In mid-March LDS leaders cautioned members of the Church against ‘unwise investments’. Unfortunately, the variety and high number of fraud schemes circulating in our communities have forced Church leader’s hands in issuing this statement.

In my opinion this is a sad commentary on an aspect of our present “culture”. Sometimes, “Keeping up with the Jones” can lead to good people doing bad things and generally intelligent people making less-than-intelligent decisions.

You know we have a problem when the Utah Director of Commerce, Frances Giani, is urging LDS bishops to read the caution letter.

The moral of the story is “live within a budget, avoid consumer debt, and save against a time of need.” In order to live within budgets it is probably wise to pass up on most - too good to be true - investment schemes.

Anyway, I was very happy to hear this letter read in Sacrament meeting. I hope that people are listening and that we can all find a way to “heed the message“.