It Pays to Pay Your Tithing! - Gratitude
One of the things I love about Thanksgiving time is it gives me the opportunity to think about the importance of living in gratitude.
Decoration in mission home.
I taught our missionaries in my mental health moment during our last zone conference that one of the quickest ways to improve your mental health and feel good is to practice gratitude! I told them that I am not just talking about saying “thank you” in prayers, which of course is important. What I am talking about is having a thankful heart and developing the habit of living in gratitude, because expressing gratitude will bring each of us great joy!
In the D&C 59:21 we learn, “And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his commandments.
I love that when God gives us a commandment, it is for our good. Confessing His hand in all things creates joy!
I shared with our missionaries one way to live in gratitude.
A dear friend of mine, Lynette Mitchell, that I lived by in Naperville Illinois, would make me smile because whenever something good comes her way, she smiles and exclaims, “It pays to pay your tithing!”
Peter & Maret Walker, Dick & Lynette Mitchell, Sister & President Quinn. (The Mitchell’s daughter, Maret and family live in San Rafael California. We saw them here while visiting. So fun!)
I remember being with Lynette at a swim meet with our kids one summer evening. We really needed the rain to hold off for another 30 minutes for an important race. When the sky cleared, she exclaimed, “Oh. it pays to pay your tithing!” Hannah, my nine-year-old daughter at the time, was there to hear this. We all enjoy Lynette’s enthusiasm and grateful heart.
The next day Hannah and I were at the library hoping to check out one of the 3rd grade’s “Battle of the Books,” book. We learned there were no books available. Hannah was very disappointed. On our way out of the library, we checked one more time. The librarian told us we were in luck because a “Battle Book” had just been turned in! Hannah smiled big and said, “It pays to pay your tithing!” as we walked out with the book in her hands. We both laughed.
After that our family adopted the practice to exclaim “It pays to pay your tithing!” anytime we noticed something good happening in our lives.
When President Quinn and I drive into a full parking lot and can’t seem to find a spot to park and then at that very moment someone pulls out and leaves the perfect parking space for us, we smile, give each other a high five and call out, “It pays to pay your tithing!” It is just a fun way to express thanks to our Heavenly Father.
President & Sister Quinn - We love finding reasons to say, “It pays to pay your tithing!”
In the book of Malachi 3:10 and again in 3rd Nephi 24:8-10 it reads: “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in My house, And prove me now herewith,” Saith the LORD of hosts, If I will not open you the windows of heaven And pour out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”
This is a wonderful and amazing promise from a loving Heavenly Father that as we pay our tithing, the windows of heaven will open and blessings will pour out upon us that there will not be room enough to receive them.
I testified to our missionaries that this is true, and I am grateful for the opportunity given to me to pay tithing! It is a joyful practice to watch for the blessings both big and small that our Heavenly Father showers down upon us.
I asked our missionaries to look for times to smile and say. “It pays to pay your tithing!”
Beautiful sunset on coastline in Fort Bragg that Sisters Kolowhich & Dunlap love.
Just the other day Sister Kolowich and Sister Dunlap told me that every time they drive across the bridge in Fort Bragg and see the beautiful coastline, one would say, “we are so blessed.” and then the other would say “it pays to pay your tithing!” And then both would smile and feel the joy of living in gratitude.
Sister Kolowich and Sister Dunlap - It pays to pay your tithing!
I hope this Thanksgiving season we will all find ways of living in gratitude and then, and this is very important, savoring the feeling of joy it brings! The Lord is so good, can you feel it?!
Have a great Thanksgiving holiday this week!!
It pays to pay your tithing to be serving with such wonderful missionaries!! Here are some more photos of our missionaries! …
Elders Wilson and Ritchie
Elders Smith, Ramsay, and Schmidt
Elders Wallace and Grover
