“Small and Simple Things,” Friend, Nov. 2009, 4–5
Small & Simple Things
Look up the following scriptures: 1 Corinthians 16:14; Alma 1:27; D&C 52:40. Circle the one you think fits the story best.
Mom was filling out a donation slip when David and Bresciana came inside for a drink of water.
“What are you doing?” Bresciana asked. “Are you paying your tithing?”
Mom smiled. “Not this time, honey. Today I am giving some money for the people who were hurt by the tsunami.” She explained to David and Bresciana that a big wave had hurt a lot of people. Many of them had lost their homes and did not have food, clean clothes, or water to drink.
“What will happen to the people who don’t have enough food?” David asked.
“The prophet asked the members of the Church to donate money to help,” Mom said. “If you want to help, you may. Your allowance for this month is on the counter.”
David and Bresciana ran to get their money—a dollar each—and gave it to Mom. They were excited to help the people. After Bresciana went outside to play, David sat down on the couch. He kept thinking about the children who didn’t have enough food or didn’t have a place to live anymore. It made him sad.
“I want to do more,” he thought. He went to his bedroom and opened his allowance box. There lay the money he had saved all year—$11. He grabbed the money and ran back into the kitchen. “Mom, I want to give this money to the people too.”
When Bresciana heard about what David had done, she decided to give the money she had saved too. Mom helped them fill out donation slips so they could give the money to the bishop at church the next day.
Later that day, David heard Mom on the phone telling Grandma about the money he and Bresciana had donated. When Mom got off the phone, David looked worried.
“David, what’s the matter?” she asked.
“I tried to do my best to help the people,” David said, “but I don’t think we can help all of them with our money. It’s not a lot.”
“Sometimes it’s more important how we give the money rather than how much we give,” Mom said. “Do you remember the story of the widow’s mite in the New Testament?”
David didn’t, so Mom told him the story. “When the people of Jesus’s time were donating money, many gave a lot of jewels and treasure. One woman was very poor. She only gave two small coins called mites. Jesus said that her sacrifice was worth more than the treasures because she had given all the money she had—just like you and Bresciana.”*
David felt better after that. On Sunday, he and Bresciana gave their donations to the bishop. The bishop shook their hands and thanked them. David was glad he and Bresciana could help.
After church, Mom told David and Bresciana some exciting news. “Grandma just called me. Yesterday I told her about you two wanting to help the people who were hurt by the tsunami. When she shared your story today with people at church, some of them decided to give more money than before. Your example helped more people than you thought it would.”
Bresciana had a big smile on her face. David felt happy too. “Mom,” he said, “our widow’s mite really did make a difference!”
Illustrations by Brad Clark