Africa West Area Local Pages
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AFRICA WEST AREA LOCAL PAGES AREA PRESIDENCY MESSAGES How Does One Rob God in Tithing and Offerings? By Elder Edward Dube Of the Seventy number of years ago, while said that if he paid that much A working in our garden each month there was no way with a helper, he shared with he would survive. He went on to me a tithing experience he had explain to the bishop about the with his bishop. Brother Silas situation with his immediate fam- Dickson worked for the Church ily, the monthly rentals, children’s as a custodian in one of our tuition, the extended family, and chapels. He related to me how all other expenses. he had responded to an invita- Silas said to me that the bishop tion by his bishop to go into just sat quietly listening to him. his office. After he had finished with his go back to the bishop?” “No,” he Elder Dube Bishop Stanley asked Silas, list of excuses, the bishop said said. Silas explained that there “Brother Dickson, when are you to him, “Silas, I invite you to be was no need to go back; instead going to be a full-tithe payer?” a full-tithe payer. If paying your the bishop called him to his Silas responded, “Bishop, what tithing means that you cannot office and asked how things were do you mean by that? Each pay or meet all those expenses going. He told the bishop that he month I hand you my tithing we discussed, just pay your was doing well and that he had envelope.” Of which the bishop tithing anyway. If after paying since reorganized his time so well responded, “Oh yes you do, but your tithing, you encounter some that he now had extra time to do that is just your contribution, eh, challenges, come and see me.” extra work in many more homes part-tithe. My question is: when Silas related his experience, to earn extra income. are you going to be a full-tithe “Ever since the counsel from my Silas then said to me, “That payer?” Upon which Silas re- bishop, I have been a faithful tithe is why I am here; you recall I minded the bishop that he pays payer. My family and I have been asked you if I could come and tithing every month without fail alright. Sometimes we don’t have help with your garden for a and asked how the bishop could much to eat, but we have enough. reasonable charge?” Actually, this refer to him as a part-tithe payer. More than anything, my trust in was true, Silas had asked to help The bishop then asked Silas how the Lord has been strengthened. I in the garden for few hours each much he was paid and calculated have proven my Lord and I know Saturday, and I noticed that he what 10 percent of his salary was. that the Lord will never let me was also doing the same in other Silas jumped out of his chair and down.” I asked him, “So did you homes at different times. June 2015 A1 Brother Silas Dickson was rob- knowing what lies ahead. Above robbed me. But ye say: wherein bing the Lord and he did not even all Silas needed to know this great have we robbed thee? In tithes know it. When he realized this, he counsel from President Gordon B. and offerings” (3 Nephi 24:7–8). changed and felt the joy of living Hinckley (1910–2008): Tithing “is Elder M. Russell Ballard of the the principle of tithing and enjoy- not so much a matter of money Quorum of the Twelve Apostles ing the promised blessings. Elder as it is a matter of faith.”2 counseled: “Pay your tithing. The Robert D. Hales of the Quorum The Savior set the pattern by Lord said that He’ll provide, He’ll of the Twelve Apostles taught, His own teachings. Reinforcing make the way, and that was the “Tithing is a test of faith with eter- what the Father taught to Malachi, case with [our family].”3 nal blessings. Tithing develops the Savior defines how tithing I reflect on 30 years ago, sitting serves as a sanctification not with two missionaries, Elders only in preparing us for ordi- Russell Griffiths and James Hall, nances, but also in preparing looking directly into my eyes us to claim, “all that [His] Father as they extended an invitation hath” (D&C 84:38). which continues to be a source The Savior’s teachings in of blessing in my life up to this 3 Nephi truly help us understand day: “Eddie, will you pay tithing that tithing has a greater signif- at the end of this month and for icance than just the payment of the rest of your life?” The law of it: “And he shall sit as a refiner tithing and the blessings of being and purifier of silver; and he a full-tithe payer are immeasur- shall purify the sons of Levi, and able. Indeed, my wife, Naume, purge them as gold and silver, and I will always be indebted to that they may offer unto the these two missionaries who had Lord an offering in righteous- prepared themselves so well to ness” (3 Nephi 24:3). The Lord be able to invite the Spirit into then expresses His concerns that our discussion which helped me we have “gone away from [His] change and embrace this princi- and tests our faith. By sacrificing ordinances” (3 Nephi 24:7). Our ple in a way which added value to the Lord what we may think loving Savior’s pleading invitation in our early marriage as we strug- we need or want for ourselves, inherent in tithing is that it be gled with meager income. The we learn to rely on Him.”1 a truly spiritual experience, an events and experiences which Silas needed to know that invitation to sanctify ourselves have occurred in a very mirac- contributing to the Lord what was and purify our hearts as we ulous way in our lives through convenient to him was not the overcome selfish desires. “Return tithing are too sacred to mention. necessary sacrifice which claims unto me and I will return unto the eternal blessings. He needed you, saith the Lord of Hosts. But Embrace This Invitation to know too that test meant to ye say: wherein shall we return? I invite you to take a serious take that leap of faith without Will a man rob God? Yet ye have look inside yourself. I hope A2 Liahona you are a full-tithe payer; I hope Elder Dale G. Renlund of the which was extended to me you are not robbing God by not Seventy quotes some prophetic 30 years ago, with a promise paying your full tithes. If you words he heard from President that the Lord will always honor have not yet started, I urge you Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second His promises to His faithful to begin. When you do, you Counselor in the First Presidency: children. Will you pay an honest will realize what it means to be “Our members, wherever they tithe this month and for the rest a covenant person, to keep the may live, will only walk out of of your lives? ◼ vision of eternity continually in poverty and overcome their eco- NOTES 1. Robert D. Hales, “Tithing: A Test of your mind and the value of it nomic challenges when they pay Faith with Eternal Blessings,” Ensign 4 or Liahona, Nov. 2002, 26, 27. in your heart. You will realize their tithes.” With all my heart, I 2. Gordon B. Hinckley, “The Sacred Law what Silas realized through the plead with you my dear brothers of Tithing,” Ensign, Dec. 1989, 4. 3. Russell M. Ballard, “Preparing for inspired counsel from his bishop. and sisters, to live honestly with the Future,” Ensign or Liahona, Sept. 2011, 28. You will realize and experience the Lord in the payment of tithes 4. Dale G. Renlund, “Walk Out of what the ancient and living and offerings. Poverty and Change Your Economic Circumstance,” Africa Southeast prophets have experienced. I humbly extend this invitation, website, May 21, 2014. OUR HERITAGE The Lord Provided a Way—Eight Liberian Missionaries Flee War-Torn Nation By Sister Elizabeth Maki he Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints halt, Elders Marcus Menti and Joseph Myers, zone Twas still in its infancy in Liberia when civil war leaders in Monrovia, determined to go wherever erupted in the West African nation, threatening they had to in order to complete their missions members and branches and devastating an entire and serve as they had been called to do. That country. meant leaving Liberia, so together with the four When the war broke out in late 1989, eight other missionaries serving in Monrovia—Taylor native Liberian missionaries were serving in the Selli, Joseph Forkpah, Roverto Chanipo, and Dave country. By July 1990 conditions were so bad that Gonquoi—they devised a plan. With the help of those missionaries were shuttered inside their Philip Abubakar, a counselor in the local branch homes, unable to preach the gospel and forced presidency and the missionaries’ driver, the elders to risk possible death just to meet with members. planned to travel north to Sierra Leone, cross the There was little food to eat, and it was difficult and border, then continue on to Freetown, where their very costly to obtain fuel for cars. mission presidency—not native Liberians—had With their work grinding nearly to a complete already been compelled to flee.