Episode 38
September 16–22
What would you do if you heard that a congregation of Saints in another area was struggling in poverty? This was the situation that Paul described to the Corinthian Saints in 2 Corinthians 8–9. He hoped to persuade the Corinthian Saints to donate some of their abundance to Saints in need. But beyond a request for donations, Paul’s words also contain profound truths about giving: “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). In our day, there are still Saints throughout the world who are in need of help. Sometimes the most we can do for them is to fast and donate fast offerings. In other cases, our giving can be more direct and personal. Whatever forms our sacrifices take, it’s worth examining our motivations for giving. Are our sacrifices expressions of love? After all, it’s love that makes a giver cheerful.
I don’t know if I am blind this week, but I can’t find where to listen to your podcast. I see the post about it being up and all the videos you referenced, but there isn’t the usual play button that I press to listen to it. 😬
You are right. I messed it up! I should not be in charge of technology! AHHHHH. I need minions! It should work now.
Look up the BYU Devotional, “why giving matters” by Arthur c Brooks.
Amazing talk on the power that giving has.
I will! Thanks!
I was recently inspired for an act of service. I was listening to a Mormon Channel Talk program where a former mission president and his wife were interviewed. He mentioned that there were always missionaries that had little or no support from home. The Spirit whispered to me that I need to “adopt” such a missionary. I’m in contact now with our mission president to see if there is someone I could adopt to send letters, emails, and the occasional care package to. I’m so excited to do this!
What a great idea!!
Episode 38 Rocked it!! Best hour of my week! Your testimony shines bright from your closet 💕
So a funny thing happened this week. I went to Walmart to pick up my groceries that I had ordered. (By the way walmart grocery pick up is almost as good as 2 hour church for a mom’s sanity.) I got out of my car and was chatting with the walmart employee as we loaded my car up with my groceries. We started to talk about Halloween and she mentioned her little boy wanted one of those blow up t-rex costumes. She told me she’d have to save up for it because it cost more than your usual costume. We joked maybe she could talk him into being a ninja instead. I got in my car and drove away and about a block later I had the feeling I should put some cash in a card and write “Happy Halloween, enjoy your dinosaur!” This idea chewed on me the whole way home. I got home, made lunch and decided to listen to this weeks podcast while I mulled over the dino idea. Well, 01:05:35 min later and after shedding some grateful tears I knew what I needed to do, so I headed back to walmart. Doesn’t God work in mysterious ways? Walmart, podcasts and a T-rex who knew?
So awesome!! “Walmart, podcasts and a T-rex who knew” Ha ha ha! I love you.
Mel! I have been laughing and crying with you while you share so many wonderful thoughts! I have been serving in a Bishopric for 3 years and it can feel almost lonely sometimes when you speak the thoughts that the Spirit gives you, but you have no idea if those words are going anywhere into people’s heads. Just as you should know your words from the Spirit are touching my life, i’m sure a few of the words I say are having a positive influence for good in someones life. Shine On Cousin!
A few summers ago my husband, who was serving in the bishopric, was headed up to a lake for youth conference. He was pulling the trailer with everyone’s gear inside when our SUV broke down. They were able to get everything arranged so that little time was lost while getting the car to a mechanic and the youth up to the lake. He left the car for the few days and when he went to pick it up on the way back, the mechanic had a big smile on his face when he told my husband that the fixes had been paid for. It was not a cheap fix. This reiterated to me how much my husband needed to serve the youth of our ward. I’ll never forget it and hope to be able to “pay it forward” someday.
Thank you for taking the time to do this podcast and especially for not trimming the end. I needed to hear the very end and be reminded of Alma and his people and how God can ease the burdens placed on our shoulders that we can not feel the weight of them. Thank you!
hello Melanie Price Wellman,
Your podcast reaches our family In Canada. I listen with my son on our half hour drive to early morning seminary. It is good to hear the testimony of another everyday member of the Church. It reinforces that we are not alone in our belief in this little corner of the world.
Today we took one of our daughters through the temple for the fist time. It is just over 4 hours drive from our home so I decided to listen to some of the podcasts from early on in the year.
1. thanks for introducing us to Travis
2. we are not the embroidered throw pillow types, but I love the embroidered pillows you toss out
3. when you tell us to “shine on” it somehow gives me strength and it is what I look forward to the most (other than the outtakes – I seem to relate well to imperfection)
Thank you for taking the time to prepare, and share.
Wow, what a great lesson, a friend told me about your podcast about a month ago. I could not remember how to find it. But my friend sent me a new post to listen to our Prophet and it was your podcast. Well, I listened to that and then to this podcast and loved it. Thanks for teaching me in a way that touched my heart. I will be listening to your podcast and even the older ones. Keep up the great work!!!!
David
Your comments coincided with an experience I had this last week while tending four of my grandchildren in Tucson. This is the text of my FB post:
“On Sunday I heard a sermon preached about the sign message held by a panhandler in Tucson. Today while shuttling my 4-yo granddaughter Chloe to music class, I saw it for myself.
His name is Charles Pritchett from Tennessee. He’s a recovered alcoholic with no teeth who suffers from type-2 diabetes and has difficulty being hired for work. I gave him a ten dollar donation and talked to him about the message of the sign. He said I was only the second person to verbally recognize the (perhaps) hidden message of ‘Hungry for Change’.
May we each remain hungry to better ourselves physically, spiritually, emotionally and socially as we navigate our life’s challenges. God bless.”
I also posted a photo of this gentleman but can’t attach to this comment. Here’s the FB link:
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10215323372826222&id=1492573133
Thanks for your heartfelt (and emotional) comments this week.
Jack
I don’t know why I am writing this, other than maybe to add to the testimony that God is watching out for us. By the way, I am an avid listener on my way to work and your podcast speaks to me, so thank you. Like 22 years, and many miracles ago, we were pretty newly married and poor. I had a $50 bill and we decided it woul be what we gave away for Christmas but we wanted it to go somewhere and to someone where it could make a difference, as much as $50 can. We prayed to know who that was and didn’t feel good about a work sub for Santa, or the “giving tree” in the foyer at church. We just kept waiting and on Christmas Eve, deciding that it was a bust and that our $50 was not a useful gift in the way we hoped it would be, we put it in an envelope and wrote “Hopefully you know someone that can use this,” on it. We put it in the Bishop’s screen door, rang the doorbell and ran off. I was actually pretty disappointed. Several months later the Bishop was bearing his testimony and said it was pretty late Christmas Eve and he got a call that someone didn’t have any food for the next day. He said he had family there, it was too late to get a check cut from the church or to cash it, and of course the bishop’s storehouse was not available at the time. He told the person he would get back to them as soon as he could. He then said that when he hung up the phone there was a knock on his door and someone left a $50 bill, enough for them to have food until other arrangements could be made. Of course I looked at my wife and said that was the $50 bill! I have seen many miracles, but this one taught me that God is mindful of all of us. Even months later He was gracious and kind enough to know that I needed to see that is wasn’t a bust and that my prayers were heard. So maybe no one reads this, or its one of those stories that doesn’t really translate, but I listened to this episode and wanted to say that God did show love to me when I tried to be a cheerful giver, and He used my gift in a way that helped someone and strengthened several testimonies at the same time. I don’t share this often because of that right hand thing you talked about, but whatever….
PS. This replies section being in Zulu time is $$$. I hope that is intentional because its cool.
I love this! I’m totally going to use it on the podcast! But I will publish it here too because it doesn’t have your whole name! Thanks for sharing!!!