4/6/13 - Experiences & Testimony of Tithing

April 6, 2013  We are now on our way to Mthatha 2 1/2 hours from East London. What a beautiful drive. So many farms everywhere. We saw people
herding animals. we also saw bles buck, many goats, a grey baboon. It must have been a grandpa because it was grey. At least that is what
Elder Van Sickle said. We have never seen mud huts in South Africa until on our drive to Mthatha. We were on our way to the L.D.S. Church
in Mthatha to present L.D.S. Jobs to the 1st counsellor seeing how the bishop was out of town. When we pulled up to the church and there
was a member there. She was also waiting for the 1st counsellor also. As soon as we saw her I knew we were suppose to help her. She started
talking to us. We asked her how long she had been a member. She said three years. She was going to college in East London and living
with her sister. She said she had come to visit her mother. She said that her mother was a member but hadn't been coming to church for a
long time because she can't afford to pay tithing. We asked her why she couldn't pay tithing. She started to cry. I am so worried about her. She said because she is to far
in debt. She is so stressed out. We told her people don't think they can afford to pay tithing but you can't afford not too.  It's
 all about putting the lord first in your life. He will bless your mother if she pays her tithing. Its not if you have enough money to pay tithing. It's do
you have enough faith to pay it. It's saying lord  I know better what to do with my money than you do. We are depending on our selves
and not the lord. I was prompted to tell her the story of the widow's mite. Mark 12:41-44 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how
the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.                                                     We asked her where her mother lived. She explained that she lives on the other side of Mthatha and that it
was a long ways. Elder Van Sickle said we would love to meet your mother. Will you take us there after our meeting. By then the 1st counsellor
had arrived. So we all went into the church. Elder Van Sickle taught L,D S. JOBS to the 1st counsellor and her. Then after the meeting Sinazo hopped into
our car and we headed to her mother's house. We drove out of town and onto a dirt road and went it seemed like forever. Sinazo explained
to us that they walk from there house down the dirt road all the way to the main road. Which is a 30 minute walk then they take a taxi to the
main part of town. Then another taxi to the church. We finally arrived at her mother's house. She led us into the house. She went and found
mama. We sat down and began to talk. We both knew the lord had sent us here today to help this member. She was very stressed and crying It was
as if she had a ton of bricks on her head. She told us she had be baptized 2010. She had stopped going to church. Because she was in such
debt. She couldn't afford to pay the taxi to get her and her family to church and pay her tithing. She was s school teacher. She pointed out the window. She said
I walk up over that hill for 30 minutes to the school I teach at. She made very good money for South Africa wages 17,500 R a month which
rounded off in American dollars is a little more than 1.750.00. We told her
in order to help her we needed to see her payslip. Elder Van Sickle looked through her finances. She was paying 14 different insurances companies
for burial insurance. She had bought a lot of things on credit
including furniture pots and pans and many other things.. She had no money left to live on. We gave her the church pamphlet on ONE FOR THE
MONEY BY MARVIN J ASHTON. It teaches you how to get out of debt and how to eliminate your debt and how important it is to stay out of
debt. Elder Van Sickle told her she was under water drowning. She was building a new house beside her house and she had bought the materials
at different companies on credit. Elder Van Sickle told her not to spend another dime on that house and to drop all the burial insurances she had except
on herself. Then as soon as you get your pay check pay your tithing first thing. that she would be blessed and she needed the blessings. She needed
to not buy one more thing on credit. Raise your hand and
promise to Elder Van Sickle that you will
not buy one more thing. She did. Practice saying no to yourself. He told her she should only pay cash for the materials on her house after she gets out of debt.
      The prophet tells us to pay our tithing and to get out of debt. This story is a testimony to us why we should stay out of debt. We have seen many
members in trouble out here. Because they didn't follow the prophet's council. D&C 82:10 I the lord am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do
not what I say, ye have no promise. We want the lord bound to us. Who better to be bound too. WE LOVE YOU AND KNOW THAT GOD LIVES AND LOVES US. LOVE MOM AND DAD, GRANDPA AND GRANDMA,
ELDER AND SISTER VAN SICKLE