Janette's Journal: True Wealth From

True Wealth

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Chapter 1

–

True Wealth

before 2

008

—

were bailed out and their losses “socialized” after their real estate and

stock market “bets” went bad.

These actions were selected rather than letting natural market forces run their

course which, many feared, could have led to a depression that woul

d have rivaled

or surpassed the Great Depression of the 1930s. Free enterprise proponents

lamented, saying we merely “kicked the can down the road” rather than “take our

medicine” and now fear that these repeated “swigs” from the bottle of inflation

(cheap

money) will result in a worse, eventual, inevitable day of reckoning.

As the world grapples with this economic dilemma

—

more stimulus or stifling

austerity (Keynes versus Hayek)

—

things seem clear to President Boyd K. Packer:

“Your generation is filled w

ith uncertainties. A life of fun and games and expensive

toys has come to an abrupt end. We move from a generation of ease and

entertainment to a generation of hard work and responsibility. We do not know how

long that will last.”

President Packer’s comme

nts provide a second witness to the prophetic warning of

President Gordon B. Hinckley when he said, “There is a portent of stormy weather

ahead to which we had better give heed....I hope with all my heart that we shall

never slip into a depression....But I am

troubled by the huge consumer installment

debt which hangs over the people of the nation, including our own people.”

And

as alarming as household debt was at the end of 1998 when President Hinckley gave

this warning, the charts above show a dramatic incre

ase since that time.

Yet, in the midst of these ominous warnings and discouraging data there is hope. At

Brigham Young University

Idaho’s winter 2009 commencement Elder Neil L.

Andersen stated, “We are currently in some difficult times and I know it brings

some

concern as we look at jobs, and careers, and income. But there are many good and

Boyd K. Packer, “Counsel to Young Men,” Priesthood

Session, April 2009 General Conference.

Gordon B. Hinckley, “To the Boys and to the Men,” Priesthood Session, October 1998 General

Conference.

prosperous days ahead.”

It is the belief of this author that enduring economic

prosperity will not come automatically but will come as a result of returning to time

tested fundamentals of wealth creation as taught by prophets of God.

True Wealth Comes from Production

In our mod

ern world

—

especially in the developed world, where few work on farms

or in factories

—

many have become disconnected to this basic reality as taught by

Brigham Young: “True wealth consists in the skill to

produce

conveniences and

comforts from the elements.”

More recently, Ezra Taft Benson reaffirmed this truth

by stating that “Man’s material wealth basically stems from the land and other

natural resources.”

Both of these prophetic statements echo the godly work of creation where “one...like

unto God...said...We

will go down...and we will take of these materials, and we will

make an earth.” Unorganized materials were “formed” into this beautiful and useful

earth upon which we dwell and are tested and hopefully transformed

—

through the

Atonement of Christ

—

from natura

l men into saints

and “joint

heirs with Christ.”

Can there be any greater material wealth than this earth, formed “from the

elements,” and which provides the physical setting for receiving saving ordinances

and experiencing spiritual rebirth?

Understandi

ng the godly nature of this

transformational process of producing from the elements is foundational to the

study of production and operations management. While the inputs and outputs and

production details may vary greatly from one process to another, the

core of this

fundamental process

—

the existence of a value

added transformational process

—

remains the same. This is the basic process of true wealth creation.

More than Making Money

Now of course, there are many ways to merely “make money” that do not fit

Brigham

Young nor Ezra Taft Benson’s definition for true or material wealth creation.

However, based on these quotes, it seems clear that Latter

day Saints should make

the distinction between simply “making money” and creating true wealth.

Neil L. Andersen, “Wisdom, with a Large W,” Brigham Young University

Idaho Commencement,

April 10, 2009.

urnal of Discourses

, Vol 10:189.

Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson

, pg. 474.

See Mosiah 3:19

See Romans 8:17.

Chapter 1

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True Wealth

We are not anx

ious to obtain gold; if we can obtain it by raising potatoes and

wheat, all right. “Can't you make yourselves rich by speculating?” We do not wish

to. “Can't you make yourselves rich by going to the gold mines?” We are right in the

midst of them. “Why don'

t you dig the gold from the earth?” Because it demoralizes

any community or nation on the earth to give them gold and silver to their hearts’

content; it will ruin any nation. But give them iron and coal, good hard work, plenty

to eat, good schools and goo

d doctrine, and it will make them a healthy, wealthy

and happy people.

It’s interesting to note the timing of this statement, given in 1870, just barely a year

after the completion of the transcontinental railroad. Prior to this time the Saints

were large

ly isolated

—

politically, economically, culturally, and socially

—

from the

United States of America. With the completion of the railroad it became much easier

for nonmembers to find their way to Utah and exert their influence on the

population. Clearly Brigh

am Young was concerned about the increasing influence

of Babylon on the membership of the Church and wanted the Saints to stick to the

tried and true methods for creating wealth, even holding up the following as an

example of proper wealth acquisition.

e financier is he that brings the lumber from the Canyons and shapes it for

the use of his fellow man, employing mechanics and laborers to produce from the

elements and the crude material everything necessary for the sustenance and

comfort of man; one who

builds tanneries to work up the hides instead of letting

them rot and waste or be sent out of the country to be made into leather and then

brought back in the shape of boots and shoes; and that can take the wool, the furs

and straw and convert the same int

o cloth, into hats and bonnets, and that will plant

out mulberry trees and raise the silk, and thus give employment to men, women and

children, as you have commenced to do here, bringing the elements into successful

use for the benefit of man, and reclaimi

ng a barren wilderness, converting it into a

fruitful field, making it to blossom as the rose; such a man I would call a financier,

a benefactor of his fellow man.

For President Young to bestow the title of “financier” upon a man, he must be “a

benefactor

of his fellow man” who employ

s laborers, brings materials, plants and

raises crops, builds production facilities, converts materials into something useful,

and reclaims a wilderness. On the other hand, those familiar with the teachings of

President Young

know that he did not look highly upon those “who have amassed

great wealth...at the expense of their fellows, on the principle that the doctors, the

lawyers and the merchants acquire theirs.”

His views are not inconsistent with the

following narrative from

the Book of Mormon

—

included by the divinely

inspired

prophet

historian Mormon.

And it came to pass that there were many cities built anew, and there were many

old cities repaired.

And there were many highways cast up, and many roads made, which led from

ity to city, and from land to land, and from place to place.

And thus passed away the twenty and eighth year, and the people had continual

peace.

Journal of Discourses

, Vol. 13:176.

Journal of Discourses

, Vol. 19:97.

Ibid.

But

it came to pass in the twenty and ninth year there began to be some

disputings among the people; and some

were lifted up unto pride and boastings

because of their exceedingly great riches, yea, even unto great persecutions;

For there were many merchants in the land, and also many lawyers, and

many officers

And the people began to be distinguished by ranks, ac

cording to their riches

and their chances for learning; yea, some were ignorant because of their poverty,

and others did receive great learning because of their riches.

These verses and President Young’s comments are both made against a backdrop of

improv

ed transportation (“many highways” in the Book of Mormon; new railroad

among the early Saints) and they highlight some accompanying downside risks:

decreased emphasis on industry, increased dependence on trade and a resultant

outsized service sector (“many

” merchants, lawyers, and officers). More recently,

Elder L. Tom Perry echoes these sentiments, clarifying, softening and applying them

to our modern world.

It is all right to be a doctor, lawyer, merchant, or chief, or homemaker,

but do

not allow our so

ciety to shift entirely into service

oriented occupations

. Man cannot

exist on service only. The

majority

of our efforts must be directed toward taking the

raw materials the Lord has blessed his children with in such abundance and

fashioning this material

into something productive for the use of mankind.

Elder Perry says “it is alright”

for individuals

to pursue such a service

oriented

profession (

the exception

), however, a proper balance is vital, where service

professionals (educators, healthcare profes

sionals, lawyers, bankers, financial

advisors, etc.) complement and support rather than overwhelm the productive base

of society, where the majority of efforts should be focused (

the rule

The chart

below

illustrates the importance of having proper balance among an

economy’s sectors. Notice that manufacturing and agriculture (in the United States)

both have multiplier effects of greater than one dollar. For example, this means that

for every dollar of GDP

produced by manufacturing there is an additional $1.48 of

economic benefit to society. On the other hand, each service sector listed above has

a multiplier effect of less than one dollar, meaning there is much less economic

benefit per dollar of GDP derive

d in those sectors. These data clearly support Elder

Perry’s assertion that the majority of society’s efforts should be directed toward

production.

Now, in our complex, diverse, and large interconnected world you may wonder what

you or anyone can do to hel

p restore productive work to its proper stature in the

American economy. Yet, it is the opinion of this author that the answers to such

complex policy questions and problems can be found in the simple injunction to

“keep the commandments” that we may “pros

per in the land of promise.”

Doing so

will give us the wisdom and inspiration to act in our best long

term interest as

individuals, business enterprises, communities, and as a nation.

3 Nephi 6:7

12.

L. Tom Perry, “Brigham Young, Prophet of God,” August 6, 1989 (emphasis added).

See 1 Nephi 4:14.

Chapter 1

–

True Wealth

Four Reasons for Studying Production and Operations Management

As we

study production and operations management we become more useful and

productive members of society

—

and better Latter

day Saints

—

no matter our

chosen profession. We recognize and appreciate the source of true wealth,

regardless of what our career plans may

be. To that end, we’ll discuss four specific

reasons why Latter

day Saints should study and appreciate production and

operations management: (1) for spiritual health, (2) for employment, (3) for freedom

and survival, and (4) to build Zion.

Produce for Spir

itual Health

While it’s true that some can “make [themselves] rich from speculating,” doing so,

according to Brigham Young, brings attendant risks because of its demoralizing and

ruinous effect on communities and nations. On the other hand, “good hard wor

k”

will make for “a healthy, wealthy, and happy people.” Indeed,

President Benson

taught that

“There are blessings in being close to the soil, in raising your own food,

even if it is only a garden in your yard and a fruit tree or two.”

A conceptual view

of these two extremes

—

speculating versus working with the soil

(farming)

—

can be found in the framework below that suggests how easy or difficult

may be

to remain spiritually grounded when engaged in different kinds of money

making activities. But what i

f we cannot or choose not to make money “being close

to the soil?” Does it mean we are less righteous than those who do? Of course not,

but we may be more susceptible to false doctrines (like “gain is godliness”

) and

Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson

, pg. 474.

In an address to the Church Facilities Personnel in 1969 President David O. McKay stated that in our

post

morta

lity PPI with the Lord He “will have no interest in how you earned your living, but if you

were honest in all your dealings.”

See 1 Timothy 6:5.

spirit

numbing influences that exist

some

workplace

. The intent of this

framework, therefore, is to heighten an awareness of these susceptibilities to help

individuals remain grounded

—

“close to the soil”

—

while living in our modern world

and working in professions which can tend to pull us

in a worldly direction.

The Book of Mormon and the teachings of latter

day prophets make it abundantly

clear that creative and productive work will help us gain greater spirituality. Below

is a sampling of teachings which can be found in the Book of Mo

rmon that focus on

being industrious or working or laboring with one’s hands.

Nephi “did cause [his] people to be industrious, and to labor with their hands.”

King Benjamin did “[labor] with [his] own hands that [he] might serve [his

people], and that [th

ey] should not be laden with taxes...”

Alma the elder “commanded...that the priests whom he had ordained should

labor with their own hands for their support.”

Contrast Alma the elder with Nehor “who [declared] unto the people that every

priest and teacher ou

ght to become popular; and they ought not to labor with their

hands, but that they ought to be supported by the people.”

The converted Lamanites would rather “labor abundantly with their hands”

than “spend their days in idleness.”

Alma the younger “labor

ed...with [his] own hands for [his] support,

notwithstanding [his] many travels round about the land to declare the word of God

unto [his] people.

Why does the Book of Mormon contain these many references to working with our

hands? Knowing that Mormon had p

rophetic vision into our time and could see that

so few in our society would need to work with our hands for survival, why would he

include such references

—

for us? The context of some of these passages goes beyond

2 Nephi 5:17

Mosiah 2:14

Mosiah 18:24

Alma 1:3

Alma 24:18

Alma 30:32

Chapter 1

–

True Wealth

laborers in the kingdom but also has refer

ence to day

day life. Why is this

important to us now? Perhaps we’ll never know the complete reasoning behind their

inclusion, but it should come as no surprise that similar teachings have been echoed

by our latter

day prophets and apostles.

In the Apri

l 1998 General Conference Elder Neal A. Maxwell stated that “work is

always a spiritual necessity even if, for some, work is not an economic necessity.”

More recently, at the October 2008 General Relief Society meeting, President Deiter

F. Uchtdorf stated

that “The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the

human soul,” adding “we each have an inherent wish to create something that did

not exist before.”

President Uchtdorf subsequently quoted President Brigham

Young as follows:

There is a gr

eat work for the Saints to do. Progress, and improve upon and make

beautiful everything around you. Cultivate the earth, and cultivate your minds.

Build cities, adorn your habitations, make gardens, orchards, and vineyards, and

render the earth so pleasant

that when you look upon your labors you may do so

with pleasure, and that angels may delight to come and visit your beautiful

locations. In the meantime continually seek to adorn your minds with all the graces

of the Spirit of Christ.

Clear

y the Book o

f Mormon and latter

day prophets and apostles consistently teach

that being closely connected to the production of physical, tangible items helps us

become and remain spiritually grounded.

Produce for Employment

In 1858, while the Saints were largely left

to their own devices to survive in the barren

West, Brigham Young made the following statement (or prophecy).

We want men to labour in every mechanical pursuit that they can; for I believe

that the time will come when we shall have to depend upon our own r

esources; and

I pray the Lord to so hedge up the way and shut down the gate, that we may be

compelled to depend upon our own manufacturing for the comforts of life.

Has the Lord already “hedge[d] up the way and shut down the gate” to compel the

Saints to

depend upon their own manufacturing? In other words, is this a prophecy

that has already been fulfilled or is it yet to be fulfilled? Interestingly, within 10 years

of this prophecy the continental railroad was completed and the Saints, from that

time to

the present, have had much easier access to goods manufactured outside of

their western settlements. I think it’s safe to say that this prophecy has not yet been

fulfilled. Might we, in the future, see a number of forces at work

—

trade deficits,

ever

changi

ng currency exchange rates (a weakening dollar), protectionist policies,

high transportation costs, etc.

—

that will “hedge up the way and shut down the gate,

Neal A. Maxwell, “Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel,” Priesthood Session, April 1998 General

Conference.

Deiter F. Uchtdorf, “Happiness, Your Heritage,” General Relief Society Meeting, October 2008.

Ibid.

Journal of Discourses

, Vol. 7:67

that we may be compelled to depend upon our own manufacturing for the comforts

of life”?

If such co

mpulsion is forthcoming, the time may come where a greater portion of

the U.S. population will be working in manufacturing industries versus financial or

other service

based industries. Indeed, “In the long run, a nation enjoys in the form

of goods and ser

vices only what it produces.”

Produce for Freedom and Survival

At Brigham Young University in 1989 Elder L. Tom Perry spoke on the importance

of manufacturing industries and how they relate to our independence (survival) as

a nation.

We cannot allow all o

f our basic industries to go to foreign shores and still

remain independent and free. We must retain our ability to use our hands and our

heads to fashion and produce finished goods required for our wants and our

needs....

We need to experience the fulfillmen

t that comes from producing a product

fashioned after the labor of our own hands

. This is an essential part of our education,

along with the preparation for our chosen professions.”

As he stated, not only should we have a producer’s mindset in our

occupations, it

should also be active in our home life. As members of the Church we often hear

about the need to store food and funds in case of a rainy day, to buy a modest home

that we can quickly pay off and to avoid consumer debt. Here’s a common examp

of such teaching.

The revelation to

produce

and store food may be as essential to our temporal

welfare today as boarding the ark was to the people in the days of Noah.

It’s particularly interesting that in this quote President Benson specifically menti

ons

the oft

forgotten need to

produce

and not merely store food. Again, the essential

quality of being producers should permeate our lives at home as well as in the

workplace so that we can “experience the fulfillment that comes from producing

[something]

fashioned after the labor of our own hands.” The degree of satisfaction

and fulfillment of such activities

—

both on a personal or family level (in the home)

or in the workplace

—

cannot be overstated.

Produce to Bring forth Zion

Finally, being producers plays

a critical role in the bringing forth of Zion. When we

examine the Church and its latter

day mission, we, as members, are instructed to

“seek to bring forth and establish the cause of Zion”

such that “the church may

stand independent above all other crea

tures beneath the celestial world.”

How can

Teachings of

Ezra Taft Benson

, pg. 633.

L. Tom Perry, “Brigham Young, Prophet of God,” August 6, 1989 (emphasis added).

Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson

, pg. 266 (emphasis added).

Doctrine and Covenants 6:6, 11:6, 12:6

Doctrine and Covenants 78:14

Chapter 1

–

True Wealth

we become independent unless we have a greater portion of our people with the

skills to be profitable producers?

This question points to another significant reason why we should study production

and operations

management: to help the Church stand independent as we strive to

bring forth Zion. If the time comes where the nation cannot stand completely

independent then it will be even that much more important for the Church to be

able to do so. Hence, the teachers

of production and operations management at

BYU

Idaho have an obligation to follow this counsel from Brigham Young.

It is the duty of the true minister of Christ to instruct the people of God how to

get their food today, and to teach them by precept and ex

ample how to become an

independent nation. How long shall we have the privilege of sending to New York,

St. Louis, or other places to buy our goods? Babylon will surely fall. It may be said

that we shall always be poor without commerce. [But] we shall alw

ays be poor with

it, unless we command it; and unless we can do this, we are better without it. Instead

of sending our wealth abroad to purchase artificials, why not try to make them

ourselves, or do without them?...This home industry should be persevered

in from

year to year with the view to our ultimate independence of a foreign market. This is

our duty.

Finally, we have these thoughts from President Hinckley.

There is no substitute under the heavens for productive labor. It is the process

by which dream

s become realities. It is the process by which idle visions become

dynamic achievements....It is stretching our minds and utilizing the skills of our

hands that lift us from mediocrity...We cannot deny the need for work with skilled

hands and educated minds if

we are to grow and prosper individually and if the

nation is to stand tall before the world.”

Chapter Summary

In this chapter we have endeavored to help students recognize that true wealth

comes from the skill to produce from the elements. With this reco

gnition comes a

further hope that students will (1) become and remain spiritually grounded, no

matter their career path, (2) obtain knowledge and skills in the areas of production

and operations management that will improve their employability and professi

onal

effectiveness, no matter their area of business emphasis, (3) become better

producers at home in order to live a happier and more secure life, and (4) be better

prepared to help in the great latter

day work of bringing forth Zion.

Preview of Book Stru

cture

The subsequent chapters of this book are divided into three sections: (1) Competing

with Operations, (2) Planning and Controlling Operations, and (3) Linking Supply

Chains.

Journal of Di

scourses

, Vol. 11:134.

Gordon B. Hinckley, “This I Believe,” BYU Fireside Address, March 1, 1992.

Chapters 2 through 6 deal with the three key components of value

—

responsiven

ess, cost, and quality

—

and how they contribute to successful

operations strategies.

Chapters 7 through 11 cover the processes that are part of a typical

production and operations planning and control system.

Finally, chapters 12 and 13 discuss how to eff

ectively manage upstream and

downstream supply chain relationships

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Janette's Journal

Wednesday, November 9, 2016

True Wealth From

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