What is tithing?

I have been so extremely privileged to be able to write up Mormon Monday posts. I'll be honest. It wasn't until I stopped doing them that I got all the comments and emails. I'm pretty sure I have Mormon Monday questions to answer for at least a good few months. Keep em coming! 

Q: "I hear that Mormons pay tithing yet your church is a non-profit organization? I'm not a very religions person so I do not understand the complete concept of tithing. Can you explain that?"

I love this question. Tithing is something I'm extremely passionate and solid about. I have a very strong testimony about it. In our church, we have commandments. We have been commanded to donate 10% of our income to the church. Many people cringe at the thought of sacrificing 10% of their earnings. I look at it like this,"Everything here is the Lord's that he has given us. If all we have to sacrifice is 10%, I think that's pretty darn good." The MAJOR source of revenue for our church is tithing. The money goes toward work to move forward in the church. Here's the wonderful thing. Tithing isn't necessarily so much a matter of dollars as it is a matter of faith. It becomes a privilege and an opportunity, not a burden.

Though paying a full tithe is a blessing in its own, it also helps individuals in sticky situations, emergency preparedness, the temples to be built, and so much more. 

It's interesting, really. Growing up, I never saw the big deal with paying 10% of my earnings. Though it has gotten hard through the past few months (I mean, we're still considered newlyweds and can be poor sometimes), I can honestly say with my full heart that paying a full tithe has blessed me beyond compare. The Lord sees our righteousness and blesses us with the ability to 'be okay.' After all, if 10% is all we are giving Him, I think we should all be okay with that. Don't you? 

Do YOU have any questions about the LDS church? Feel free to email wenserendipity(at)gmail(dot)com and your question could be anonymously or publicly featured on a future Mormon Monday post! 



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