Why We Should Pay Our Tithes

"As we faithfully pay our tithes, the Lord will indeed open the windows of heaven and pour us out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. I want each of you to know, and especially my children and grandchildren, that I know, as my grandfather did, that if you always pay an honest tithing, the Lord will bless you. It will be the best investment you will ever make."

--Sheldon F. Child, "The Best Investment," Ensign, May 2008, 81

I testify to you that the Lord has "open the windows of heaved" and poured a blessing out upon my family and I many, many times because we have paid our tithes. I know this is a true principal, and I testify of if in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

The Gift of Life

Adoption is about love. There are so many willing parents who are unable to have children or add to their families that would love to raise a baby. Yet millions are murdered through abortion each and every year. Please watch this touching story.



Read Tamra's story here.

Why We Need Prophets

Prophets are a clarifying voice needed now more than ever with a constant stream of messages reaching us in all directions from a combination of the old and new medias. Prophets bring us God's word. God did not stop revealing his word to men at the end of the New Testament. He is a living God! Man cannot shut his mouth, for God loves us too much to let us go without his teachings and loving influence!

The Holy Bible says: "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets" (Amos 3:7). By God working through his prophets, we know which of the many messages in this world are from him. Please enjoy this video by Seth Adam Smith highlighting the prophets of this dispensation.

Personal Attributes of Jesus Christ

While reading in the book of Doctrine and Covenants, a book of modern revelations given to God's prophets for mankind beginning in 1823, I have read many attributes of the Savior Jesus Christ that feel very personal. What makes many of these seem so personal is that many of them are Christ speaking of and describing himself. These passages help me draw nearer to him.

I have spoken unto thee because of thy desires; therefore treasure up these words in thy heart. Be faithful and diligent in keeping the commandments of God, and I will encircle thee in the arms of my love.

Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I am the same that came unto mine own, and mine own received me not. I am the light which shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not (6:20-21).

Listen to the voice of Jesus Christ, your Redeemer, the Great I Am, whose arm of mercy hath atoned for your sins;

Who will gather his people even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, even as many as will hearken to my voice and humble themselves before me, and call upon me in mighty prayer (29:1-2).

Thus saith the Lord your God, even Jesus Christ, the Great I Am, Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the same which looked upon the wide expanse of eternity, and all the seraphic hosts of heaven, before the world was made;

The same which knoweth all things, for ball things are present before mine eyes;

I am the same which spake, and the world was made, and all things came by me (38-1-3).

Listen to him who is the advocate with the Father, who is pleading your cause before him—

Saying: Father, behold the sufferings and death of him who did no sin, in whom thou wast well pleased; behold the blood of thy Son which was shed, the blood of him whom thou gavest that thyself might be glorified;

Wherefore, Father, spare these my brethren that believe on my name, that they may come unto me and have everlasting life (45:3-5).

And the Father and I are one. I am bin the Father and the Father in me; and inasmuch as ye have received me, ye are in me and I in you.

Wherefore, I am in your midst, and I am the good shepherd, and the stone of Israel. He that buildeth upon this rock shall never fall (50:43-44).

Words of the Savior

I love to read the words of the Savior Jesus Christ. It causes my heart to be so uplifted when I read the collection of modern revelations received over the past 200 years found in the Doctrine and Covenants. For I know that man and man's philosophies cannot stop God from speaking to his children on this Earth. God loves us too much to cut us off, to leave us without prophets, revelation, and doctrine.

These are some of the words of Jesus Christ found in the Doctrine and Covenants that move me deeply:

For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent;

But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I;

Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink—

Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men (19:16-19).

For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him (18:11).

Hearken and hear and behold what I, the Lord God, shall say unto you, even Jesus Christ your Redeemer;

The light and the life of the world, a light which shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehendeth it not;

Who so loved the world that he gave his own life, that as many as would believe might become the sons of God (34:1-3).

I love reading about the Savior's sacrifice for us in the first person. He is a perfect example of a servant. He took upon himself a burden so great that even he almost could not bare it! Then he gave himself no credit. No, the Savior gave all glory for this insurmountable task he completed to his father, our Heavenly Father.

If we could all serve others that completely, in pure, unconstrained humility, as the Savior did in his great example, this world would be an amazing place, where the Holy Ghost would dwell unconstrained, hearts would be softened, and love would abound.

I know that Jesus Christ lives! I feel is presence dwelling within my heart now as I study and contemplate his words and write what they mean to me. I know that Jesus Christ loves each and every one of us individually with a love so great we cannot comprehend. If nothing else brings you self-esteem when you are down, knowing the Savior can and will! I have personal experience with this when I suffered from the pains of depression. Jesus Christ truly knows how it feels. He can and with sympathize with you and share all the love he has to offer with you. I testify of this truth from the knowledge gained by my own personal experience that I continue to appreciate more as I think back upon it. I share this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen

Book of Mormon Parallels to American Society

This morning I was reading Alma chapter 9. In this chapter Alma is calling the predominantly wicked people of the land of Ammonihah to repent. As part of his sermon, Alma said:

Behold, O ye wicked and perverse generation, how have ye forgotten the tradition of your fathers; yea, how soon ye have forgotten the commandments of God.

Do ye not remember that our father, Lehi, was brought out of Jerusalem by the hand of God? Do ye not remember that they were all led by him through the wilderness?

And have ye forgotten so soon how many times he delivered our fathers out of the hands of their enemies, and preserved them from being destroyed, even by the hands of their own brethren?

Yea, and if it had not been for his matchless power, and his mercy, and his long-suffering towards us, we should unavoidably have been cut off from the face of the earth long before this period of time, and perhaps been consigned to a state of endless misery and woe.

I found this passage interesting because I find myself thinking just about the same thing about society in America today.

Behold, O ye wicked and perverse generation, how have ye forgotten the tradition of your fathers; yea, how soon ye have forgotten the commandments of God.

It seems that this nation is becoming more wicked every day. Our fathers, the founding fathers of this great nation, were God-fearing people. It was never their intent that the name of God should not be spoken in public places nor that prayers to the almighty should be banned. The intent of the founding fathers was that a religion should not run the government, which would effectually take away the freedom of the people to follow the religion (or the religion of no religion) of their choice. Our founding fathers wrote the constitution and laid the framework of this nation based upon the commandments of God. Yet we enact laws countering the commandments of God.

Do ye not remember that our father, Lehi, was brought out of Jerusalem by the hand of God? Do ye not remember that they were all led by him through the wilderness?

It was not just dumb luck that led to what at the time was Christopher Columbus' vision of a new world. No, Columbus was led by the hand of God to America, and no one in this nation seems to remember, acknowledge, or believe this (see also 1 Nephi 13:12). For example "Columbus Day" is rarely honored or observed, yet many want to create a holiday for Barack Obama because of his position and race.

And have ye forgotten so soon how many times he delivered our fathers out of the hands of their enemies, and preserved them from being destroyed, even by the hands of their own brethren?

Without the hand of God, there would be no United States of America. We had no business winning the American Revolution. The only reason we won was through the will and power of God and our founding fathers' faith in God and God has continued to preserve this nation.

Yea, and if it had not been for his matchless power, and his mercy, and his long-suffering towards us, we should unavoidably have been cut off from the face of the earth long before this period of time, and perhaps been consigned to a state of endless misery and woe.

We have fought wars, we were attacked by by terrorists in 2001, Pearl Harbor was bombed in 1941, yet the United States of America has stood strong. Our people have never been taken into bondage. We have not ceased to exist. There is only one reason why, the power of God.

God is real, he lives! I love that I can see his influence in my life every single day if I will but simply look. God's creations are all around us. He shows us his love through his spirit and through the love, kindness, and service of others. It is my hope that the people of this nation will not forget our creator and his daily influence on our lives, that through him we are free to choose most things in this great and promised land of freedom. This is my testimony in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

The Prophet's Sense of Humor

For me it is comforting to see the wonderful sense of humor of the Prophet and President of God's church on this Earth.