The impact of kindness

Lately, I have been thinking about compassion, kindness, and love. This last week Sister Cluff and I had an encounter that shocked us and brought a new level of compassion into our missionary work. We were headed to an appointment when we felt impressed to take a different road. As we headed that direction we had to stop at the stoplight and right in front of us was a Patriot Gas Station and there lying on the gravel parking lot was a man face down. We both looked at each other and wondered if he was even alive! We saw that plenty of people would walk up to him, look down at him and then walk away. The Store Manager even walked by and didn't do a thing. When we arrived we asked around if anyone had called 911 and no one had! The first thing we did was try to get a response from him and then once we had established some form of communication we called 911. The 911 response in Eureka described to us that they would not send an ambulance out regardless of Kenny's situation, they had to send a police unit out first then the police determined if the person's situation was good enough to call an ambulance. While waiting for the police to show up we asked Kenny what had happened to him. At this point in time the Store Manager walked over to see what all the commotion was over a man that had been beaten and was heavily bleeding. The police showed up and immediately they called the ambulance. They then proceeded to talk to Kenny and because of they way he looked like they immediately disregarded what Kenny was saying and officially stated that he was a drunk man. Because of what he looked like they immediately assumed that he was a drunkard. They treated Kenny so cold like he was worthless. After they arrived they dismissed us without saying a word to us. The rest of the night I thought about what happened to Kenny and how there are days that we don't always treat others kindly or love them the way the Savior loves them.
Regarding kindness Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin stated,

"KINDNESS is the essence of a celestial life. KINDNESS is how a Christlike person treats others. KINDNESS should permeate all of our words and actions at WORK, at SCHOOL, at CHURCH, and especially in our HOMES.

Jesus, our Savior, was the epitome of kindness and compassion. He healed the sick. He spent much of His time ministering to the one or many. He spoke compassionately to the Samaritan woman who was looked down upon by many. He instructed His disciples to allow the little children to come unto Him. He was KIND to all who had sinned, condemning only the sin, not the sinner."

In Moroni 7:45 it reads, "And charity suffereth long, and is KIND, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things."

It continues on in Moroni 7:47, "But charity is the pure love of Christ"

In this video that is portrayed below, there is a woman that tries a civility experiment. It was interesting to see that when we are kind it pays it forward, it continues to incircle others and to help others. No one is perfect, we are all different, we are all unique but we are all children of God who loves us for who we are and wants us to all be Christlike and love others as Christ loved us.

Elder Wirthlin continues in his address by saying, "In the scriptures Jude taught, “And of some have compassion, making a difference.

Who can tell what far-reaching impact we can have if we are only KIND."

Truly, you never know what impact you will make when you are kind. I don't know what happend to Kenny after that incident but all I know is that Sister Cluff and I were meant to be there and where meant to help him. It taught me the measure of God's love for each of his children even Kenny. He loves us all and wants nothing more than our happiness.

"By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."
John 13:35

 You can Read Elder Wirthlin's talk: The Virtue of Kindness

Read more...

Pornography...there is Hope

For a while now, I did not know what I wanted to "blog" about but very recently I saw a facebook status regarding pornography. It hit me home for me and I felt impressed to write on pornography. Pornography is a very sensitive subject for many and for me. We can all see that there is unintentional ignorance when someone simply has not been through an experience like pornography themselves. It's not a bad thing, they just don't know what the addicted person is going through.
Pornography as defined by Merriam Webster is: "material (as books or a photograph) that depicts erotic behavior and is intended to cause sexual excitement." This definition gives us an idea of what pornography is. Elder Dallin H. Oaks in the April 2005 General Conference spoke on pornography and he defines the effects of what it does to someone who is involved in pornography he states, "Those who seek out to use pornography forfeit the power of the power of the priesthood...patrons of pornography also lose the companionship of the Spirit. Pornography produces fantasies that destroy spirituality...pornography also inflicts mortal wounds on our most precious personal relationships....pornography impairs one's ability to enjoy a normal emotional, romantic, and spiritual relationship with a person of the opposite sex...pornography is also addictive." Pornography has an addictive power. It hooks you to come back wanting more and more. BUT there is hope! Elder Oaks boldy declares, "But the good news is that no one needs to follow the evil, downward descent to torment. Everyone caught on that terrible escalator has the key to reverse his course. He can escape. Through reptance he can be clean."
In the Book of Mormon there is a story of a man named: Alma the Younger in his own words he describes it:
"Yea, I did remember all my sins and iniquities, for which I was tormented with the pains of hell.
"..The very thought of coming into the presence of my God did rack my sould with inexpressible horror...
"And it came to pass that as I was thus racked with torment, while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins, behold, I remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world.
"Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart: O Jesus, Thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death.
"And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more; yea I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more."
"And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light did I behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding was my pain!" (Alma 36:13-14,17-20)
Elder Oaks continues, " My brethren who are caught in this addiction or troubled by this temptation, there is a way."
President Uchtodorf in the April 2012 Conference stated, "Lay your burden at the Savior’s feet...Allow Christ’s Atonement to change and heal your heart."
Christ has died for each of us because he loves each of us and he knew that we would stumble and fall and he knew exactly how to comfort us.
In Alma 7:11-13, it says,
"And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and emptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

"And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.

"Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me."

For those who are victims of pornography and its harmfull effects, there is still hope.
I firmly believe that there is hope for one and all that battle any type of addiction and to say that there is not, would be a false statment! There is hope! There always has been! Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ there is hope.
For those of us who have not experienced the torment of any addiction now is the time to extend a loving hand of kindness and compassion towards those who are suffering. I know that I am no one to judge, to say that it is their fault that they entered into such addictions! I have made my mistakes and I know that the Atonement covers all sin, it covers everything.
We are all going to sin, regardless of what sin it is the Atonement will cover it. Christ loves us all and accepts us all. I wish that we would not cast judgment on those who make mistakes even grevious one's. I know that Christ would reach out to them and love them. Love is key.
President Uchtdorf continued on to say in his address,

"Brothers and sisters, there is enough heartache and sorrow in this life without our adding to it through our own stubbornness, bitterness, and resentment.

We are not perfect.

The people around us are not perfect. People do things that annoy, disappoint, and anger. In this mortal life it will always be that way.

Nevertheless, we must let go of our grievances. Part of the purpose of mortality is to learn how to let go of such things. That is the Lord’s way.

Remember, heaven is filled with those who have this in common: They are forgiven. And they forgive."

Pornography is an addiction but that does not mean that there is no hope. There is always hope with any mistake that we make in this life. There is always hope over the horizon.

Read more...