Shouldn’t church members share their professional talents?
Question
Dear Gramps,
Once when my mom was really sick, and our family was short on money, my dad called up a new member of our ward who was a medical doctor, and asked him if he could write her a prescription. This new brother became angry and told my dad to take her to the emergency room at the hospital and to never call him again. My dad was hurt.  Is it wrong to seek the help of church members who are trained in a particular profession? I thought we were under covenant to use our talents?
Robert
Answer
Robert,
I imagine this was hurtful and embarrassing for your mom and dad, and I am sorry about that.
We have been asked to share and use our talents to benefit others, but we should also remember that the Savior said, “The laborer is worthy of his hire.” Â There are many talents such as being a doctor, that require not only time and effort, but significant financial sacrifices to develop. Â It is reasonable that those in that position would ask for compensation. Â It is also possible that had you asked someone else, they would have been happy to assist your mother. Â It is an individual thing.
Another thing to keep in mind.   Doctors in some states are subject to intense record-keeping requirements. You can’t just write a prescription, give it to Brother Jones, and have done with it–there are reports to be written and filed. Moreover, any reasonably cautious doctor is going to be very careful about prescribing anything without full access to your medical records and knowledge of what you’re already taking.  Unfortunately this becomes the tactic of doctor-shopping drug addicts.
So while yes, we are to share our talents, they also have to fall within the guidelines of law as well.
Gramps
I’m personally shocked someone would ask a doctor for a prescription like that.
Honestly, I am not shocked, at all. There was a need this man was hoping would be met. It is very likely he did not understand the laws regarding the writing of a prescription, either. Unfortunately, no thanks to a scourge of lawyers in not only our country, but the world, we have been reduced to this state of society in which we live. In fact, I am sure there are many little things we do in our own lives here and there that violate the law to some degree or another and we have no clue, (i.e. building something in our yard with out the proper permit, going too fast because we didn’t know the speed limit on a road unfamiliar to us, etc.) since there are so many clauses to every law on the books as well as new laws being created everyday.
Thank goodness Jesus Christ will one day return and will be our lawgiver! When that happens, we will have no more need for lawyers. Moreover, since people will live to the age of a tree, the need for doctors will be eliminated. That day seriously can’t come soon enough.
I went on a 40 mile hike with our elder’s quorum once, and one of the brothers midway began to complain of neck pain because he was not used to carrying a back pack. One of the other brothers on our hike was a chiropractor, and he freely volunteered to give him a neck adjustment on the spot, which seemed to help a lot. Seems to me, if you hold the priesthood, and you’ve made temple covenants, you find a way to minister and serve—-even if its not in the way the one suffering anticipated. Throwing them under the bus is not the way Christ would have done it.
I think your last lines sum it up. We should use our talents to help others, but in turn we should not have specific expectations and demands. In our society, people must make livings. Assessing needlessly the professions of those in your ward to get “freebies” rather than firstly relying on yourself is not okay.
Profound insight. Way to go, Liz!
How does one tell the difference between those who need help and those looking for freebies? What are these members doing to assure the helper feed his family?
Mosiah 2:17 “I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.” The scriptures also teach us that charity is the most important gift. Jesus paid for everyones sins, even those that came to this earth to do more damage then not. He didint say I’ll pay for his sins but not his because he just wants a freeby. When you serve, if you serve, do it for the joy in serving and with the true love of christ. If men take adavantage of that service let that responsibilty fall upon their heads in judgement day. As for you, you did what you were asked to do.
Why don’t all the Mormons just move to our own little community where everyone performs services for everyone else free of charge and then nobody would ever need money!
Every member in a ward with a skill or professional ability can’t be expected to help everyone in his or her ward with a need or else they would never have time to do their job. It is unreasonable to think that someone in your ward should perform a professional service for free because they are supposed to be nice to fellow ward members. It puts that person in an awkward position to ask for favors.