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While I was in South America recently, Brother Roger Parra from Venezuela shared the following experience with me:

“In 2019 Venezuela was shaken by problems that caused a power blackout for five days.

“Chaos and anarchy reigned in the streets, and many desperate people did not have sufficient food.

“Some began looting food businesses, destroying everything in their path.

“As the owner of a small bakery, I was very worried about our business. As a family, we decided to give away all the food in our bakery to people in need.

“Through one very dark night riots were everywhere. My only concern was for the safety of my beloved wife and children.

“At dawn I went to our bakery. Sadly, every nearby food business had been destroyed by looters, but to my great astonishment, our bakery was intact. Nothing had been destroyed. I humbly thanked my Heavenly Father.

“Arriving home, I told my family of God’s blessing and protection.

“They were all so grateful.

“My oldest son, Rogelio, only 12 years old, said, ‘Papa! I know why our store was protected. You and Mama always pay your tithes.’”

As you think celestial, your faith will increase. When I was a young intern, my income was $15 a month. One night, my wife Dantzel asked if I was paying tithing on that meager stipend. I was not. I quickly repented and began paying the additional $1.50 in monthly tithing.

Was the Church any different because we increased our tithing? Of course not. However, becoming a full-tithe payer changed me. That is when I learned that paying tithing is all about faith, not money. As I became a full-tithe payer, the windows of heaven began to open for me. I attribute several subsequent professional opportunities to our faithful payment of tithes.20

President Gordon B. Hinckley recounted this childhood experience: “When I was a boy I raised a question with my father . . . concerning the expenditure of Church funds. He reminded me that mine is the God-given obligation to pay my tithes and offerings. When I do so, [my father said,] that which I give is no longer mine. It belongs to the Lord to whom I consecrate it.” His father added: “What the authorities of the Church do with it need not concern [you, Gordon].

Marcus wrote: ↑

Fri Oct 06, 2023 6:24 pm

I'd love to see that looting story vetted. Something tells me it's another exaggeration.

huckelberry wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 07, 2023 4:48 am

Marcus wrote: ↑

Fri Oct 06, 2023 6:24 pm

I'd love to see that looting story vetted. Something tells me it's another exaggeration.

I thought the story was clear about the reason, they gave the food away, it had nothing to do with tithing. Lot of gall to twist the story around backward to pressure tithing.

Marcus your other post about uncle being pressured to give too too much shocked me. I am perhaps unaware of how far the church pressure goes. It seems as if it is a long ongoing pressure.

Kishkumen wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 07, 2023 3:46 pm

Wow! Talk about a convoluted view of causation. We gave the food away so there would be nothing for looters to search for, therefore tithing saved our place of business.

Whaaa?!?!?!?

It’s a miracle!

One day each of us will finish our earthly journey. Twenty-five years ago, just days before my mother-in-law, Martha Williams, died of cancer, she received a small check in the mail. She immediately asked my wife, Kathy, for her checkbook to pay her tithing. As her mother was so weakened that she could scarcely write, Kathy asked if she could write the check for her. Her mother responded, “No, Kathy. I want to do it myself.” And then she quietly added, “I want to be right before the Lord.” One of the final things Kathy did for her mother was to hand her tithing envelope to her bishop.