(1) "All of us are responsible to provide for ourselves and our families in
both temporal and spiritual ways. To provide providently, we must
practice the principles of provident living: joyfully living within our
means, being content with what we have, avoiding excessive debt, and
diligently saving and preparing for rainy-day emergencies. When we live
providently, we can provide for ourselves and our families and also
follow the Savior’s example to serve and bless others."
(Elder Robert D. Hales, Becoming Provident Providers Temporally and Spiritually, Ensign May 2009)
(2) "Avoid debt. … Today everything is seemingly geared toward debt. “Get
your cards, and buy everything on time”: you’re encouraged to do it. But
the truth is that we don’t need to do it to live."
(Pres. Spencer W. Kimball, In Conference Report, Apr. 1976, 171; or Ensign, May 1976, 125)
(3) "Being provident providers, we must keep that most basic commandment, “Thou shalt not covet”.
Our world is fraught with feelings of entitlement. Some of us feel
embarrassed, ashamed, less worthwhile if our family does not have
everything the neighbors have. As a result, we go into debt to buy
things we can’t afford—and things we do not really need. Whenever we do
this, we become poor temporally and
spiritually. We give away some of our precious, priceless agency and put
ourselves in self-imposed servitude. Money we could have used to care
for ourselves and others must now be used to pay our debts. What remains
is often only enough to meet our most basic physical needs. Living at
the subsistence level, we become depressed, our self-worth is affected,
and our relationships with family, friends, neighbors, and the Lord are
weakened. We do not have the time, energy, or interest to seek spiritual
things."
(Elder Robert D. Hales, Becoming Provident Providers Temporally and Spiritually, Ensign, May 2009)
(4) "Pay an honest tithing. I often wonder if
we realize that paying our tithing does not represent giving gifts to
the Lord and the Church. Paying tithing is discharging a debt to the
Lord. The Lord is the source of all our blessings, including life
itself."
(President N. Eldon Tanner, Constancy Amid Change, Ensign, Nov 1979)
(5) " These two lessons are the essence of provident living. When faced with
the choice to buy, consume, or engage in worldly things and activities,
we all need to learn to say to one another, “We can’t afford it, even though we want it!” or “We can afford it, but we don’t need it—and we really don’t even want it!”
(Elder Robert D. Hales, Becoming Provident Providers Temporally and Spiritually, Ensign, May 2009)
(6) "The foundation and perspective then are these: We must first seek the
kingdom, work and plan and spend wisely, plan for the future, and use
what wealth we are blessed with to help build up that kingdom. When
guided by this eternal perspective and by building on this firm
foundation, we can pursue with confidence our daily tasks and our life’s
work, which must be carefully planned and diligently pursued."
(President N. Eldon Tanner, Constancy Amid Change, Ensign, Nov 1979)
(7) "To develop enduring faith, an enduring commitment to be a full-tithe
payer is essential. Initially it takes faith to tithe. Then the tithe
payer develops more faith to the point that tithing becomes a precious
privilege. Tithing is an ancient law from God. He made a promise to His children that He would open “the windows of
heaven, and pour … out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough
to receive it.” Not only that, tithing will keep your name enrolled among the people of
God and protect you in “the day of vengeance and burning.”
(Elder
Elder Russell M. Nelson
, Face the Future with Faith, General Conference, April 2011)
(8) "Do not leave
yourself or your family unprotected against financial storms. Forgo
luxuries, for the time being at least, to build up savings. How wise it
is to provide for the future education of your children and for your old
age.
The
smaller the family income, the more important it is that every dollar be
used wisely. Efficient spending and saving will give the family more
security, more opportunities, more education, and a higher standard of
living.
(Pres. Ezra Taft Benson, Pay Thy Debtn and Live, Ensign Jun 1987)
(9) "... all of us who have paid a consistent full tithe feel
greater confidence in asking God for what we and our families need. He
has promised blessings even greater than we can receive when we have
been faithful to our covenant to pay our tithes (see Malachi 3:10). So one of the great blessings of tithing
is confidence in what the future holds. Whatever our circumstances may
be, things will work out for the best. As we keep our promises, He will
keep His. A feeling of peace is one of the great blessings of paying a
full tithe."
(Elder Henry B. Eyring , The Blessing of Tithing, Liahona, June 2011)
(10) "Pay an honest tithing. I
often wonder if we realize that paying our tithing does not represent
giving gifts to the Lord and the Church. Paying tithing is discharging a
debt to the Lord. The Lord is the source of all our blessings,
including life itself."
"The key to spending less than we earn is simple—it is called discipline.
Whether early in life or late, we must all eventually learn to
discipline ourselves, our appetites, and our economic desires. How
blessed is he who learns to spend less than he earns and puts something
away for a rainy day."
(Elder N. Eldon Tanner, Constancy amid Change, Liahona, Feb 1982)