Blessings, protection come from commandments
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Service
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. — John 13:35
Oregon City seminary students recently noticed a flier posted by a Spanish teacher at their school, soliciting students to assist her with a weekend move to a new residence. The teacher had recently suffered a leg injury and her husband had a bad back. Her flier offered the hourly minimum wage for those who were interested, yet the teacher had not had any students willing to participate.
Then Heather Andrews, a seminary student taking Spanish, organized the Latter-day Saint students in the high school to do the work as a service project, said seminary principal Gordon Henderson.
"She gathered 21 LDS students. Because of the number of students, they were able to move [the teacher] from her old home into her new home within four hours," said Brother Henderson. "Payment was offered, but none was accepted."
Sabbath day
observance
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. — Exodus 20:8
Brett Russell, a seminary teacher in Blackfoot, Idaho, has two students who qualified for the United States Junior Olympics, but chose not to participate on Sunday.
Jason Housley qualified for the games in fencing, but did not compete because all his events fell on Sunday.
Trista Fife, who qualified in air rifle, was able to participate in one event, but gave up competing in another event because it fell on Sunday.
Brother Russell said he heard about their resolve from other students at their school. Neither, he said, regrets his or her decision.
"They are just good young people," he said.
Tithes and offerings
Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, . . . and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. — Malachi 3:10; 3 Nephi 24:10
Elder David B. Haight of the Quorum of the Twelve said the following during the April 1981 general conference:
"Elder Howard W. Hunter's grandson attended tithing settlement with his father some time ago. The bishop indicated his pleasure in the young lad's wanting to pay a full tithing and asked him if he thought the gospel was true. This 7-year-old boy, having paid his full tithe of fourteen cents, said he guessed the gospel was true, 'but it sure costs a lot of money.'
"We learn in our youth to pay an honest tithing. The Lord requires one-tenth of what we earn. If you work as a bagger in a grocery store, the money you are paid for every tenth bag of groceries you carry out to a car belongs to the Lord. Pay your tithing monthly or weekly as you are paid. Never be in debt to the Lord. Spiritual and temporal blessings will be yours as you carefully honor this commandment."
Physical health
All saints who remember to keep and do these sayings . . . shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones; and shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures; and shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint. — Doctrine and Covenants 89:18-20
Following is an excerpt from an address given by President Spencer W. Kimball at the Stockholm, Sweden, Area Conference in 1974:
"When I was a little boy . . . I heard my teachers tell me over and over: 'We do not drink; we do not smoke; we do not drink tea or coffee; the Lord has proscribed that.' . . .
"Then as I was out alone, milking the cows, or putting up the hay, I had time to think. I mulled it over in my mind and made this decision: 'I, Spencer Kimball, will never taste any form of liquor. I, Spencer Kimball, will never touch tobacco. I will never drink coffee, nor will I ever touch tea — not because I can explain why I shouldn't, except that the Lord said not to.' . . . I made up my mind.
"That's the point I am trying to make. I made up my mind then, as a little boy: 'I will never touch those things.' And so, having made up my mind, it was easy to follow it, and I did not yield. There were many temptations that came along, but I did not even analyze it; I did not stop and measure it and say, 'Well, shall I or shall I not?' I always said to myself: 'But I made up my mind I would not. Therefore, I do not.' "
