"The payment of tithing helps us develop a submissive and humble heart and a grateful heart that tends to 'confess … his hand in all things' (D&C 59:21). Tithe-paying fosters in us a generous and forgiving heart and a charitable heart full of the pure love of Christ."
Anciently, the Lord's followers were commanded to pay a tithe, and were counseled to play it "cheerfully." This commandment still applies to Christ's followers in His church today. Paying tithing shows God our thanks and our willingness to follow Him and His commandments. In turn, the Lord promises to bless us abundantly, both spiritually and temporally.
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Why pay tithing? As a child, I had been taught to, and in the scriptures we are taught it is a commandment from God. Malachi 3:10 reads:
"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing that there shall now be room enough to receive it."
It was October, and I was shopping for Halloween costumes for my three children. Trying to stretch our student budget dollar, I stopped by the local children's consignment shop to check if they had a good deal on costumes. I had my baby and almost 3-year-old with me. My 5-year-old was in school. My children were already restless from running other errands, so I knew this would need to be a quick trip.
We came in, and I looked through the racks of costumes. I found a couple costumes that would work for my younger two, they weren't particular about what they wore, but I still didn't see anything for my oldest. I went over the racks a second time, hoping I had missed something suitable for him—no luck. Just as I was gathering up our things, my almost 3-year-old, reached his hand into the rack, and drawing it out revealed it: the exact superhero costume my 5-year-old wanted, and in the right size!
Some may say, "Wow! What a coincidence," but I know better. I know that finding this perfect costume was a direct blessing from paying tithing.
My Heavenly Father knows me, and my family's needs and wants. He continually blesses us. A superhero costume may seem so insignificant, but on that day in October, Heavenly Father manifested His love for me and my family.
— Breanne Olson
We came in, and I looked through the racks of costumes. I found a couple costumes that would work for my younger two, they weren't particular about what they wore, but I still didn't see anything for my oldest. I went over the racks a second time, hoping I had missed something suitable for him—no luck. Just as I was gathering up our things, my almost 3-year-old, reached his hand into the rack, and drawing it out revealed it: the exact superhero costume my 5-year-old wanted, and in the right size!
Some may say, "Wow! What a coincidence," but I know better. I know that finding this perfect costume was a direct blessing from paying tithing.
My Heavenly Father knows me, and my family's needs and wants. He continually blesses us. A superhero costume may seem so insignificant, but on that day in October, Heavenly Father manifested His love for me and my family.
— Breanne Olson
