Last week as
I wrapped a birthday present to mail to my son, I packed some hometown
newspaper around it for padding. In it I found a couple of articles that
touched my heart. In one, a homeless veteran gave his last twenty dollars to a
woman who was stranded with not enough money to pay for her gas. He didn’t
expect to have it returned or to be rewarded, he just wanted to help her. In
the other, a woman found a bargain for down jackets in a neighboring town and
bought one for each of her family members as their old ones had been used for
many years. She said she spent hundreds of dollars but had saved a thousand dollars . When she returned home,
she hid them in the back of the closet to save for Christmas and went out to
finish her errands When she returned home again. she found the living-rom a mess and things pulled
out of the closet.
The new coats were gone. When her son came home,
he told her that there was a call out for coats and hats for the fire fighters,
fighting a local forest fire. He had gone through the closet and taken the
coats to donate them. “But don’t worry Mom!” He said. “I kept the good ones”
As a mother,
I’m torn between being grateful for the son’s kindness And fury for giving away
the new coats.
“We are surrounded by those in
need of our attention, our encouragement, our support, our comfort, our
kindness,” said President Thomas S. Monson. “We are the Lord’s hands here
upon the earth, with the mandate to serve and to lift His children. He is
dependent upon each of us.
President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First
Presidency, said: “A great change began in your heart when you came into the
Church. You made a covenant, and you received a promise that began changing
your very nature. …
“… You promised that you
would help the Lord make [others’] burdens light and be comforted. You were
given the power to help lighten those loads when you received the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
“We want to use the light of the
gospel to see others as the Savior does—with compassion, hope, and charity,”
said Jean B. Bingham, Relief Society General President. “The day will come
when we will have a complete understanding of others’ hearts and will be
grateful to have mercy extended to us—just as we extend charitable thoughts and
words to others. …
“Our obligation and privilege is
to embrace improvement in everyone as we strive to become more like our
Savior.”
As you enjoy this season, keep
the “Light Of The World” in your hearts towards your fellow man.
