The Young Women in Our Ward are Focusing on Becoming Self-Reliant!

"What skills do we need to help us become self-reliant? . . . In the early days of the Church, Brigham Young pled with the sisters to learn to prevent illness in families, establish home industries, and learn accounting and bookkeeping and other practical skills. Those principles still apply today. Education continues to be vitally important. . . . "I asked several bishops what self-reliance skills the sisters in their wards needed most, and they said budgeting. Women need to understand the implications of buying on credit and not living within a budget. The second skill bishops listed was cooking. Meals prepared and eaten at home generally cost less, are healthier, and contribute to stronger family relationships." Julie B. Beck, Relief Society general president.

Finance Class: Lesson 4

Young Women Finance Class
Lesson 4: The Gift of Giving

The Big Picture
We will be learning to see the importance of giving. Financial blessings come with an opportunity--and a responsibility--to bless others. A grateful heart is a giving heart. Being a good manager of God’s money involves knowing how to share it.

Application
God has blessed you abundantly, so don’t worry about what God gives to others—focus on your own blessings! When your attention is focused on others who have more than you, you’ll never be content and experience the joy that comes from a generous heart.

What it Boils Down To:
Giving is a spiritual act of worship.

You are at a fantastic stage in your life where you are just beginning to increase your personal earning capacity. As such, you are going to have access to more money in the years coming up than you have had, and if directed properly it can bless your lives and the lives of others. But if you violate the basic foundational principles that money is governed on, it can be one of the greatest sources of stress, frustration, and heartache.

Three Key Things:
1. Be Honest with the Lord
2. Live Within Your Means and Avoid Debt
3. Develop Saving Habits Early

Be Honest with the Lord
Why do you think we have been given the Law of Tithing? Faith, obedience and sacrifice—will we truly put God before the things of the world?
2 Timothy 3:4 – Lovers of Men more than lovers of God

Malachi 3: 10 we read the incredible promise associated with the Law of Tithing. “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”….

In addition to the powerful promise, obedience to the Law of Tithing teaches us to prioritize our spending and trains our mind so that we can live on less than we make.

The world speaks loudly for our resources. We constantly are appealed to buy this and that, buy it now! With promises of everything from excitement, to entertainment, with all of this screaming for our attention we often get sidetracked and fail to hear the very quiet call and example of the Savior. Remember, his life taught men how to be free—in contrast, we so often become slaves to our habits and to the things of this world. Buying and spending on things that economically don’t fit into our income.
There are many blessings of tithing. These blessing come in all forms, not just monetary. You probably know of many yourself. Successful family finances being with the payment of an honest tithe and giving of a generous fast offering. The Lord has promised to open the windows of Heaven and pour out great blessings upon those who pay tithes and offerings faithfully.

In a conference talk by Elder Childs, he spoke of a mother in West Africa as she shared her testimony about tithing. She was a trader in a marketplace. Every day she would come home, count out her tithing, and put it in a special place. Then on Sunday she would faithfully take it to her Bishop. She shared with us how her business had grown and how her family had been blessed with health and strength and enough food to eat. Then with tears in her eyes she said, “but the greatest blessings of all are that my children love the Lord and we are a forever family.”

This humble mother understood that one of the great blessings of being a full-tithe payer is the privilege of entering the House of the Lord and participating in the sacred ordinances that enable families to be together forever.

The bottom line is you have to commit to live the principle of tithing for yourself. You have to choose to have faith in the unwavering promises of our Father in Heaven and His son. Today is the day to commit to always be obedient to the Lord’s Law of Finance. I can guarantee you that if you don’t make that firm commitment, pay your tithes and offerings first and then spend and direct the rest, you will always find something else you need or want. So, commit now to be unwavering in your part of the Law of Tithing so that the windows of Heaven can be opened to you. The Lord’s part is sure—he invites us to put it to the test when he said “Prove me now herewith…”

In closing, make the great resource of money your friend and ally—get it working for you. Learn to enjoy work and the great privilege it is. Treat money with great care as you would a valuable resource. In May 1999, Elder Joe J. Christensen explained: Our resources are a stewardship, not our possessions. I am confident that we will literally be called upon to make an accounting before God concerning how we have used them to bless lives and build the kingdom.”

The choices you are making today are creating your tomorrows. I can promise you that placing your priorities upon the material things of this world will never bring you happiness or peace. I leave you my testimony that peace and happiness come through following the very quiet, but very clear call of the Savior.