The Lord Expects His People to Keep Their Pledges (Promises) and to Not Covet
Doctrine and Covenants 136:20
20 Seek ye; and keep all your pledges one with another; and covet not that which is thy brother’s.
President Heber J. Grant said:
“. . . I am going to read . . . from section 136 of the Doctrine and Covenants. This is ‘the word and will of the Lord’ given to President Brigham Young:
“‘. . . Seek ye; and keep all your pledges one with another; and covet not that which is thy brother’s.’
“I cannot think of anything that appeals to me as being the mind and the will of the Lord stronger than the last words I have read, namely: ‘Covet not that which is thy brother’s.’
“I want to impress upon the minds of the Latter-day Saints not to covet that which belongs to any public institution, or that which belongs to any city, or county, or the government of the United States. Unless I have been misinformed, many people have said, speaking of the distribution by the government of supplies to the people: ‘Well, others are getting some, why should not I get some of it[?]’
“I believe that there is a growing disposition among the people to try to get something from the government of the United States with little hope of ever paying it back. I think this is all wrong. . . .
“Remember that it is the mind and will of the Lord that we keep our pledges.”
(In Conference Report, Oct. 1933, 4–5.)
