, children, grandchildren and descendents ad infinitum may never know who introduced their ancestor to Christ. What we start here is an Eternal work, it goes on forever, even after we die, and our treasures continue to increase.
We can also lay up treasures by helping to save those who have passed this life. The work done in the Temple is real. There are real people who want, need, and appreciate this work being done for them. They wait patiently for their work to be done so they can move on. They need this to progress in the next life because they are held back by not having the covenants with God. They love and help those who assist them by finding their names, submitting them, and/or doing the ordinances for them. We will find joy in serving them as our treasures increase.
Remuneration
In life we expect a return on any investment of time or effort. In the end of the third chapter of Malachi, the Jews are complaining that they get nothing for serving the Lord. They look around and see those who are selfish getting what they want, and are happy, while the Jews are making sacrifices and "walking mournfully before the Lord." The Lord tells them through Malachi: "They shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels... Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not." (Malachi 3:17-18) Payday doesn't come in this life; the judgment isn't until after we die. We are here to work, not to get paid. The Lord will give us what we need to accomplish the work He has given us to do, but nothing on Earth can be considered payment for our work here. We will only really know in the end, when the work is finished.
It is imperative to understand that working for the Lord doesn't save us. Is there anything we can do to earn or merit the Atonement of Jesus Christ? The answer from the Scriptures is clearly, NO! We avail ourselves of His grace by coming to Him, making covenants with Him, and being obedient to Him. We repent of all our sins so that we can enter into the Kingdom of God, for no unclean thing can dwell with Him, but Christ even gives us the ability to repent. Grace means "unmerited benefits." What we can earn by our own efforts during our lives are these very "treasures in Heaven."
Our "treasures in Heaven" bring joy to the soul both in this life and in the next. Thieves can steal our money, land, homes, cars or any possession we have, but there is no way to steal knowledge, priesthood, or covenants. The connections we make with God and others can never be corrupted, lost, or stolen. These are treasures beyond compare. Long after everything in the world has crumbled to dust we will enjoy the treasures we earned by working for the Lord.
He who dies the the most souls -- WINS!
There is a hierarchy in Heaven; some get more treasures than others. There are houses and mansions; there are greater and lesser things. There are also greater and lesser people. God is the greatest of all, and everyone is somewhere on the scale between Him and Satan, the lowest of all. How do we claw our way to the top? How do we earn a bigger mansion? How do we become "heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ?" (Romans 8:17) Jesus tells us, "But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant... and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted." (Matthew 23:11-12) So, the question becomes, How do we humble ourselves to be greater?
First, we must sacrifice all we desire in the world: money, power, control, lands, pleasures, food, houses, cars, husbands, wives, children, and so forth -- everything we want, need or desire must be burned on the altar of the Lord (at least symbolically, or in our hearts).
Next, we do all the Lord tells us to do; we must "obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness." (Alma 57:21)
Lastly, "men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward." (D&C 58:27-28) The reward is given for services rendered to God; "and the labourer is worthy of his reward." (1 Timothy 5:18) Bringing people to Christ is the best cause to be "anxiously engaged" in.
The first two prepare us to do His work. The better we are prepared, the more our time is worth. Those who have little education get little pay, whereas those who make a larger sacrifice and are more obedient are more valuable. The highest-paid people in Heaven are those who have the greatest faith and ability to save others. They develop gifts of the Spirit that help to "bring... unto Jesus many souls... because of the convincing power of God which is in them." (3 Nephi 28:29)
The last one is where we actually earn our Heavenly gifts (yes, GIFTS!). We use the time, energy, means, and spiritual gifts God gives us to assist Him in His work, "to bring to pass the... eternal life of man." (Moses 1:39) As noted above, the actual payment is infinite for the smallest effort -- and it goes up from there (it is truly a gift). There is no end. It isn't like money were enough is enough and more than enough is a liability. More is just... more! It only gets better and better with no upper limit. This why it's better to spend your time and efforts to "lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven!"
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