Of Tithing

Over the summer, I really gained a stronger testimony of tithing. I've always had a testimony of it, but there were a few instances this summer, that made my testimony even stronger.

In June, my husband asked if we could round our tithing up a little. He's always liked it to be exactly 10%, so taxes are easier, and then we'd just put a little more in fast offerings. But he felt like we should give a little more toward tithing. Of course, I said sure!

In July, my husband's boss let them know that someone from their department would need to be laid off. There were only 8 people in his department. Unfortunately, his friend was laid off, but what a blessing to our family for my husband to keep his job.

His boss had also mentioned that if they didn't start to get more work, everyone would have to have pay cuts by the end of August. We continued to pay our tithing in faith, knowing Heavenly Father would bless us. Around the middle of August, we received the news that business had picked up enough that they were going to postpone pay cuts! It's been two months since then, and it seems like they keep getting more and more work. That's quite a blessing!

The last miracle was one that especially touched me and made me grateful to our Heavenly Father for truly being mindful of all His children. Our daughters were going to start a music class in August. Combined, their tuition would have been close to $70 a month. Thanks to my dear friend, the teacher of this music class, we traded babysitting for the "sibling tuition" for my second daughter. That still left me with $45 a month to come up with, out of my own budget! My husband didn't see music class as a true necessity, so I said I'd take care of it. I didn't know how I would, but it was really important to me that the girls started this music class.

Halfway through July, I got an email from my friend, saying that there was going to be a scholarship offered for the music classes to those who qualified. I had to answer a few questions, and send them in to the founder of these specific classes.

Not two days after hearing about not having pay cuts, we got the blessed phone call that we had qualified for the music scholarship! Our materials fee was waived ($98), tuition was cut in half ($22.50 a month now, instead of close to $70 in the beginning), and the scholarship is renewable next year!

Some people would call this a coincidence, but I don't believe that. I know we were blessed for faithfully paying our tithing.

Lifting Burdens - The Atonement of Jesus Christ

These videos are too powerful to wait to publish, so I hope readers don't mind my clogging their Readers. This one is especially powerful, as it is filled with pure testimony of Jesus Christ. You will feel the love of our Apostles and of Jesus Christ as you watch this video.

Choose This Day

I know that as we choose Heavenly Father over all else, that He will bless us. I've seen it in my life. He's just waiting for us to choose Him and to be loyal to Him, so that He can pour out His love to us.

General Conference Highlights

Faith

While listening to President Eyring's talk (mp3 here) last night, from the RS Broadcast, I decided that I need to learn more about faith. So today, I read BD Faith. Here are some things that struck me:

- Faith is to hope for things which are not seen, but which are true. (In other words, faith IS hope, but in specific things that are true. Hope seems to be more of a personal thing - I hope I pass this test... I hope she forgives me...)
- It must be centered in Jesus Christ.
- To have faith is to have confidence.
- It's to place confidence in Him without reservation.
- It's kindled by hearing the testimony of others.
- Strong faith is developed by obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
- Faith comes by righteousness.
- Faith is a principle of action and of power.
- By faith one obtains a remission of sins and eventually can stand in the presence of God.
- True faith must be based upon correct knowledge.
- Faith in Jesus Christ is more than belief.
- True faith always moves its possessor to some kind of physical and mental action. (This one struck me!)
- Faith is a gift.
- It must be cultured and sought after.
- The effects of true faith in Jesus Christ include (1) an actual knowledge that the course of life one is pursuing is acceptable to the Lord; (2) a reception of the blessings of the Lord that are available to man in this life; and (3) an assurance of personal salvation in the world to come.

Another Testament of Christ Slideshow

The people who did the Reflections of Christ have done a new series of photographs, Another Testament of Christ. Here's the video with the added music.

An Inspiring Weekend!

Wasn't General Conference wonderful?? It truly left me wanting more - and wanting to BE more. Underlying themes, for me, were service, virtue, integrity, personal revelation, diligence in teaching at home, love, and enduring to the end. I find it fascinating that everybody always gets different things out of Conference, so please share what you got out of Conference, if you'd like.

Stephanie, at Diapers & Divinity, created a General Conference Online Book Club back in April, and she's doing it again for October Conference. She puts up a new talk to discuss each week, and the comments are wonderful! You can go HERE for the explanation of the book club, and HERE for the first post about this weekend's Conference. (On the explanation page, there is also a link to each week's post, as they get added.)

Also, the mp3s of General Conference are already available on the Church site, if you'd like to listen or re-listen to any of the talks. The text is usually up before the week is through. I can tell you that studying each talk throughout the next six months will bless your life! I've begun to make Conference talks a part of my daily scripture study, and it has truly blessed my life!

I have a strong testimony of General Conference! It is truly a wonderful weekend of uplifting and inspiring thoughts. It always helps me become better! I know it can do this for everyone!