Attribute #7 - Generosity

William Gottlieb Youkstetter

1874 - 1947

Generosity: Liberality in giving; freedom from meanness of character or smallness of mind

Matthew 10:8
Freely ye have received, freely give.

1 Timothy 6:17-19
Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;
That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;
Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

I knew that Wayne's great grandfather Youkstetter was a successful butcher in Dublin, and after moving to southern California, he continued to be a success, both in business and with his family. He also did a lot to help build the church, first in Ireland and then in California, where he even served for a time as the bishop of the Huntington Park Ward. (You can find pictures of that ward building here and here; it's a pretty interesting structure.)

Dublin Branch Sunday School, around 1917
William Youkstetter - top row, center, with mustache
Dorothy (Wayne's grandmother) - girl in back on the left, with her mother, Marie, in front of her, and her sister, Lena, on the far right in the back

I remember being impressed with the fact that the very first wedding gift we received came from great-aunt Lena Youkstetter, and I was also impressed with the quality of the gift (although now I don't remember exactly what it was) and the gracious note accompanying it. So, while looking at the list of attributes, I thought generosity would be a great fit for Grandfather Youkstetter.

Imagine how gratifying it was to find this perfect example of his actual generosity in this record of his funeral.

Bishop George A. Baker: As we conclude these services, I personally want to pay my own humble tribute to a great man. Since my father and mother passed away, I have gone to Uncle Bill for many, many things – for help when mother passed after three or four months of suffering and extensive hospital treatment and our hospital bill amounted to several thousand dollars and we didn’t have the money – Uncle Bill provided it. When I wanted to buy a store, I didn’t have enough money to buy my little store – Uncle Bill provided it. And, on many occasions, I have gone to him for help – financial aid – not necessarily money, but in what I should do and for advice, and I always received it cheerfully. (Note that since William's wife and George's mother were sisters, he really was Uncle Bill.)

middle row, far left: Bishop Youkstetter (1928-1930)
bottom row, middle: Bishop George Baker (1946-1948)

It's natural to feel loving, kind and generous at Christmas time, and I'm grateful for examples of those who act this way year-round.

Fortuitously, this month's issue of the New Era included a couple of quotes on generosity at Christmastime.

“The way to increase the Christmas spirit is to reach out generously to those around us and give of ourselves.” - Bonnie L. Oscarson

“To truly honor [the Lord’s] coming into the world, we must do as He did and reach out in compassion and mercy to our fellowmen. This we can do daily, by word and deed. Let this become our Christmas tradition, no matter where we are—to be a little kinder, more forgiving, less judging, more grateful, and more generous in sharing our abundance with those in need.” - Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Last year's attribute - Hope