A little girl saw a plastic pearl necklace at the grocery store and pleaded for them.
Her mom told her she could have them—but she would need to earn the $2.50 herself. She worked hard, doing extra chores to save up money.
Finally, she went to the store, proudly handing over the money. The plastic pearls were hers.
She loved them and wore them everywhere, every day.
One day, as she was going to sleep, her dad asked her, “Honey, do you love me?”
“Oh, yes!” the girl responded.
“Will you give me your pearls then?” the dad asked.
The girl replied, “Oh, not my pearls, Dad! What about any of my other toys?”
To which the dad said softly, “No, it’s ok, sweetheart. Go to bed.”
This conversation continued each week until one night the dad found his daughter with tears rolling down her cheeks and her prized necklace outstretched in her hand.
“Here, Dad, you can have them,” she said.
The dad took the plastic pearls, then reached into his pocket and took out a blue velvet case, replacing her fake pearls with a strand of real ones.
In Doctrine and Covenants 88, the Lord asked the Saints to build a temple. The details of building a temple, as well as the large financial strain it would cause on the Saints, must have felt overwhelming.
So, six months later, nothing had been done to build the temple. And the Lord came in section 95 to rebuke the Saints.
Yes, building a temple would be hard. It would strain them in every way. It would absolutely be a sacrifice.
But God had the endowment waiting on the other side of that sacrifice.
The best gift he could offer—His strength and His power always with them.
A dime-store pearl necklace in exchange for real ones.
God will ask us to sacrifice as well. But as Wendy Watson said, “Make a a sacrifice to the Lord […] and then be prepared to be surprised. God is a great compensator.”
Because “sacrifice brings forth the blessings of Heaven.” What is hard will always be worth it when we are facing the Savior.
Our…
5 loaves and 2 fish. (John 6)
2 mites. (Luke 21)
Handful of flour. (1 kings 17)
All we have.
For so much more in return.
The greatest exchange.
Our all, for His All.
come follow me daily 