Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Sweet Jonah

I just have to share how sweet Jonah is. Last night we were having Family Home Evening, a time every monday night when we get together and sing, have a lesson about a gospel principle, treats and games. We were reviewing tithing, a chance that we have to donate 1/10 of our income to the church, to help it pay for the construction of church buildings, temples, and many other things. Jonah had earned 12 dollars at the family reunion by participating in a work project. We gave him coins for 1 of the dollars and then helped him figure out how much 1/10 was. He set it aside and then we were filling out the tithing slip. I was explaining that you can donate to help missionaries, to print Books of Mormon, and also explained that there was a Humanitarian Aid fund, where you could help people who lost their homes and belongings and who needed food, after suffering from some type of disaster. Jonah, is obsessed with learning about floods, volcanoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, etc., so this last fund was interesting to him. He decided that he wanted to donate 10 cents to the missionary fund and 20 cents to the Book of Mormon one and 50 cents to the Humanitarian Aid. He handed the money to me and then thought about it minute. He had a 10 dollar bill left in his hand. Then, he said " I can give my 10 dollars to help the people who were hurt in the floods and earthquakes and lost everything they had." He handed me the 10 dollars and was left with nothing. He was completely penniless. He gave all the money he had earned and didn't even think twice about it. I was sitting across from him and I started to cry. I looked over and Matt was tearing up too. What a lesson to me. What a sweet, sensitive, giving child I have been blessed with in my family and what a lesson he taught me last night. No wonder we are admonished to become as little children for they truly are humble, selfless, and completely filled with love for others.

9 comments:

Kim's Page said...

Very sweet story.

Becky said...

What a blessing Jonah is to our family! I loved him even before he was born!! I am also thankful that he has good parents who not only love him but teach him the important things in this life. A life of giving is so worthwhile.What a fine young man he is. Isn't Family Home Evening a great idea? An inspired idea!
Tell Jonah I am so pleased with his generous contribution to the Humanitarian Fund.
Becky/G'ma

Jaime said...

Wow, I am tearing up too. That truly is selfless giving. thanks for telling us that sweet story

Tiffany and hers said...

I teared up just reading it!! What a sweet example! Oh and thanks for the comments- you and Jaime are my only friends so far!!

Kim said...

We must have been on the same page with going to the zoo. Cute story. Hope all is well.

Trishelle said...

Mary Ann! What a sweet story! Don't moments like that make you revel in being a mother to these amazing kids?! It is definitely a reflection on the values and principles you and Matt have shown him, certainly through teaching but also through example.

Thanks for sharing!

Audrey and the Boys said...

Tears are in my eyes too. If only we could all see things through those lenses all the time.

Jared and Katy said...

That is so very sweet! I hope my children are that giving one day!

Unknown said...

Okay so I am totally crying. You are doing something right eh?