Follow Him: A Come, Follow Me Podcast - Doctrine & Covenants 115-120 Part 2 : Dr. Frantz Belot

Episode Date: October 10, 2021

How is paying tithing like the movie Frozen? In Part II, we learn how tithing and sacrifice allow us to “let go” of the less important matters and also, how there are no small acts in the kingdom. The Lord magnifies our efforts to enact miracles.​Shownotes: https://followhim.co/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followhimpodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/followhimpodcastYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/FollowHimOfficialChannel"Let Zion in Her Beauty Rise" by Marshall McDonaldhttps://www.marshallmcdonaldmusic.com/products/let-zion-in-her-beauty-rise-pianoPlease rate and review the podcast.​

Welcome to part two of this week's podcast. If you look at verse five, he just has three little words here that Elts, Princess Eltsa, made famous, but he just says let them go. Let it go. Let it go. You just stop. You know, and our lives can become consumed with things. Yes. Stuff. I've got to have the latest and greatest And I think the Lord would say that to all of us just let it let it go like stop worrying about stuff and toys and things

It's all mine look what he says the fals of the heaven the fish of the sea the beast of the earth. I made everything right Focus on me all that other stuff let Let you know, let that go. I can, I can bring, look at what does he say in verse seven, I can make the solitary places bud, blossom, and bring forth in abundance. Yeah, that is a good little check for for someone like me. I know neither of you are covetous, but that sometimes happens to. Well, if you get the Ford F-150, can I borrow it?

That's... It won't be any fun because we won't be looking. I think part of the fun is just, that's a good one. We should get that one. No, I want red. No, I want black. So if I could be a little bit personal here because this is really touching my heart as I'm thinking about this.

In the beginning, John mentioned that I was born in Haiti, right, which is known as the third poorest country, sorry, not the third, but the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. And still continues to be and there's so many difficult things that have happened with political unrests and diseases and so forth and hurricanes, natural disasters. But you know, I was reading about how the saints are finding strength amidst those difficult moments, and amidst those trials, and how the temple being able to go to the temple and remembering that this is, like it says, and verse 8, that this is but a drop for the Lord. Some of the things that sometimes may seem to be very important and not to neglect the more weighty matters. I just love that. So in my personal life, when we came to Montreal,

after a little while, my parents were divorced and my mom was raising five children in a foreign country. So she was always a good example, and we weren't members of the church at that time, but she was always a good example to focus on what mattered. Growing up, we couldn't afford the fancy shoes or the fancy pair of pants or whatever it is. And she would remind us, but what we have, helps sustain us. We do have food. It may not be the best food, but we have food. We have a roof over

our heads. And it may have been the nicest place. We were always renting. And it was usually in the basement of the lower floor of where it was a little bit more affordable. You know, you think about this and then decades have passed and the Lord has kept His promise. He's blessed some thus and he's because of the sacrifice of my mom and also my dad. He's provided for us and I can testify that the Lord does make dry places blossom. And I can also testify that when we focus on what matters most, according to the eyes

of the Lord, he takes care of the rest. That's been my experience. And I'm not talking about that we're becoming, that people become rich and they have everything that they need but they do have sufficient for their needs and They do have hope of a better day and those are our priceless those are treasures That was beautiful I mean look at the Lord himself says in verse 8 I mean, look at the Lord himself says in verse 8, what is all these stuff? Is there not enough room on the whole planet that I can give you that you should covet that which is

but the drop? Yes. Such an interesting phrase. This might be a good time to mention the come follow me manual has a little, you know, ideas for family home evening or family scripture study. It says your family could compare a drop with something more weighty like a jug of water. This could lead to a discussion about less important things in our lives that might prevent us from receiving God's abundant blessings. And I think with so many things, I think that's a challenge a lot of us have, is not between good and evil, but between so many good things. And how do I choose the best things,

the more weightier matters, and let the drops go by, I guess. Right. The idea of good, better, best, right? Yeah, President Oaks is a talk about that What what is the best use of my time? There's a lot of good causes out there, but what would the Lord? President Iring blessed me a lot when he gave a talk and he said you might have a heavy calling whatever and you might even complain and that was a prophecy about me complain and that was a prophecy about me.

You might you may realize I can't do it all and then oh this was such a blessing to me. He said so instead of Wondering Lord, how do I do it all just ask what do I do next? I love that That was so helpful to me because I yeah Lord I can't do it all period. So what do I do next and maybe that helps us distinguish the drop from the way to your matters, you know, yeah. I have to say something about verse 11, because we are big fans of Nulke Whitney, the fall in the follow him podcast and it says let my servant Nulke Whitney be ashamed of the Nicolayatin band and of all their secret abominations and his littleness of soul before me say at the Lord. He says, come up to the land of Adam and the Andean Diamond and be a bishop. Wow, that's a Peter-like rebuke that the Lord just gave to Nuel K. Whitney. John, you know a little bit more about this Nicolayatin band than Nidu.

Tell me about it. Yeah, I would just, I would read about it in Sister Susan Eastern Blacks book. She said, in the New Testament era, Nicolayatin's were followers of Nicolus, one of seven disciples appointed to supervise the distribution of food and goods to the poor, C.A.X.6.5. Christian tradition suggests that Nicholas failed to fulfill his appointment, and apostatized. Tradition further suggests that Nicholas established a religious sect, with followers known as Nikolayetans.

Nikolayetans held that it was lawful to eat things, sacrifice to idols, and to commit fornication in direct opposition to the decrees of God, see Acts chapter 15 verses 20 and 29. False beliefs and immoral actions spawned by such beliefs led to impurities within early Christianity. Al-Dabrissar Mokanki equated Nicolayatins with members of the Church who are trying to maintain their church Standing while continuing to live after the manner of the world Wow So that's every and I just wonder did Nulke Whitney did he mark this verse in his doctrine of covenants?

I mean That is really hard to have that in there and I'd'd love what the Lord said, be a bishop unto my people, not in name, but indeed. It's a phenomenal member, or are you a member in your deeds, not just in a title, but in your deeds. And that's a, and to have, we notice this, Hank and Frans, with a lot of people in the doctrine of covenants that, have this I mean in Joseph himself to have it published how many times the Lord has to forgive him of his sins. Yes. Yes. And it softens my heart about all of them, you know, to think boy, they were just folks like us. Just yes.

Trying to do the best they can. You know, John and Hank, what I really like about this also is, the Lord does immense words on this one, right? Peace. I tell you what, he did not mince his words in this one. But then after this, he says, okay, be a bishop onto my people. He could have said, okay, I'm going to find someone else that

as bigger, that as a bigger soul than you do. He could have said, you are here by released, but he didn't. That's exactly right. But, but the Lord, and we're talking about that. He was not, he was upset against their secret combinations. And I don't know what that means exactly. But, but, but the Lord says, hey, be a bishop unto my people. He's like, he put it behind him. He says, you showed a lot of ladleness of soul before me, but just be a bishop, indeed. There probably isn't a bishop out there

who doesn't feel inadequate at times. And it gives hope to them as well to say, keep going. And just be a bishop. And you're forgiven, but be a bishop. And maybe that could give some hope to them. It tells me also that the Lord's love includes high standards. He will, right? Sometimes we think, oh, if someone loves me, then they don't have expectations for me, right? They'll just, they'll let me be whoever I am. It's who I am.

It's how I was born, right? Instead, the Lord says, no, I have high standards for you because I love you. Now, let's get back on track. Yes, thank you, Hank, for saying that. Thank you for saying that. Yeah, and Bishop Whitney dies faithful in the church. So even though the Lord called him out publicly

in the doctrine, Covenants, he stuck around, right? You and your secret abominations and littleness of soul. Ooh. Oh, that's a good one. Ouch. It reminds me of in the New Testament where Peter goes to rebuke the Lord, right, and to tell him, no, you're not going to die, you're not going to suffer.

And he says, get behind me, Satan, right? And the. Yes. Wow. Let's see, which insult could be worse at? All right. I was going to say, have all the names. You don't want Jesus to call you.

That's got to be in the call. That's what I'm talking to. Peter was constantly getting corrected. And that's because the Lord loved him. You know, you just, and you're going to lead the church. And I'm just going to keep letting you know it's right. But Peter was amazing. And John, that's the message for me and all this.

Yeah. And I think Hank said it to. The Lord loves us enough to correct us. And he doesn't mince words, but when we listen by the power of the Spirit, we can feel where we're coming short little. And then the Lord won't just say, okay, you have littleness of soul and leave it at that,

He'll actually say, now be a bishop, indeed. So he gives them an instruction on how to overcome that weakness, I think. So it's very instructive. Yeah, it is. And for all the teenagers listening who have parents who have high expectations, It's a form of love. I'm hoping my kids are listening to this. High expectations are a form of love. And so it's forgiveness and understanding. Because he seems to be understanding. Like, yes, this is something that you're struggling with.

I'm going to help you through it. Get back up, right? And I think if I can add to that, it's not, why can't you be more like Edward Tartridge? It's, and I, with teenagers in particular, I'd love to tell my kids, the Lord wants you to be the very best version of you that you can be. And he'll help you be that.

You don't have to look sideways at your friends, even your siblings. Why can't I be more like them? And we're not going to say that to you. But be the best version of yourself. I love that's what kind of pay-truck blessings invite us all to do. It's here's your gifts, your talents, and rise up and be the best version of yourself and the Lord's going to be there and help you do that. Yeah, that's wonderful.

Yeah, I love that. One of the highlights for me, besides verse 11 is verse 12. Oliver Granger, a slightly different message. It's a very different message. I knew okay, Whitney. Yes, I know. And again, I love what he says. And again, I send to you, I remember my

servant Oliver Granger. Behold, barely I sound to him that his name shall be had in secret remembrance from generation to generation forever and ever. Seth, the Lord. And then in verse 13, therefore, let him contend earnestly for the redemption of the first presidency of my church, Seth the Lord. And when he falls, he shall rise again for his sacrifice shall be more sacred unto me than his increase, Seth the Lord. So that was such an impactful verse to me. And I remembered when I was studying this

that in October 2004, President Boyd K. Packer gave a talk, titled The Least of These. And in that talk, he says, today, this prophecy has been fulfilled. The prophecy of Oliver Granger, his name would be in remembrance from generation to generation. He says today this prophecy has been as been fulfilled. So let me share with you a little bit of that of that talk. If that's okay. He says, Prison Packers said, quote,

let no one underestimate the power of faith in the ordinary later day Saints. There is a message for later day Saints in a seldom quoted revelation given to the prophet Joseph Smith and 1838. I remember my servant Oliver Granger, behold, verily I say unto him that his name shall be had in secret remembrance from generation to generation forever and ever set the Lord. Oliver Granger, present Packer said, was a very ordinary man. He was mostly blind having lost his sight by cold and exposure. The first presidency described he described them as a man of the most strict integrity and moral virtue, and in

fine to be a man of God. When the saints were driven from Kirtlin-Oil and a scene that would be repeated in independence far west and in Navu, Oliver was left behind to sell their properties for what little he could. There was not much chance that he could succeed, and really, he did not succeed. But the Lord said, let him contendonously for the redemption of the first Presidency of my church, said the Lord, and when he falls, he shall rise again for his sacrifice, shall be more sacred unto me than his increased said the Lord. What did Oliver Granger do that his name should be had and had in sacred remembrance?

Nothing much really. It was not so much what he did as what he was. Oh my goodness. This really touched me. Oliver Granger had become Christlike. He failed in his assignment, but he had become like unto Christ. And now today, 2021, we're remembering him. We are talking about this man. And right now and hoping that we're learning from this normal man with significant physical ailments, having become like Christ and the Lord dedicating two verses to this wonderful man. You know, you use two words there. You use the word become twice, what he has become. And I think a talk that has blessed me so much

was elder, I think then elder Dalin H. Oaks in October of 2000. Do you remember that talk, the challenge to become? And I think we all have a lot of maybe some love Moses in our spiritual DNA. And we're wondering about our check marks, our good or bad check marks about what we do. And the emphasis here that you just gave, Francis, what had he become? And that was Elder Oax's whole talk. It's not enough just to know what to do or even to do what we

know. It's, are you becoming what we're supposed to become? Which is a beautiful thought. And Oliver had become, Oliver Granger had become a Christ like as you said. And that's the goal we'd be coming more like the the Savior. That's the hard question too. And the Lord, I think, teaches a wonderful principle in verse 13 that I can take a failure and make it sacred. Right? Like a lot of us, you know, I have friends and family members who have had long marriages and in divorce. And you can almost hear the Lord saying this in verse 13, when he falls, he will rise again for his sacrifice or his failure there will be more sacred unto me than his increase. I can I just hear a wonderful principle of it's not a failure to me I because you're becoming something which I I wanted you to become so I just

think that man that's a beautiful idea. And Hank back in into day over a decade ago, I remember going through some very difficult times. And I remember sitting down during a sacrament meeting and feeling that I was useless. I felt that I was having difficulties, making ends meet for my family. We had five kids. I was in feeling successful at work. I felt alone. I didn't feel that I had a lot of friends. And I remember sitting in a second meeting and just saying, what's my purpose here?

What am I doing here? And I was trying to keep the commandments of the Lord, but I was failing miserably in a lot of aspects of my life. And it was very difficult for me. I remember stepping out of that third hour, walking out and bishop, my bishop, stop me in the hall and bless, bless, bless this bishop for who he is. But he stopped me in the hall and he said, Sorry. He said, How are you?

I told him I felt useless. Didn't matter too much. And he said, he said, Brother below, the Lord has given you many, many talents. Hang in there. Things will get better. I was grateful for that. It was the moment was perfect. The Lord was aware of this man

who felt lost, who felt that he didn't have a purpose, who felt that he was not measuring up, that he was failing. And the Lord simply said, through his bishop, I have given you many talents. Just keep at it. And now I see those days and I feel humble. Things have changed significantly in my life. But I remember those days where the Lord supported me. And to your point, Hank, I felt that a little bit that he, my sacrifices had become sacred to him. Although I was failing, so forgive me for being personal, but this brought a memory to me.

That's beautiful. I didn't even see those verses in that light before and I love it. Isn't that light before? And I love it. John. I'm glad you shared that because sometimes we think that, well, if you have the church in the gospel, then there's no reason to ever feel worthless. But even those of us who are serving it, sometimes feel that way.

And there are probably many people who could relate to that feeling that have been blessed by what you just said. That even when we know we're in the Lord's Church and we're we're supposed to be and trying to do what we're supposed to be doing, sometimes we wonder if we matter. So thank you for sharing that because I think a lot of people will benefit from you just keep going. The Lord has given you talents and you press forward. It's such a good moment. I don't want to pass it by, but I do want to keep going here in section 118.

We get to talk about our 12 apostles. Section 118 is so positive. We know that that took place because of the apostasy and the apostles that left the church and the new ones. The Lord is talking to them, talking to those men who are coming to the apostleship. I don't know if they would be well-dead if they were surprised, but he's giving them instructions, he's talking to them directly. I, in verse 1, if we could start,

it says, very does set the Lord, let our conference be held immediately and let the 12 be organized and let men be appointed to supply the place of those who are fallen. And nowhere in that scripture do I see and let perfect men be appointed to supply the place of those who are fallen. We looked but we couldn't find any. That's exactly right.

He said, let them be appointed. And he gives them instruction. And I love verse three. Let the residue continue to preach from that hour. And if they will do this in all loneliness of heart, in sickness and humility and lung suffering, I the Lord give unto them a promise that I will provide for their families. And an effectual door shall be open for them from henceforth. Can you imagine getting that kind of call? Verse 5, Let them take leave of my saints in the city of far west on the 26th of April next.

That goes back to what we talked about earlier with the story of Brigham Young and Isaac Russell and Theodore Turley. This is where the Lord says, you're going to leave for your mission from far west next year. This is where Brigham comes back and says, we've got to fulfill that prophecy. You said this earlier, France, but we should say it again, that the amazing names that come out of, you know, that get added to the 12 because of the apostasy, John Taylor and Wilford Woodruff, Willard Richards is going to be in Carthage Jail with the Prophet.

These are some incredible names who come out of such a terrible time, such a dark, terrible time for the church. I think that that is, I think that's crucial to understand that the Lord can turn something so dark and difficult into something, an opportunity, future opportunity and happiness. John Taylor and Wilfred Rudolf, I don't know if you guys know, but they have some impact on the future of the church. Those names seem to ring a bell to me. I just think it's an absolutely beautiful idea because we have a lot of listeners I'm sure who are going through difficult hard times as we just talked about. And the message I think of this is the work moves forward and I can actually bring some future

what opportunity, understanding future happiness through who comes into replace these, those who have fallen. So I just think it's a very hopeful section. France? Yes, I think so too. And I love you saying this because it's also about families, right? We know that these men that were called to go and preach the gospel and they were leaving behind them their wives and their children. And it's not that they had a fat bank account that could take care of those women. So after the young family's arrival, Joseph received an unpublished revelation instructing

bring him that was to leave his family again. And then in section 118, the Lord is reminding bring him and the other apostles that he'll provide. But then notice this, it says, Bring him and the other apostles that he'll provide, but then notice this it says During those nine months provided Proof to be anything but but restful when they were when the saints were when the apostles were we're gone The saints and misery were driven from their homes, right? Once again bring him young was in danger as one of the most wanted church leaders. The young family fled together, but they travel short distances and then waited while Brigham went back to us as other destitute saints. Mary Ann recalled that by the wife of

Brigham Young, recalled that by the time they reached safety on the other side of the Mississippi River in Illinois, she had kept house in 11 different places with three months, within three months, she was also pregnant. So the history talks a lot about the great apostles, their faith and so on, but they were they were supported by the Mary-Anne's of the world, right? They they had wonderful women that had faith and those women worked physically to Exhaust exhaustion. They were only carrying babies at this moment So it's like Mary-Anne

But they were moving from house to house carrying their things while their husband was preaching the gospel. I mean, this is the rich history of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It's the story of sacrifices of women that have given so much to allow their husband, at least on the 12th, Corm of the 12th, to do what they needed to do to build the kingdom.

And in meanwhile, they were taking the bulk of raising the children and providing for them. Hence the Lord says, I will provide for your family. I mean, it's significant. Did you say 11 different houses in three months? That is correct. Yeah, that's what the revolution in context. Historically, that's what happened. Wow. And that's, I mean, and when it comes to missionary work, and

Brigham Young is going to be, it's going to be hard to match, right? Brigham is crossing the over to England. Over the next couple of years, he's going to spend a lot of time on the East Coast of the United States. So I love that we need to talk about the Mary Ants of the Church, very much Brigham's equal in sacrifice and work. It's humbling. I just think, I keep thinking of, I think it was President Harold B. Lee that said today we have the test of gold. We have abundance. It gives us a whole new ideas of things to complain about.

And there, the physical trials that they're doing, like you said, France, that... So she had to move her children across the river. Yes, without a husband there. That's exact correct. Yeah. These women were awesome. One of my good friends, his name is Lynn. It seems like he spent his entire life on the stand. I think he got home on an alpha mission and they made him a general authority pretty much in my mind. And you talk to his wife, Hailey, and that is not an easy thing to do, to never sit by your husband at church, to be, you know, to be, to have a husband gone a lot

on Sunday and Tuesday night and Saturday morning, and that is a rough spot to be in. So, you know, the Maryans and the Haley's out there. Yeah, we want to recognize that. I used to say to my wife when I left for stuff with us, Bishop, buy everybody, I'm going to talk to others about the importance of families. And somebody said once, we're married for eternity, but separated for life. John, you've probably remember me telling you about the bishop who fell asleep in his driveway, and his wife had to come knock on his window to wake him up It might I have an appointment. Yeah, that's France below That is really below that's him. Yeah, I've told the story before and he said you know

I am never tired of his work, but I am sure tired in his work Do you remember telling me that? You fell asleep in your driveway you said I Remember telling me that, yes. You fell asleep in your driveway. You said, I just fell home. I got home from being bishop. I put the car in park, just decided to close my eyes. Just for a minute.

Yeah. And then Brandy's not on the door. And he fell asleep. He was like midnight, are you coming inside? Sorry, sorry, I just closed my eyes for a second. Turned into hours. But you said, I get tired. closed my eyes for a second. Turned into hours. But you said, I get tired, I get tired in his work. I don't get tired of his work.

That's correct. And it's like that day of rest thing. A day of rest, no, not exactly. But resting from worldly things, yes. Yeah. But a different kind of day of rest. That's a great story. I have a branch at office here in my driveway. So section 119, this is the tithing section,

right? This is the Lord wanting to get the work done, and he's requiring his saints to contribute. And he doesn't want them to be in debt anymore, and he's promising them that there will be blessings, but it's a wonderful section and understanding. I call this the economy of the Lord, which mathematically doesn't work at times, but spiritually, oh my goodness, yields all of the blessings that he says that it will yield. So I love that section. The beginning is very, again, the first verse, The beginning is very, again, the first verse, verily, thus said the Lord,

I require all their surplus property to be put into the hands of the bishop of my church in Zion. Now, we have to understand a little bit of what's happening here. It's not a common thing. I mean, sure, in different religion, they would pass the, whatever it is, so that you can collect exactly

past the plate. But this one is saying, any surplus that you have, you need to put it in the hands of the bishop. So it was a new revelation, obviously, but it was also so bring to think that I am going to give, and I like to use my surplus to do other things, my surplus. But now I'm giving that to the church to build the kingdom. The Lord says, for the building in my house, and for the laying of the foundation of Zion, for the priesthood and verse two, and for the debts of the presidency of my church. And I could see some members saying,

well, they're the one who got into debts. I didn't. So why do I have to provide for that? So I can see people saying this. And maybe I'd be one to say something like this and hopefully repent quickly. But the Lord is asking them to be very selfless, to provide and the tithing, but again, like anything else. Whatever the Lord asks, there are blessings that are attached to that. And I think that's what we learn in that section, not only the request that may have been difficult for some, but also the blessings that come from that. Yeah. I keep coming back to John. Do you remember when it was Dr. Farns, almost Dr. Farns, Sheryl and Farns who's finishing up her PhD? She quoted Edward Partridge and this has not left me. She quoted Edward Partridge and this has not left me. I've repeated it in my mind a lot since then. When he said, quote, I am willing to spend and be spent in the cause of my master. And tithing, I think, is part of that.

I am willing to spend and be spent in the cause of my master. Both of you have served as bishop, being on the intimate side of this, this is not an easy law to keep. For some people, it's an easy law to keep, right? For my wife, it's easy. That's why she does it. Yeah, I wish all of the commandments were this easy and mathematical. It's easy to keep. But when I think that something that was very time consuming but was really a refuge from

the storm for me was tithing settlement, where faithful members who simply did their duty and kept moving forward, and some of them, it was the only time I saw them annually, because they were just out there faithfully doing their duty. Tithing was just an enriching, refuge from the storm or in this together type experience. And to have people, it just said something about their testimony of Jesus Christ just said something about their testimony of Jesus Christ and everything else when when tithing was they were full tithe pair. I knew that so many other things were okay. Okay. How

do I say it? Am I saying that okay? I don't think so. And so a lot of times I was meeting with folks with a lot of problems and that's part of part of why you're there you're there to help me to heal and to encourage and so forth. And so, tithing settlement was a real fun thing to meet with everybody and how you doing and how's your family and I'm so glad you're family, and I'm so glad you're firm in the faith and keep going. So I don't know. That's when I think of that as a bishop, I think of tidying settlement. And how wonderful that was. And things have changed structurally dramatically since tidying went online. And John, thank you for sharing that. Those were some of my most precious times. It was to be at the at the tidying settlement. I do remember a singular experience I had with a sister that was in her early 70s and I said sister so and so and I was like she was a widow and I

said sister so and so why is it that you you're paying your tiling? Why is it that you've been faithful all through those years? And as she says, Bishop, the Lord has given me everything. That's all she said to me. The Lord has given me everything. And I was touched by that. And I was touched by that, that deep understanding that the earth belongs to the Lord. He provides us with breath. He provides us with opportunities, with health.

And in return, not even in return, he's asking us to give 10% of our increase to do what? To bless other people. As if he really needs the money, right? But a drop. It's insignificant to the Lord. But it's to bless others and also to bless us. And if I can share with you something from David Bednar from General Conference October 2013. I think he says it more eloquently like usual than I can. But he says as we live the

love tithing, we often receive significant but subtle blessings that are not always what we expect and easily can be overlooked. The family, speaking of his family, had not received any sudden or obvious additions to the household income. Instead, a loving, heavy father had bestowed simple blessings and seemingly ordinary ways. Often, Elder Bednar continues,

as we teach and testify about the law of tiding, we emphasize the immediate, dramatic, and readily recognizable temporal blessings that we receive. And surely such blessing do occur. Yet, some of the diverse blessings we obtain as we are obedient to this commandment are significant but subtle. Such blessings can be discerned only if we are obedient to this commandment are significant but subtle. Such blessings can be discerned only if we are both spiritually attentive and observant. The law of tithing has helped me personally have more compassion towards my brothers and sisters. I'm talking about not only the ones that are in destitute, but also the ones that are that have riches.

I've learned through the law of tithing to be more compassionate towards people. That was a spiritual blessing I received. As I've been teaching tithing through the years and trying to help, trying to help under my students understand the blessings of tithing, I ran into a little analogy that I just love. So, John, you've done tours of the Holy Land, Soavai, and this is something I share when we get out there, and we see both the sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea. We visit both of them, and people get to see the difference, right? And there is a big difference between the sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea. Now they're both beautiful, but one is more lush and green and has life in it,

and the other is pretty dead. So this was a, I think,, pastor who made this analogy. He said, the sea of Galilee in the Dead Sea are made of the same water. It flows down clean and cool from the heights of Hermann and the roots of the Seeders of Lebanon. The sea of Galilee makes beauty of that water because it has an outlet. It gets to give. It gathers in its riches that it may pour them out again to fertilize the Jordan plain,

but the Dead Sea with the same water makes horror. For the Dead Sea does not give. It has no outlet. It gets to keep. And I just like that idea that paying your tithing will make your right your life richer More beautiful, right? And like you said France, not it's this isn't about an amount of money. This is about

the I don't know the beauty of giving right and the Lord wants us to experience the beauty of giving and for me personally I and I know neither of you are this way, but I need a check very frequently, at least once a month or once a year saying, do you love me more than money? Hank, let's check this one more time. Do you love me more than money? Yes, I do. Okay, prove it. Do you love me more than money? I don't think the Lord needs my money, but I need that check. I need that warning in place because for me, the love of money can become very important. And so the Lord says, I'm going to put a little system in place to make sure that never overtakes things.

Because money is important, right? Money is crucial to us and our survival. But man, if it becomes our love, if it becomes more important than the Lord, it will really destroy lives, destroy marriages, destroy families. And so the Lord has kept this, I don't know, I think the Lord put tidings in place for me. Yeah, a moment where the Lord just says,

I'm gonna let you decide every month and every year if you love me more than money. And I have a wife who helps me love the Lord more than money, right? Could see more than 4F150s. And... Oh, don't bring it up, John. My natural man comes out because when I've been at

tithing settlement, I remember once saying it is 10% I wish it was more, but it's 10% of, but my dad wrote me a letter when I was on my mission in the Philippines. And he joined the church when he was 24 and the missionaries, I guess, they had read Malachi to him. This idea of, I will open you the windows of heaven and pour you out of blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive,

which is an amazing promise and a poetic promise. And my dad started paying tithing as an investigator to kind of test the principle. And I didn't know that until I got this letter, but he was paying tithing while investigating the church to see if it would work. And it did. We never had a 4-F-150, but I want to go back to what France said about this woman who said, the Lord has given me everything. I just had a reference Genesis, chapter 28, verse 22, this stone which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house. And of all that thou shalt give unto me,

I will surely give the 10th unto thee. I think that's beautiful. Another thing that's coming to mind is, as a member of the church, I asked myself, how, what does the Lord do with the tithing? I mean, there's millions and millions of five, 10 minutes or so, the blessings of tithing are, are, are, um, downches, really. It could be physical, it could be, but it sanctifies us. So during the talk of, of, of Elder Bednar, he helped me understand a little bit more and I think that it'd be good for some of the audience to understand, well, what from an apostle?

What is that? So if I can quote this, he says, I remember and think of each of you, speaking of the members who are faithful and paying their tithe. He says, each time I participate in the council on the disposition of the tides. And then he says, the leaders of the Lord's Church feel a tremendous responsibility to care appropriately for the consecrated offerings of church members. We are keenly aware of the sacred nature of the widow's might. And then he says, I know from

first an experience that the counsel of the disposition of the tides is vigilant and caring for the widow's might. I express appreciation to President Thomas S. Monson who was a prophet then and his counsel for their effectively leadership and discharging this holy stewardship and acknowledge the voice and hand of the Lord that sustenance are doing servants and fulfilling the duty to represent him. So in that counsel, Alde Bednar expresses that there's a lot of discussion. Where do we put the money that the members have worked so hard to build the kingdom of God? Because that's the purpose of it. And then you think of the many

temples that we have of the many buildings and to maintain those buildings and so on. So we all participate in a way and for the temporal affairs of the church, but also the spiritual growth, because since the members have been paying their tithing, the Lord says it will be a standing law forever in the doctrine in covenant section 119, right? He says, and this shall be a standing law unto them forever, set the Lord. So, and verse, and verse four, well, those, those, the, the tithing is what blesses and it even enables us to have this discussion today because of the church continuing to provide

and, and so I'm, I'm very grateful to understand that this is really well managed, and it's for the welfare of the members, and definitely to build the Kingdom of God. Yes, it shall be disposed by a council composed the first presidency of my church the bishop and his council my high council And this is my voice and to them so that very council that all their bednar was a part of That he said he was a part of has been a part of I should say and probably still is Is created here in section 120 so it seems that the Lord is very careful We want us once the church to be very careful with the widow's might. John, what were you gonna add? I thank you for, I'm so glad you brought that up.

I can only imagine the burden that council must feel. And I seem to remember President Hinckley in a conference talk mentioning that he kept a widow's might on his desk to remind him of that. And you know, France as a bishop, how you felt about the fast offerings and when somebody would come and need some help and you were very prayerful about how do I do this and how much do I do and I want to be so careful with these sacred funds, you know, and I felt that, I'm sure you felt that. And I'm so grateful that I feel like, once I've written my check or made my online deposit

or whatever, I know that there's a council that is praying over this. What do we do with this? And that they are thinking of not just me, but the widows, my ads, such a comfort. I wanted to, if you guys don't mind, I want to take a look just quickly at verse six. You know, if someone might say, well, what's the problem with, I don't want to pay my tithing, I want to keep my money. What, you know, what, what's the problem? I think

the Lord gives a great explanation. He says, if my people observe not this law tithing, to keep it holy and by this law sanctify the land of Zion unto me. So I think tithing, to keep it holy. And by this law, sanctify the land of Zion unto me. So I think tithing first is sanctifying. It will cleanse you. And it does that for me. That my statutes and my judgments may be kept there on, that it may be most holy. So again, I think tithing creates a holy person, a sanctified person. He says, if you don't do these things, if you're not sanctified and you're not holy, it shall not be a land of Zion unto you. Isn't this interesting that this is about who we are? You both brought up the talk, the challenge to become from elder oaks, then elder oaks, right? And I think tithing is a major portion of what do you want to be?

And I don't want to be a covetous money-centered individual. And if I am a covetous money-centered, centered individual, when I get to Zion, it won't be Zion to me. Right? It won't be Zion to me because I won't be the I won't be a Zion person. So I think I would say if tithing create paying a tithing, paying tithing is a way to create Zion in yourself. And to me, I just helped a lot to watch my parents like everybody, you know, struggled to make ends meet, both my mom and my dad worked, but Tidying was such a, it was never a decision. It was a decision made once and it was easy after that. And, and that was a great example to me. Yeah, I remember once it was an indicator of what mattered,

you know? I remember once, President Hinckley, talking about how when we went through a recession, the ties actually went up. And he was just profoundly touched by that. And in tears, he said, there's one word for that, brothers and sisters, faith. That is faith, right?

That during a time when people's incomes went down, the ties of the church went up. Hank and France, I was just thinking having gone through this pandemic and it's still going President Hinckley talked about that recession. How many have had their income affected by this, significantly, and kept paying their tithing. And I bet many testimonies have been strengthened of tithing that the Lord's promises are sure, and He's taken care of us. And mine has, my testimony of it has been strengthened that we had what we needed to keep going. of it has been strengthened that we had what we needed to keep going. Franz, let me ask you a kind of a final question here.

You've done just incredibly well with, I mean, this was a lot of sections. This is one of those lessons that just kind of flies from topic to topic. And I've learned so much. I want to hear how you feel personally as a member of the church studying the restoration. You have a doctorate degree, you have a very solid educational background, and yet here you are, faithful to the church. I think our listeners would love to know more about how you feel about the restoration. Thank you, Hank.

I appreciate the restoration. Thank you, Hank. I appreciate the question. The restoration means everything for me. And maybe a little bit of background, when I became a member when I was 15 years old, three, four months later, I would turn 16, but I was 15 when I became a member. And I remember distinctly one night after having hang out with friends, I came home and I lit on my bed. And we, as I shared in the beginning, we didn't have a lot of means. So I was lucky enough that day to be on

my bed alone because there were three of us that slept on that bed. But I was looking at the ceiling and I thought to myself, is that what this is about? I was 15 and I had that moment of maturity, which was rare. But I thought, is that what this is about? Just going to play with friends, going to school, wake up in the morning, eat, and go to bed. I'm like, there has to be more than this. And that was a question that stayed with me until my uncle introduced us to the Church of Jesus Christ of Letters Day Saints in the rest of history. So I've been a member now for 37 years and I'm grateful for the so many documents that have been left behind historically speaking, not only the scriptures but revelations and context, the church history,

saints for the volumes of saints. And when I consider this, I'm like, there's no way that the church should have survived. Well, no, seriously, when I read about the saints and what's happened to the prophet, Joseph Smith, I'm like, there's no way that this thing should have survived. And it would only have to be that the hand of the Almighty God was in the details, the important details of growing history and these later days with a bunch of, and perfect individuals, which includes me, right? Which with a bunch of imperfect people, trying to do their very, very best.

So the restoration has meant for me that I have my family, I have five boys that we're trying to teach to be good citizens, that we're trying to teach to be good contributors around them. It's helped me understand that divorce is really not an option for us, that we're going to work through things. It's helped me have hope that I can have the relationship that I have with my wife for eternity. It's helped me understand that, look, you have a lot of bad habits and you have a lot of weaknesses, but with the Lord, every day you can become better, and that's comforting to

me. It's helped me understand that I have a relationship with my brothers and sisters, regardless of their colors, the color of their skins, their religious affiliation or their sexual orientation. It's helped me understand that I can still find commonality that we all sons and daughters of God. So that understanding helps me have peace in this life. Not that my life is peaceful, but it helps me have peace in this life. Not that my life is peaceful, but it helps me have peace in life.

As I go through those different circumstances or situations, it's blessed me so much, but I'll tell you, Hank and John, the greatest blessing I've received. Bar none is understanding that I have a God that I have a Father in heaven and understanding that he has sent his only begotten Son to bless me and that Jesus has loved me so much that he spayed for my sins and that he continues to work with me. I can't tell you how significant that knowledge is for me personally. If that's all I knew in this life,

it would have been sufficient and I'm grateful for that. John, another episode of Follow Him is in the books and it has been so much fun. This has just been a light to me today. I just feel really uplifted and edified. I think our listeners love all of our guests and I hear that all the time and I think, France coming from Haiti, joining the church later at 15, and your perspective has been wonderful. People are going to love hearing your perspective on this.

And thank you for sharing this time. And some very personal things about growing up. And it's going to be blessed a lot of people who may find themselves in a similar situation. Yeah absolutely wonderful. We want to thank Dr. France below for being with us today. We want to thank all of you for listening. We couldn't do this without you. We're thankful to our executive producer Steve and Shannon Sorinson and our production. Jamie Nielsen, Lisa Spice, David Perry, Kyle Nielsen, and Will Stouten. And we hope that all of you will join us on our next episode of Follow Him. Thank you.