Taught by Children

Tarlac City,

Tarlac,

Philippines

15 February 2010

Yesterday we enjoyed a wonderful Stake Conference in Tarlac. It was a very spiritual and uplifting meeting although it was 3 hours long – sitting on hard wooden benches even made it seem longer. One of the speakers told about a special boy named Jake, who was intent on honestly practicing the principle of tithing that he had just been taught in Primary. Jake’s mother gave him 10 pesos each day as he left for school for his expenses. He lived too far from school to come home for lunch so the money was to be used to buy lunch and he also needed to save 1 peso to pay for a boat ride to bring him across the river at the end of the day. Jake decided to pay his tithing from the 10 pesos he received each day (10 pesos is about $0.20 cents in the U.S.). When Jake would get home from school, he would proudly give his mother the 1 peso he had saved and she would hold it until he could pay his tithing to the Bishop on Sunday.

One day at school, Jake realized that someone had stolen his 10 peso coin. He was so sad, he hadn’t missed one day of giving his tithing to his mom. He felt in his pocket and discovered he still had 1 peso that he had not spent the previous day. After school, Jake was very late getting home. His mother was starting to worry when Jake arrived, hot and tired. He told his mom about the stolen coin but instead of taking the boat across the river with his only remaining peso, he had decided to walk the long way home so that he could still pay his tithing! Did we mention – Jake is 6 years old.

Our children can teach us many things by example if we will but watch and listen to them after we teach them correct principles.

Another uplifting story was about a young man who is now eleven. Two years ago his area was closed to missionary work due to a shortage of missionaries. The elders were removed but the small branch continued under the direction of the branch president. A month ago the mission was able to reopen the town and sent two elders back to teach the people. The first Sunday the missionaries attended the branch this young man eagerly approached them and asked if he could be baptized. He told them he had been attending church since the elders left and had not missed one Sunday in two years. The missionaries were so excited about him and asked him if they could meet his parents – now the whole family is being taught the gospel.

Elder Lesa pictured above with Pres. Puzey is one of the missionaries working with the family.

Elder NB & Sister MB