To Elderly Church Members

From Teachings of ... Benson

https://www.lds.org/manual/teachings-of-presidents-of-the-church-ezra-taft-benson/chapter-16-the-elderly-in-the-church

May we suggest eight areas in which we can make the most of our senior years:

1. Work in the temple and attend often. 

We urge all who can to attend the temple frequently and accept calls to serve in the temple when health and strength and distance will permit.

2. Collect and write family histories. We call on you to pursue vigorously the gathering and writing of personal and family histories. In so many instances, you alone have within you the history, the memory of loved ones, the dates and events. In some situations you are the family history.

3. Become involved in missionary service.  You are able to perform missionary service in ways that our younger missionaries cannot.

4. Provide leadership by building family togetherness.  call your families together. Give leadership to family gatherings. Establish family reunions where fellowship and family heritage can be felt and learned. Some of the sweetest memories I have are of our own family reunions and gatherings. Foster wonderful family traditions which will bind you together eternally.

5. Accept and fulfill Church callings. We trust that all senior members who possibly can will accept callings in the Church and fulfill them with dignity. How we need the counsel and influence of you who have walked the pathway of life! We hope that priesthood and auxiliary leaders will continue to give the elderly callings in which they can use their reservoirs of wisdom and counsel. Church leaders should prayerfully seek the Spirit in helping members meet the needs of the elderly.

Plan for your financial future. We also advise caution in cosigning financial notes, even with family members, when retirement income might be jeopardized.  Be even more cautious in advancing years about “get-rich” schemes, mortgaging homes, or investing in uncertain ventures. Proceed cautiously so that the planning of a lifetime is not disrupted by one or a series of poor financial decisions.

7. Render Christlike service. Christlike service exalts. Knowing this, we call on all senior members who are able to thrust in their sickles in service to others. This can be part of the sanctifying process.

8. Stay physically fit, healthy, and active. We are thrilled with the efforts being made by so many of the elderly to ensure good health in advancing years. …