Not more than our faith can stand

I read a quote today by president Spencer W. Kimball, as part of his dedicatory prayer for the DC temple.  He said, "Bless this people our father, that they may prosper, but not more than their faith can stand."
I have thought about that a lot since I read it.  We really do tend to stop growing spiritually when everything is going great in our lives. What insight President Kimball had to ask for that specific blessing.
When we prosper we relax our intensity with prayers and with our dependence on The Lord.  When we have excess time, money, or any resource, I find that it is so easy to take everything for granted and not think about spiritual things as much.  An example of this is my Relief Society manual, The Teachings of President Snow."  I take 2 copies (1 English copy and 1 italian copy, so I can read them side by side and learn new words.) with me to church on the 2nd and 3rd Sundays and I love to read every word of my English copy.  I can understand every word and I hungrily soak up every drop of message.  Because the lesson is given in Italian, of course, I only understand about 10% of what I hear, even if I listen with every sensory part of me. I can understand about 50% of what I read.  I watch the body language and the gestures (Italians do a great job with talking with their hands) and listen as hard as I can.  I notice when the person I am sitting next to, is smiling or looking perplexed at the message. But working as hard as I can, I still don't get any deep meanings or interesting details.  I just can pick up on what the topic is and  then of course any scripture references.  In our relief society back home sometimes the teacher wishes there was more audience participation.  That is not the case here in Italy.  The problem is to try and curb everyone talking at the same time about something they have such a passion for.  I will hear 2 or 3 sisters all talking at once right in th middle of th relief society lesson.  Then I really loose what is being said.  Anyway, back to my manual, which I seldom brought to Relief Society, or ever read before Sunday, I love reading every word of it now.  Why?  The text isn't different.  But now, I don't get fed spiritually by the lesson, unless I read it myself.   I guess it is the old economics principle of supply and demand.  We tend to appreciate things more and value them higher when there is less.
I appreciate peanut butter, corn syrup, and jello more now since I can't get them here in Italy.
I wonder if that is why poorer people accept the gospel so much easier than prosperous people.
I hope we can all appreciate all the things we have and still keep strong in the gospel, even when we have so much.

I have loved the beautiful scenery here in southern Italy.  I keep thinking that there's still snow back in Star Valley.  I didn't realize that southern Italy is so mountainous and beautiful.  Here are a few pictures I like below.