Eternal Principles

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Eternal Principles

• www.kevinhinckley.com

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Kids

• A Texas teacher was helping one of her
  kindergarten students put on his cowboy boots.
• He asked for help and she could see why. Even
  with her pulling and him pushing, the little
  boots still didn't want to go on. Finally, when
  the second boot was on, she had worked up a
  sweat. She almost cried when the little boy
  said, "Teacher, they're on the wrong feet."
• She looked and sure enough, they were. It wasn't
  any easier pulling the boots off than it was
  putting them on. She managed to keep her cool as
  together they worked to get the boots back on -
  this time on the right feet.
• He then announced, "These aren't my boots."
• She bit her tongue rather than get right in his
  face and scream, "Why didn't you say so?" like
  she wanted to. And, once again she struggled to
  help him pull the ill-fitting boots off his
  little feet.
• No sooner they got the boots off and he said,
  "They're my brother's boots. My Mom made me wear
  'em."
• Now she didn't know if she should laugh or cry.
  But, she mustered up the grace and courage she
  had left to wrestle the boots on his feet again.
  Helping him into his coat, she asked, "Now, where
  are your mittens?"
• He said, "I stuffed 'em in the toes of my boots."

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Editors Note

• The next slide is about tithing. Let the class
  discuss what it is hes talking about.

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Joseph F. Smith

• By this principle the loyalty of the people of
  this Church shall be put to the test. 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.
• There is a great deal of importance connected
  with this principle, for by it it shall be known
  whether we are faithful or unfaithful.
• In this respect it is as essential as faith in
  God, as repentance of sin, as baptism for the
  remission of sin, or as the laying on of hands
  for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
• For if a man keep all the law save one point, and
  he offend in that, he is a transgressor of the
  law, and he is not entitled to the fulness of the
  blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
• But when a man keeps all the law that is
  revealed, according to his strength, his
  substance, and his ability, though what he does
  may be little, it is just as acceptable in the
  sight of God as if he were able to do a thousand
  times more.--Apr. C. R.,1900, pp. 47, 48.

What principleand why?
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Note

• In the next slide, if they dont know, have them
  look it up in the Book of Mormon

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Savior to the Nephites

• Quotes 2 verses from the Old Testament
• Then says
• these scriptures, which ye had not with you,
  the Father commanded that I should give them unto
  you for it was wisdom in him that they should be
  given unto future generations.
• (3 Nephi 262)

What Versesand why?
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Note

• Here is a great chance to discuss exactly what do
  you have a right to expect when it comes to the
  windows of heaven.
• Could this refer more to spiritual blessings than
  we traditionally think.

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Malachi

• Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone
  away from mine ordinances, and have not
  kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto
  you, saith the Lord of hosts. But ye said,
  Wherein shall we return?
• Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye
  say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and
  offerings.
• Ye are cursed with a curse for ye have robbed
  me, even this whole nation.
• Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that
  there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now
  herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will
  not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you
  out a blessing, that there shall not be
  room enough to receive it.
• And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes,
  and he shall not destroy the fruits of your
  ground neither shall your vine cast her fruit
  before the time in the field, saith the Lord of
  hosts.

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Tragedy at Far West

• Failure of the Kirtland Bank (Safety
  Society)
• Joseph arrives at Far West
• Financial Problems
• The Local Presidency owned all the property
• Refused to provide Joseph with support
• The result?
• Few revelations (Joseph working)
• The siege and extermination order

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Note

• The goal of this next slide, indeed the goal of
  the entire lesson, is to have the class
  understand that obeying the law of tithing is
  part of our own sanctifying process.

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Revelation to Joseph SmithDC 119

• VERILY, thus saith the Lord, I require all
  their surplus property to be put into the hands
  of the bishop of my church in Zion,
• 1) For the building of mine house,
• 2) and for the laying of the foundation of Zion
  and for the priesthood,
• 3) and for the debts of the Presidency of my
  Church.
• Verily I say unto you, it shall come to pass that
  all those who gather unto the land of Zion shall
  be tithed of their surplus properties, and shall
  observe this law, or they shall not be found
  worthy to abide among you.
• And I say unto you, if my people observe not this
  law, to keep it holy, and by this law sanctify
  the land of Zion unto me, that my statutes and my
  judgments may be kept thereon, that it may be
  most holy, behold, verily I say unto you, it
  shall not be a land of Zion unto you.

How to we sanctify anything?
How did the Savior sanctify us?
By Covenant and by Sacrifice
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President Heber J. Grant

• I have found a great many people who do not know
  what their tithing is.
• I have never met people of that kind but what I
  believe if I were in partnership with them and
  they had a tenth interest in that partnership,
  they would know pretty well what that tenth was.
• I do not think they would have any difficulty
  whatever in finding how much I owed them.
• So I am inclined to think that if we wanted to,
  we would have no difficulty in finding out what
  is one-tenth of our income, and that is what we
  owe to the Lord (Improvement Era, Jan. 1941).

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Robert L. Simpson

• Nowdown in New Zealand, let me tell you
  about a beautiful little white chapel located
  in Maromaku Valley. About twenty-five years ago
  Brother Matthew Cowley, who was then the New
  Zealand Mission president, wrote to President
  Heber J. Grant and his counselors telling them
  of this faithful branch of English members.
• He expressed a recommendation that because of
  their devotion and outstanding tithing record
  over many years, a modest chapel be built for
  them without local participation, entirely from
  the general tithing funds of the Church. Soon the
  answer came back that the recommendation was
  approved. Immediately a special meeting was
  called in the community schoolhouse, and for the
  first time these wonderful people heard what had
  transpired in their behalf.
• At first they just sat. No one seemed
  particularly elated by the news, and then, one by
  one, each family head stood to explain how he
  would be disappointed if he were not allowed to
  accept financial responsibility for a certain
  phase of the proposed chapel. Within twenty
  minutes, the entire amount had been subscribed
  to.
• These faithful people were in the habit of going
  the extra mile in helping to finance the needs of
  the kingdom, and this is the way they wanted it.
  You see, people overcome selfish desires as they
  practice the Lord's law of giving. (April, 1966)