My husband came home from the Priesthood to give his usual report. He told me that President Hinckley gave an excellent talk and that he had never heard him speak so strongly. I was anxious to read the words of the prophet to the brethren.
President Hinckley focused on the need to be kind to each other. He said:
“I have wondered why there is so much hatred in the world. We are involved in terrible wars with lives lost and many crippling wounds. Coming closer to home, there is so much of jealousy, pride, arrogance, and carping criticism; fathers who rise in anger over small, inconsequential things and make wives weep and children fear.”
President Hinckley went on to tell a story about how through a friendship and the kindness of one boy to another, one boy was converted to the church. He says of this experience:
“This kind of miracle can happen and will happen when there is kindness, respect, and love. Why do any of us have to be so mean and unkind to others? Why can’t all of us reach out in friendship to everyone about us? Why is there so much bitterness and animosity? It is not a part of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
We all stumble occasionally. We all make mistakes. I paraphrase the words of Jesus in the Lord’s Prayer: “And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us” (see Matthew 6:12; Joseph Smith Translation, Matthew 6:13).”
As I read this I thought a lot about the lack of kindness that is all around us. Sometimes I think it is unintentional unkindness. We tend to draw inward and not reach out to those around us. I have recently talked to two different women who have recently moved. They have struggled because although they are extending their hands in hopes of friendship, no one is reaching out to welcome them here. The world has gotten so busy and cold that it is easy to make excuses to not say hello, to never meet your neighbor. We can all do more to be friends with those around us.
President Hinckley also said, “And thus I might go on reminding you of the vast efforts of the good people of this Church in blessing the lives of one another and with an outreach that extends across the world to the poor and distressed of the earth.
There is no end to the good we can do, to the influence we can have with others. Let us not dwell on the critical or the negative. Let us pray for strength; let us pray for capacity and desire to assist others. Let us radiate the light of the gospel at all times and all places, that the Spirit of the Redeemer may radiate from us.
In the words of the Lord to Joshua, brethren, “be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God [will be] with thee withersoever thou goest” (Joshua 1:9).”
There is so much we can do and should do to help those around us. We can begin with simple friendship. Friendship allows us to see where to help and allows the help to be accepted. You can read President Hinkley’s talk here.