Summary: I just can't stress enough the importance of paying tithing and as we've learned, it is even more important than "feeding our families", if we have to choose between the two. This incredible talk by Sydney S. Reynolds once again shows how tithing, even when a man and his family had nothing; payed huge, life changing dividends, that wouldn't have happened otherwise. She talks about a man named John Orth, who had a terrible accident and had hot molten lead splashed onto his face and body. He lost complete vision in one eye and didn't have very good vision in his other eye. As a consequence, he lost his job, due to his poor eyesight. She says: "He was forced to go door-to-door seeking odd jobs and handouts to pay for food and rent." So, it's very clear that they had nothing. When it gets to the point that one has to "go door-to-door seeking odd jobs and handouts to pay for food and rent", things have gotten as bad as they can possibly get. other than death itself. He then went to see his Branch President, after a year of not paying tithing. The Branch President understood the situation and what a horrible time they'd been through, "but asked John to make it a matter of prayer and fasting so that he could find a way to pay his tithing." Of course, since John was out begging for food and had nothing to tithe on at all, "John and his wife, Alice, fasted and prayed and determined that the only thing of value they owned was her engagement ring—a beautiful ring bought in happier times." So, they went and pawned it out and then paid their tithing and some outstanding bills, even though it broke their hearts. It's obvious that the Bishop could not financially help a member that wasn't a full-tithe payer, no matter how much they were in need and suffering, because it just wouldn't be right or just. Well, a funny thing happened on his way to pay his tithing. As he left the Bishop's office, after paying his tithing from the ring they pawned; he ran into the Mission President, who just happened to be there and who just happened to be an eye doctor. Long story short, “President Dr. Rees” who was Sydney's Mother's Father; helped the man regain 95% vision in one eye and 15% in the other eye. As a result of this, "with his vision restored, John was never unemployed again; redeemed the ring, which is now a family heirloom; and paid a full tithing for the rest of his life. The Lord knew John Orth, and He knew who could help him." She then says: "Generations were blessed because a family decided they would pay their tithing regardless of the difficulty—and then met a man who 'happened by' and 'happened' to be an eye surgeon..." There is so much to learn here, but the bottom line is that unless this man had belonged to the LDS church and pawned off his wives engagement ring, to become a full-tithe payer, even when he had nothing and had to go door to door begging for food; he never would have regained his eyesight, or a job and would have suffered greatly, along with his family, until the day he died and probably for the rest of eternity. Just because he paid his tithing, everything changed and he was blessed for eternity instead, along with his family. Heavenly Father wanted to richly bless him and his family, but could not and would not, until he sacrificed everything and became a full-tithe payer, even when he had nothing to tithe on. Just another powerful example of how there is no excuse, or reason ever, even if we are begging on the streets for survival, to not pay our tithing. If this man, who had nothing, can pay his tithing, we can all pay our tithing and assure ourselves that we won't be "burned as stubble", like it says in the Doctrine and Covenants and like President Gordon B. Hinckley promises will happen to all of those that don't pay their tithing. What a wonderful, inspiring talk. This talk was originally given in the October 2003 General Conference.
