Twenty-two years ago, my husband and I were married in the Murray Chapel. Growing up I always wanted to get married in the temple. Even though my husband had been on a mission, something in him was just not ready to go back. I loved him and I was willing to marry him anyway and thought that eventually we would go to the temple. Years went by; we would go to church sometimes. I tried to go as much as I could, but with little kids it was easier not to go by myself. As my children got older, I went to church more and more. My husband would join me sometimes, but just for Sacrament Meeting.
In 2002, I decided to get my patriarchal blessing. In it, it says… "Continue to work to establish a home where the spirit of Heavenly Father can dwell and be all that you can be as a companion to your husband. Be patient with him, but do not compromise your standards in any way. As you show forth an increase in love and a desire to follow after the teachings of the Savior, his heart will be softened and he will desire to be one with you."
I knew I had to be patient with him, and maybe someday we would all go to the temple to be sealed. But we still went on with our lives. I tried hard to go to church without him, and to be a good example, but one thing I was not doing faithfully was paying my tithing. I would just leave that up to my husband to pay when he remembered or whenever.
In about 2008, I was challenged by my bishop to pay a full tithe. I promised him I would, so from that day on I started to write my own checks monthly. It made me feel great to be able to keep this promise to the bishop and to my Heavenly Father.
As months went by it seemed that my husband was making some small changes. He was coming to church more often and even staying for the whole three hour block. He was also making sure that we paid our tithing every month.
I remember one day in early 2010 we came home from church and he had told me he made an appointment with the bishop. He wanted us to all be sealed together in the temple. I couldn’t believe it; where was this coming from? This man I have known for 20 years, his heart was softening...
We made the changes we needed to and prepared ourselves to take our family to the temple. On October 23, 2010, 20 years after we were married civilly, we were married and sealed together. It was the most amazing day, one that I will never forget, to be in the Portland, Oregon Temple with my eternal family.
I truly have a testimony of tithing and the blessings it brings to our lives.
