How to Unlock the Windows of Heaven

By Elder Robert D. Hales

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Adapted from an October 2002 general conference address.

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Elder Robert D. Hales

Tithing is a test of faith with eternal blessings. It is one of the basic ways we witness our faith in the Lord and our obedience to His laws and commandments. Tithing is one of the commandments that qualifies us, by our faith, to enter the temple—the house of the Lord.

The strict observance of the law of tithing:

Not only qualifies us to receive the higher, saving ordinances of the temple, it allows us to receive them on behalf of our ancestors.
Develops and tests our faith. By sacrificing to the Lord what we may think we need or want for ourselves, we learn to rely on Him. Our faith in Him makes it possible to keep temple covenants and receive eternal temple blessings.
Fortifies our faith, and that faith sustains us through the trials, tribulations, and sorrows in our life’s journey.
Teaches us to control our desires and passions for the things of this world.
Encourages us to be honest in our dealings with our fellowmen.
Helps us learn to trust that what we have been given, through the blessings of the Lord and our own diligent efforts, is sufficient for our needs.
Prepares us to live the higher law of consecration—to dedicate and give all our time, talents, and resources to the work of the Lord.

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Photograph by iStockphoto/Thinkstock

To those who faithfully and honestly live the law of tithing, the Lord promises an abundance of blessings. Some of these blessings are temporal, just as tithes are temporal. But like the outward physical ordinances of baptism and the sacrament, the commandment to pay tithing requires temporal sacrifice, which ultimately yields great spiritual blessings.

The temporal and spiritual blessings of tithing are specifically tailored to us and our families, according to the Lord’s will. But to receive them, we must obey the law upon which they are predicated (see D&C 130:20–21).

Would any of us intentionally reject an outpouring of blessings from the Lord? Sadly, this is what we do when we fail to pay our tithing. We say no to the very blessings we are seeking and praying to receive. If you are one who has doubted the blessings of tithing, I encourage you to accept the Lord’s invitation to “prove [Him] now herewith” (Malachi 3:10). Pay your tithing. Unlock the windows of heaven. You will be abundantly blessed for your obedience and faithfulness to the Lord’s laws and commandments.