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0 March 2012

Church Announces Revelation Concerning Tithing for the Dead

SALT LAKE CITY--Following is a letter, dated Mar. 20, 2012, from the First Presidency:

Dear Brethren and Sisters:

The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that the temporal and the spiritual are one and the same from the perspective of the Lord. An example of this principle within the restored gospel is the law of tithing. By faithfully paying our tithes and offerings, we are provided numerous spiritual benefits. Indeed, obedience to the Lord's law of finance is crucial to our eternal salvation, "for he that is tithed shall not be burned at [the Lord's] coming” (D&C 64:23).

Hand-in-hand with this principle is the power, restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith, to perform saving ordinances on behalf of those who have died without a chance to partake of the gospel in this life. But what of the untold millions of people who have lived on this Earth and died without having an opportunity to give 10% of their increase to the Church, and thus fulfill the Lord's law concerning the unity of the temporal and the spiritual?

Bretheren, at last the promised day has come when faithful Latter-day Saints have the blessing and the duty to pay tithing vicariously for those who have passed to the other side of the veil. The Lord has heard our prayers, and President Monson, his counselors, and the Quorum of the Twelve have met in solemn and prayerful consideration of this matter. In addition to baptisms, initiatory, and other temple work on behalf of the dead, worthy temple recommend holders are also now invited to participate in the ordinance of tithing for the dead. What a choice experience this will be.

For example, imagine the joy of a faithful church member, humbly writing a check to the Corporation of the Presiding Bishop within the sacred walls of the temple, while a temple worker officiates. E.g., "Brother Smith, I hereby accept this offering of $3,452.68 for and on behalf of Juan Villalobos Sanchez, who is dead." The Church is currently implementing new software to access tax, banking, and other records of the deceased in order to assist temple patrons in determining how much tithing is owed by those for whom we participate in this sacred ordinance. In some cases, however, records may be incomplete or missing, in which case the Spirit will guide temple workers as to the proper amount to be paid.

We encourage all members of the Church to participate in this joyous work in bringing to pass the Church's mission of redeeming the dead.

Signed by the First Presidency:

Thomas S. Monson
Henry B. Eyring
Dieter F. Uchtdorf

_________________
"Often what passes for faith in this world is little more than gullibility."--Joseph B. Wirthlin

"Scholarship can take us to a certain point, and after that point our assumptions and presuppositions and beliefs plainly take over."--FAIR wiki

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Even more great news is when you consider inflation, dead people did not make as much money. So we can pay old debts with our current relatively high salaries and the dead still get 100% of the blessings!! So if you take some dead guy who lived in the 1800s, he might have made $10,000 in his lifetime. A proxy can pay $1000 to cover all the tithing that he owes. That's awesome. Of course, that's assuming that the church doesn't add on interest and late fees.

That is so incredibly thoughtful and caring. So many people have missed out on the great blessings during their lives that can now be posthumously delivered to them.