I am teaching Institute this week and the topics are from the For the Strength of Youth Pamphlet. Here are some great quotes from General Authorities of the Church about these topics.
Sabbath Day Observance
"I personally believe that some of the destruction and suffering we see in the world today is the result of a people who mock God and who do not keep His basic commandments, such as properly observing the Sabbath day. One of the key messages of the Book of Mormon is how people suffer when they do not keep God’s commandments. As a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Elder Ezra Taft Benson quoted President George Albert Smith as saying that “much of the sorrow and distress that is afflicting and will continue to afflict mankind is traceable to the fact that they have ignored his [God’s] admonition to keep the Sabbath day holy” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1935, 120; quoted in “Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy,” Ensign, May 1971, 7)."
-Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy, Elder Earl C. Tingey, Feb 2000
"Keeping the Sabbath day holy is a covenant between man and the Lord for he said: 'Ye shall keep the Sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: everyone that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.' All the Ten Commandments are everlasting covenants. The law of tithing is a form of an everlasting covenant, the covenant of revenue for the church, although some day we shall be given a higher form of this law known as consecration." (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation)
"And the matter of Sabbath observance remains to this day as one of the great tests which divides the righteous from the worldly and wicked.
Sunday being the Lord's Day, it is a day on which men should do the Lord's work, and do it exclusively. There should be no recreation, no unnecessary travel, no joy riding, and the like. The Sabbath is a day for affirmative spiritual worship, aside from which, 'thou shalt do none other thing, only let thy food be prepared with singleness of heart.'(D&C 59:13)" (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine)
*Questions:
-How can we teach our children about keeping the Sabbath Day holy?
-What are some activities we can do on the Sabbath Day as a family and as individuals?
Tithes and Offerings
"All of is can afford to pay tithing. In reality, none of us can afford not to pay tithing." (President Thomas S. Monson, Ensign, Nov 1996)
"Salaries, wages, gifts, bequests, inheritances, the increase of flocks, herds, and crops, and all income of whatever nature are subject to the law of tithing. (D&C 119)." (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine)
"By this principle it shall be known who is for the kingdom of God and who is against it. By this principle it shall be seen whose hearts are set on doing the will of God and keeping his commandments, thereby sanctifying the land of Zion unto God, and who are opposed to this principle and have cut themselves off from the blessings of Zion." (Joseph F. Smith)
"Spirit of inspiration in temporal and spiritual pursuits so that in the end he is ahead financially and temporally, to say nothing of spiritual growth that always attends such a course." (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine)
"Further, since all saints are under covenant, made in the waters of baptism (Mos. 18:8-10) to keep all of the commandments of God, it is a serious defalcation on their part to fail to give Deity his tenth of their income." (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine)
*Some blessings from paying tithing from Elder Hales:
-Feel more confidence asking God for what we need
-encourages us to be honest
-feel more gratitude
-faith to live a higher law
-feel an increase of love for God
(The Blessings of Tithing, Engisn June 2011)
*Tithing is used for many things. Here is a link that shows what it's used for.
*Questions:
-How can we teach our children about the importance of paying tithing?
-How has paying, or not paying, tithing affected your life?
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