May Wise Stewards Finance Tip

Wise Steward Newsletter Series 2, Article 2

“Pay an honest tithing. Successful financial management in every LDS home begins with the payment of an honest tithe. If our tithing and fast offerings are the first obligations met following the receipt of each paycheck, our commitment to this important gospel principle will be strengthened and the likelihood of financial mismanagement will be reduced. Paying tithing promptly to Him who does not come to check up each month will teach us and our children to be more honest with those physically closer at hand.”                                                

                                                                                                                                                                                                      –from Elder Marvin J. Ashton’s "Guide to FamilyFinance" in the April 2000 Ensign

We’ve been commanded to pay tithing.  We’ve also been promised great blessings if we keep this commandment.  I’ve heard many stories about blessings received from the payment of tithing and even had my own personal experiences that have strengthened my testimony of this law.  Even without a show of divine intervention, it just makes sense.  The Lord gives us commandments that help us to be happy.  We may not understand the reasons at first, but sooner or later they become apparent.  The Word of Wisdom is seen as a strange commandment by those outside our faith, but as I get older I see the benefits in my body compared to those who have lived differently.  The act of paying tithing is something that takes discipline, and just like living the Word of Wisdom, the results aren’t always immediately apparent.  As Elder Ashton mentions, no one will be checking up each month to make sure you’ve paid, but when you are organized and disciplined with this principle, it lays the foundation for a responsible outlook on other financial matters.

May RS Message

It was wonderful to be gathered together with all of the sisters in the ward for our Visiting Teaching Conference last week! There is strength in unity. Here is one more thought to keep us motivated in our efforts to be better Visiting Teachers. This is from President Barbara B. Smith, former General Relief Society President.

“Visiting Teaching is a tool given to us by the Lord. Properly used, it is a great source of inspiration, strength, and comfort. Many a sister's prayers have been miraculously answered by visiting teachers in a time of need. In an urban world that is often filled with loneliness in the midst of a crowd, visiting teachers are essential. They are the Lord's way of keeping His daughters in touch with each other, and I think they are His recognition of the sanctity of each home. What the visiting teaching program needs is for us to have more dedication to those that we are called to visit.”

May we all be blessed with a desire to improve our efforts and increase our love for those whom we visit teach.

Please take the opportunity this month to have your Young Woman age daughters join you in visiting teaching.  We were very blessed to have them with us for the Visiting Teaching Conference and would like to provide them a glimpse of the joy and blessings of visiting teaching.  

May Newsletter Announcements

Please mark your calendars for the Stake Youth Fireside at 5pm on Sunday, May 20th at the Stake Center. All youth 12-18 and their parents and leaders are invited to attend.  (We apologize that this event was left off May's Newsletter calendar.)

Neighborhood Clean-up and Clothing Swap - Saturday, May 12^th 9-11am - Contact Pres. Shannon for more info about the clean-up or Lisa Peterson for more info about the clothing swap.

YW News –

"Reminder to all the YW that we start camp prep activities in June.  Dig out your camp manual and camp necklace and prepare to have fun!"

YM News – April found the scouts at Willow Park for the Spring District Camporee.  This year they celebrated 100 years of Eagle Scouts.  Dustin and Spencer were awarded their Eagle at a special celebration. Congratulations on all your hard work!  The YM also spent time preparing for Scout-O-Rama learning knots and using them to make camp gadgets and participating in more cycling and hiking in preparation for the upcoming 50/30/20/12.  They joined the YW for two activities this month: a stake youth night about the restoration of the gospel and a night of games, including kickball and capture the flag.

Mark your calendar for our Ward Pool Party on Saturday, August 18^th from 8-10pm at the Oquirrh Park Fitness Center Pools.  This will take place instead of the annual ward camp-out.

Congratulations to Tyler Savage on his mission call to the Carlsbad California Mission.

April Wise Stewards Finance Tip

Many of you remember Elder Marvin J. Ashton.  Some may even remember the talk he gave in the April 1975 general conference during the welfare session titled “Guide to Family Finance”.  This talk, given more than a quarter century ago is the basis of the church pamphlet “One for the Money” that is available through church distribution.  Its advice is as good today as it was then, and even more important to heed now.  I wanted to include a quote from Elder Ashton’s quote which is disturbing in that the statistics continue to remain similar to those cited in 1975.

“How important are money management and finances in marriage and family affairs? May I respond, “Tremendously.” The American Bar Association has indicated that 89 percent of all divorces can be traced to quarrels and accusations over money. Others have estimated that 75 percent of all divorces result from clashes over finances. Some professional counselors indicate that four out of five families are strapped with serious money problems.”

Elder Ashton’s talk has been reprinted in more than one Ensign issue in the years since it was first given, which reinforces how important his message is.  With all the resources the church puts out to help families, this one is vital.  I feel so blessed to belong to a church where the importance of the stability of marriage and family is paramount, and this reinforces my testimony of the gospel.  Over the next several months we’ll look at the 12 points that Elder Ashton covers in “One for the Money” so we can take a closer look at this topic that is so important whether you are single, married, or busily raising a family.

April RS Message

Happy Spring and a big welcome to Elsie who just turned 18 and joined the Relief Society!

It is such a beautiful time of year! Lawns are starting to green, trees and flowers are blooming. The world is awaking after winter. We celebrate Easter and think of the Savior and His atonement. We have all been promised the gift of "awaking" - resurrection and the opportunity of Eternal Life - to live as our Heavenly Father lives - if we are worthy. What an amazing gift is the Atonement!

We have been blessed by General Conference with the opportunity to hear the messages of the gospel from our prophet, apostles, and other general leaders. President Julie Beck, who was just released as the General RS President, gave a wonderful talk about Relief Society. She reminded us that Relief Society is to teach, strengthen, and inspire sisters in (our) purpose regarding faith, family, and relief. She quoted from President Joseph F. Smith, who said he expected the sisters "to lead the world and ... especially the women of the world, in everything that is praise-worthy, everything that is God-like, everything that is uplifting and that is purifying to the children of men." She closed her remarks by quoting President Lorenzo Snow: "The future of the (Relief) Society is full of promise. As the church grows, its field of usefulness will be correspondingly enlarged, and it will be even more potent for good than it has been in the past." 

Sisters, we have been given the charge! Let us strengthen ourselves so that we exert our righteous influence in our homes to our families; in our ward to our brothers and sisters; in our neighborhood to those around us; in our workplaces to those we associate with. May we, as individuals, and as a (relief) society of women let our light shine out to the world.

April Newsletter Announcements

YW News – A huge thank you to everyone who supported the youth fundraiser.  The YW enjoyed a nice dinner in March and each girl brought a special guest.  We'll start camp prep activities on June 6th.  Our YW who are in Kearns Color Guard just returned from San Francisco.  Andi was awarded with team MVP at her first track meet.  Kassidie is our newest Mia Maid, and Aspen joins YW in April.  We're so proud of our YW and all of their achievements!

YM News - March was full of excitement and adventure. In preparation for the 50/30/20/12 (50 miles total, 30 mi. biking, 20 mi. hiking, in 12 hours) the scouts walked to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple. Afterwards they had their overnight camp for the month at the Jamison home. Thank you to all who came and supported our successful annual YM/YW Chili Cook-Off Camp Fundraiser. During March, the scouts also worked on the Swimming MB at the fitness center. To finish off the month, the youth participated in a service scavenger hunt. They worked hard at ironing, pulling weeds, washing cars, raking leaves, and more for the members of the ward. Thanks to our youth who gave of their time.