Windows Of Heaven (1979)

[Music] [Applause] President Snow I'm sure you're aware of the fact that this church owes over $2 million I'm afraid we couldn't get 20 cents credit if we put up the Tabernacle of security ever since the government took over the church properties and assets 11 years ago it's cost us Millions to try and recover them and still we haven't succeeded now I don't want to appear to be an alarmist President Snow but with this indebtedness the church is is truly in bondage now for instance these notes are due and payable some are past due and the end is not in sight that's true brother Gage the end is not in sight Brethren no one realizes the financial distress we are in more than I but at present I am at loss as to what to do financially the church is in a bottomless pit in the very depths of poverty but we mustn't give up hope nor become too discouraged the Lord will help us work this out in his own way and in his own due time of this I am sure that was a good breakfast mother you're just feeling good this morning dear yes I feel considerably better but it was still an extra good breakfast thank will you excuse me please father just a moment son sit down will you I have something to say to you and your mother I've got to go to St George and I'd like you both to go with me St George what's the reason for the trip father that's such a difficult trip Lorenzo do you think you could you wait a minute hold on one at a time mother I'm taking you along to look after me and if the Lord wants me to go to St George I'm sure he will bless me with the health and strength necessary to enable me to stand the journey our son I don't know yet why I've been called to go to St George but I do know that I must go we'll be leaving on the pulman train just as soon as everything can be arranged and who will be going with you president just as many of the general authorities as can be spared from the important work here and they'll take their wives now do you have the information necessary for the telegram to president MacArthur yes thank you put your mind at ease president sister Irvine and I will attend to all the details well that's very fine thank you that'll be all sister Irvine thank you president oh by the way that's certainly a terrible drought they're having in St George dest season in many years according to reports I do hope you don't dry up and blow away down there president you want to know me better than that George it takes more than Little Dixie hot air to melt this [Laughter] snow our ultimate destination will be St George and our purpose will be to hold a special conference please arrange to have five teams and carriages meet us at the rail Terminus at mordina expect to arrive 7:00 a.m. May the 27th that sounds all right please sign that to secretary George F Gibbs in behalf of President Lorenzo Snow thanks man [Music] President Snow president mcarthy it's a pleasure to have you and sister snow visit with us she's our son Leroy Hello nice to have you too Leroy thank you did you have a good trip as good as could be expected I suppose that wish part of the journey lies ahead or it shouldn't be too bad this time of year we can make St George by Nightfall if we hurry is it that far Lorenzo do you think you can stand it I know two ways about it mother I've just got to stand it [Music] oh [Music] thank you sir this is Sister MacArthur how do you do FR this no you must have had a tiring Journey yes I'm very tired it will only take me a few minutes to fix all of you a bite of supper I appreciate your thought from Sister Macar that'll be fine for the others but if you wouldn't mind leave I'm too tired to bother with supper if I could just have a bowl of bread and milk of course presents no thank you [Music] thank thank you son I feel awfully thirsty I'll get you a glass of water Lorenzo I was afraid this journey would be too hard on you the trip was hard enough all right mother but that that isn't what's bothering me Lord has called me to St George but why why why have I brought so many of the general authorities so needed at home to look after the important Affairs of the church if he'd only make his will manifest to me let's get you to bed Lorenzo you must save your strength for the conference tomorrow yes [Music] hi there us in we thank the for the [Music] as you all know this has been the driest winter in 35 and the winter before the driest in 34 years Pine Valley Mountain usually covered with snow is comparatively Barren conditions have been very discouraging to the Saints in this area president most of us were sent here by President Brigham Young and we have done our best we don't want want to leave all of this President and we haven't given up hope not yet but with the lucern and grain drying up and this terrible drought it's going to take a power greater than our own to save us it is now my great honor to present our prophet President Lorenzo Snow thank you my brothers and sisters I feel to sympathize with all of you because of the drought conditions on the journey here from Modina we couldn't help but see the dead and dying cattle the dried up streams may I say unto you even though we are not suffering as badly from the drth of North the Yoke of Oppression is resting heavily on the church because of our indebtedness during the past year it became necessary to issue bonds but brothers and sisters this is not the real answer The Church Must find some other way to pay its bills we must find a permanent solution to our financial problems now I I don't know exactly why the Lord has called me to St George but I know he has called me here for a special purpose for a reason which I feel he will bless us if my brothers and sisters I understand Clearly Now wherein we as a people are failing to walk up to the covenants we have made I realize that we are neglecting one of the most sacred laws the law of tithing the time has now come for every latterday saint who calls himself as sa to pay his tithing in full from this day forward that is the word of the Lord to you and it will be the word of the Lord to every settlement throughout Zion this is the answer to our financial problems even though as a church we are heavily in debt I say unto you that if this people will pay a full and honest tithing the shackles of indebtedness will be removed from us and we will yet become a prosperous people listen to what the holy scriptures say on the subject will a man rob God yet ye have robbed me but ye say wherein have we robbed thee in tithes and offerings ye are cursed with a curse for ye have robbed me even this whole nation bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse that there may be meat in mine house and prove me now herewith sayith 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 and I will rebuke the Devourer for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruit of your ground neither shall your Vine cast her fruit before the time in the field saith the Lord of hosts I also feel to give you a promise pertaining to your parted lands if you people here will observe this law fully and honestly from now on you may go ahead and plow your land plant your seed and I promise you in the name of the Lord that in due time clouds will gather the latter rains from heaven will descend your lands will be watered the rivers and ditches will be filled and you will yet reap a harvest this very [Applause] [Music] season I think we'd better call a special meeting of the Brethren tonight discuss some of these matters before we leave for home are we driving directly back to Sal Lake president no Brethren we're going to stop at each town on the way home and preach tithing and after I get home I'm going to preach tithing at what time is the meeting called for tonight let us say 7:00 I will meet you then at 7:00 will you excuse me now brotherr sure sure wasn't it simply marvelous the change that came over over the president yes but that promise I don't know I'm afraid it's too late in the season to plant crops now my land so dry my plow can't get a decent bite Brethren you just heard the prophet of the Lord promise US rain and crops that's good enough for me I'm going to plant [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] but there are times coming when and the Lord will require us to stand up and do that which he has commanded and not neglected any longer there is no man or woman in this church who will feel satisfied if he or she fails to pay a full Tiding and verily it is a day of sacrifice and a day for the tithing of my people for he that is tithed shall not be burned at his coming for what is a man profited if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul the penalty following Disobedience to the law of tithing is that the disobedient shall not live among the people of God but through this law the blessings of prosperity and success will be given to the Saints if the Saints pay their tithing not only will the church be relieved of its great intendedness but through the blessings of the Lord this will also be the means of freeing the latterday Saints from their individual obligations and they will become a prosperous [Applause] people hello Brethren hi Bishop there's my tent fine here's one of my chickens for tithing Bishop say are the rest of your chickens as nice as this one Tad well almost as good Bishop I thought the Lord ought to have the best one bless you boy wonderful just wonderful brother Gibbs the Saints are catching the spirit of the law of tithing and the good people of dicks here not only paying a tenth but must be giving all they have to the Lord's work [Music] here's a telegram president well that's the one I've been looking for brother Gibbs you open it will you please [Music] [Applause] [Music] first day of summer still no rain Daniel what are we going to do look at that PO corn sun burning it up I don't know how we're going to keep ahead of it we can't hand water all summer long [Music] [Applause] I just don't understand it mother it's been over a month since the president was here and still no sign of rain if it doesn't rain before long I don't know how I'm going to face the Saints don't cry don't cry mother the prophet of the Lord promised us reain it'll come [Music] supper's nearly ready Lorenzo I don't believe I care for anything tonight I'm going to my room don't you feel well dear I feel all right I just not hungry that's all strengthen my faith and give courage to my anxious Soul why was I inspired to make those promises to the good people in St George if they are not to be fulfilled I promised them dear Lord that if they would accept thy command to obey the law of tithing thou would send the reigns from heaven and blessed them with the bounous Harvest these good people accepted thy will word and are not only paying a tenth of their income but are offering all they have to thy cause Willl thou please vindicate the words of thy humble servant through whom th thou did speak [Music] [Music] [Applause] it'sing Danel ring mother I do believe it is [Music] [Applause] [Music] telegram president thank you V gbes thank you take the Lord oh take the lord it's rain sister aine rain they have rain in St George [Music] [Music] father what can I do to show my appreciation for the blessing which thou has given to the good people in St George thou Hast fulfilled thy promise to them and Vindicated the words spoken through thy servant do show me some special thing that I can do to First further prove my love for thee thou can not ask anything of me that I not willing to do even though it be the offering of life to prove my love for thee [Music]