I sat outside talking to my dad. I had my hands in my pockets and my dad was working on cleaning something on the old air conditioning unit. Quiet night, early spring, birds too. I looked out into the pale sky as the sun was going to set soon and told my dad how I thought that we have so much love that needs to be given to the world. There are so many people who need that. Christ can't do it right now - come down and take each person's hand. The only way people will know it is if they feel it from us. I walked home and read the paper the other day. I looked up in disbelief and stated: the world needs more missionaries. But, I told my dad today, that isn't enough. 55,000 missionaries for all these people who are in the shanks of alcoholism and hatred? WE need to love our neighbors. Members everywhere in the world need to acquaint the hurt people around them with Jesus Christ.
My dad asked me what happiness was. I said that it was the Atonement, feeling that personally as I have learned that nothing else can heal or laugh without it. Happiness is being empowered by it and doing things with Christ. It isn't passiveness and dependency in the way that makes us complacent. Christ empowers us so that we are doing things with him. He heals us and tells us that it is going to be okay. But just think about how many people need that right now. Christ has us to be His hands. We need to be. I am overwhelmed by the pain in the world. In my own neighborhood in little Cottonwood Heights, Utah: people with illegal drug problems, domestic abuse, etc. In all my years working with children, said my Sunday School teacher, I've found that all children want and seek is parents who love them. They just need to feel loved. Otherwise, we end up in the mess we are in now - so much pain and hurt.
Like my brother Ammon said in his mission letters, "Between every empty church and every broken home is a prosperous bar." Dallin came home from his mission on Friday and told of great things about the land he served in, but also of the great depression he saw there. Poverty, violence, corruption. We love the people we serve, but we also see their shackles. Alcoholism, poverty... We see how they are trapped in the world. Day in and day out Dallin saw these people who have nothing and live in ignorance. Nothing to hope for. Deadly cycles. Violence begets violence, pain begets pain. It seems to be surrounding my view of the world at a greater extent than love is. I live in Provo and feel guilty for staying there while so many suffer. Oh how I want to take that child across the street in my arms - the one whose arm was broken in a violent upheaval in the night - and say, "You know, Christ loves you and He is here with you." We can help so much more. It doesn't have to be that bad. How often do we look away, hope they move away, and forget them in our prayers that night?
President Faust once said that there is no private sin. He said that what we do does not just affect us. It will always affect the people and the environment around us, no matter how private we think it is. My dad believes that goodness has to work the same way. We may not see how our goodness in all aspects of our lives is making an impact on the world around us, but it is. I want to believe that. I know that Pres. Hinckley was always happy and optimistic. I can be that way too. Smiling in the midst of the great task ahead.
