In this particular Youth Conference(youth retreat) everyone was sorted in to a "Family", each family had different parents(adult leaders) and had a set amount of finances, to buy food, pay loans, and survive. As a group we all decided on finances. The money we had was just paper cash. Really kind of silly, but never the less we all decided on where all of the money went.The prize at the end of the conference was a feast of food, that was rather expensive, we started to save our money so all of us could "partake" in the feast.
On the second day the Steak President(Main Leader) of the conference asked the entire Youth Conference to donate to a Temple that was being built, along with a request to pay tithing. Each of the groups had at this time limited cash and this would be a great sacrifice, but the way to eat and pay tithing was provided, now my family wouldn't have enough to eat, pay tithing and support the temple, something had to go. So after thought and family council my family decided to sacrifice eating at the feast so that we would able to follow the commandments of the Lord. We thought that because it was the final meeting and final day we would just eat when we got home. We payed our tithing, and donated all the rest of the funds to the temple. What was important had been paided.
Nauvoo Temple(http://lds.org/church/temples/nauvoo-illinois?lang=eng#)
(http://old.mormon.org/mormonorg/eng/videos?channelId=ad1fcf6cdfeac110VgnVCM1000003a94610aRCRD&sourceId=387b747631f92210VgnVCM100000176f620a)
(Saints similarly donated all they had to build the Navuoo Temple)
10 minutes before this "grad feast" was about to begin, our family was called into the Steak Presidents office, the Steak President and a few other Conference Leaders where there, they began to ask us why we had no money for food, we where a little embarrassed when we told them that we wouldn't have had enough money to pay tithing, temple, and food, so we just cut the food out. After we told them this, they looked at us, and with loving words began to thank us for the example that we were setting, sacrificing all that we had to further the Lords Kingdom. They told us that because of our faith in the Lord a miracle would be given, we would be allowed to eat with out paying for the food, and we would be able to receive food first.
The Lords promise was fulfilled, "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith 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"(Malachi 3:10). I learned an important lesson from this small and first viewed insignificant trial. The Lord provided us a miracle after the trial of our faith, it is interesting the timing of the miracle, 10 minutes before the feast, and after the trial of our faith... Our sacrifice may not have built the entire temple, or even filled the store house, but the contribution was enough for the Lord. How much was it? All of what we had, that is what the Lord of Hosts asks for, our heart, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise"(Psalms 51:17). I know that the sacrifice of ALL we have IS ENOUGH for the Lord. May we be so inspired to sacrifice what he has given...
After the trial, that is giving our heart, the Lord Promises life eternal, the greatest of all gifts. But it will come after the trials. "My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes"(D&C 121:7-8). I know these things are true in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
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