I got a phone message from a neighbor yesterday saying that a stray dog had entered our backyard and was endangering our chickens. I immediately guessed which dog this was. We live in an area where dogs are forbidden by law to roam freely. The dog owner is responsible to keep the dog either on a leash or in a fenced area. One dog, a large and friendly yellow Labrador mix, had nonetheless been to our home on several occasions and had killed a chicken before. He had also maimed one of our roosters, who spent the rest of his life limping. I had a hunch that it was the same dog, even though we hadn’t seen him for months.

As I returned home I immediately saw the suspected dog enjoying his “meal.” He was finishing off the last of our beautiful and lively black chicken. This was the chicken that we most loved to see. Whenever we entered the yard, she greeted us by running toward us instead of away. She had shiny black feathers. Somehow she had found a way to escape the pen and coop where the other five chickens stayed, often roaming freely in our yard during the day. At night, she would find her way back into the fenced pen and sleep in the coop with the other chickens.

I pulled my car only a few feet into the driveway, not wanting to scare off the dog. I knew that I had to do something to prevent this from happening again. I called the police to see if they could send the animal control group over. Our town is small and we don’t have animal control in the afternoon, but they sent a policeman, who came and took the dog. The dog was friendly: he had a full stomach! The policeman also took the remains of the chicken. Never again would we receive that fun and unique greeting from our gregarious chicken.

A Safe Haven: Keeping God’s Commandments

This morning I was thinking about how all the other chickens stayed where they were supposed to. Maybe they wished they could find a way to roam freely with no restrictions. During warm weather months, we often let the chickens out to roam our yard when we are home to safeguard them. But this one black chicken, no matter how many times we put her back in the pen, would get out. I wondered how, as her owners or “masters”, we could have done a better job of protecting her. It makes me sad that even though we had provided a safe haven for her, fed her and given her water, she still ended up as prey for a hungry dog.

There are so many parallels between the incident of the chicken and our lives. We have been given this life by God. Jesus came and taught us the guidelines, or commandments, that we need to follow to have a safe haven with Him and the Father. So many of us do not keep His commandments, thinking that life will be better if we roam freely, with no restrictions. Eventually we become possible prey for Satan, who wants to destroy us. Of course, the dog was not at fault; dogs are naturally programmed to eat chickens. But we are human beings, with freedom to choose. We can protect ourselves if we stay within the guidelines that God has given us. If we choose to run around without restriction, we are no longer privy to the protection set up by our Master. His commandments are the  “fences” He has put in place for us to help us live safe, happy, healthy lives. May we all keep ourselves safely within the bounds the Lord has set.

Susan Escalante

Feb 15, 2012

I got a phone message from a neighbor yesterday saying that a stray dog had entered our backyard and was endangering our chickens. I immediately guessed which dog this was. We live in an area where dogs are forbidden by law to roam freely. The dog owner is responsible to keep the dog either on a leash or in a fenced area. One dog, a large and friendly yellow Labrador mix, had nonetheless been to our home on several occasions and had killed a chicken before. He had also maimed one of our roosters, who spent the rest of his life limping. I had a hunch that it was the same dog, even though we hadn’t seen him for months.

As I returned home I immediately saw the suspected dog enjoying his “meal.” He was finishing off the last of our beautiful and lively black chicken. This was the chicken that we most loved to see. Whenever we entered the yard, she greeted us by running toward us instead of away. She had shiny black feathers. Somehow she had found a way to escape the pen and coop where the other five chickens stayed, often roaming freely in our yard during the day. At night, she would find her way back into the fenced pen and sleep in the coop with the other chickens.

I pulled my car only a few feet into the driveway, not wanting to scare off the dog. I knew that I had to do something to prevent this from happening again. I called the police to see if they could send the animal control group over. Our town is small and we don’t have animal control in the afternoon, but they sent a policeman, who came and took the dog. The dog was friendly: he had a full stomach! The policeman also took the remains of the chicken. Never again would we receive that fun and unique greeting from our gregarious chicken.

A Safe Haven: Keeping God’s Commandments

This morning I was thinking about how all the other chickens stayed where they were supposed to. Maybe they wished they could find a way to roam freely with no restrictions. During warm weather months, we often let the chickens out to roam our yard when we are home to safeguard them. But this one black chicken, no matter how many times we put her back in the pen, would get out. I wondered how, as her owners or “masters”, we could have done a better job of protecting her. It makes me sad that even though we had provided a safe haven for her, fed her and given her water, she still ended up as prey for a hungry dog.

There are so many parallels between the incident of the chicken and our lives. We have been given this life by God. Jesus came and taught us the guidelines, or commandments, that we need to follow to have a safe haven with Him and the Father. So many of us do not keep His commandments, thinking that life will be better if we roam freely, with no restrictions. Eventually we become possible prey for Satan, who wants to destroy us. Of course, the dog was not at fault; dogs are naturally programmed to eat chickens. But we are human beings, with freedom to choose. We can protect ourselves if we stay within the guidelines that God has given us. If we choose to run around without restriction, we are no longer privy to the protection set up by our Master. His commandments are the  “fences” He has put in place for us to help us live safe, happy, healthy lives. May we all keep ourselves safely within the bounds the Lord has set.

Susan Escalante

Feb 15, 2012

Mormon Beliefs: The Payment of Tithes

The practice of paying tithing dates back to some of the earliest recorded times. Tithing, which means “tenth,” was practiced by Abraham (see Genesis 14:18-20), and codified into the religious laws of ancient Israel. The most famous Old Testament reference to tithing is found in Malachi 3:8-10, where the prophet chastises the people of his day for “robbing God” by neglecting their tithes and offerings. In the New Testament, tithing is mentioned in Matthew 23:23. There, the Savior chides the Pharisees for paying tithes while omitting the “weightier matters of the law,” explaining that they should do both. The payment of tithes has been practiced by Christians throughout history, and is still a common practice. Tithing provides for the basic expenses of running the Church, and allows for equal access to spiritual things by all members, regardless of income. The payment of tithing acknowledges that all we have belongs to God, and that we value Him above our material possessions. By returning to Him some of the goods He has entrusted to us, we show that we trust Him to continue to provide for us.

Mormons have payed tithing since the time of the Prophet Joseph Smith, who reintroduced the payment of tithes as part of the restoration of the original church established by Jesus Christ during New Testament times. In a revelation given to Joseph Smith in 1838, the Lord answered the prophet’s direct question regarding tithing with the following words, as recorded in The Doctrine and Covenants, a book of modern revelation from God to His prophets today:

And after that, those who have thus been tithed shall pay one-tenth of all their interest annually; and this shall be a standing law unto them forever, for my holy priesthood, saith the Lord. (Doctrine and Covenants 119:4)

Faithful Mormons believe they should pay tithing regularly, as a voluntary contribution to assist with the expenses of the Church. Mitt Romney’s tithes are an expression of his faith in God and his gratitude for God’s daily care.

The Uses of Tithing

Tithing has traditionally been used to pay the expenses of the Church. Leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons), from the local level all the way through to the First Presidency, are all volunteers; thus, tithing money is not used to pay their salaries or living expenses. Instead, tithing is mainly used for the budgets of local congregations, to build meetinghouses and temples, to pay administrative costs, and to finance the Church’s missionary, educational, and humanitarian ventures. Mitt Romney’s tithing could have been used to help build a temple in South America or to provide a lesson manual to a Sunday School teacher in Africa. Because tithing is sent to Church headquarters and used throughout the world, Mormons everywhere have access to church temples, meetinghouses, and materials, regardless of their financial status or where they live.

Other Offerings

Tithing is not the only contribution to The Church of Jesus Christ that appears on Mitt Romney’s tax returns. Mormons make other regular offerings to the Church, mostly to help meet the needs of the poor. One of the most important offerings is called a “fast offering.” Fasting is another ancient practice, dating from Old Testament times, that serves the dual purpose of humbling oneself before God and caring for the poor.

Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?

Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? (Isaiah 58:6-7)

Once a month, Mormons skip two meals and donate the amount they would have spent on food to the local fast offering fund. Administered by local leaders, money from fast offerings is used to help members of the local congregation with basic needs. Surplus funds are sent to regional leaders, where they eventually make their way to the Bishop’s Storehouse, a type of food bank where food, clothing, and household items are available for those who are struggling to provide for themselves.

Other contributions made by Mormons go to support missionary work, worldwide humanitarian aid, educational opportunities for the poor, and temple construction. Each contribution is collected and distributed largely by volunteers, so very little money goes for overhead. Instead, almost all money contributed goes directly to the program it is meant to support. Any money sent by Mitt Romney to the Church’s Humanitarian Fund, for example, went directly to supplies for victims of disasters and other pressing humanitarian needs throughout the world. Money sent as charitable contributions to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is money well spent. Mitt Romney’s taxes reflect his commitment to help the poor, relieve suffering, and spread the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the world.