Recently, I was a member of a U.S. business delegation invited by a very successful Asian country’s leaders to visit their nation for a week. We met with virtually all of the leadership: political, military, government and diplomatic. It was a positive and successful visit.
One of the things one always knows about visiting with leaders of Asian countries is there graciousness and generosity as demonstrated by their history of gift giving. They always give gifts that have meaning to their culture. This trip was no exception. Knowing this beforehand, I assembled some gifts of my own to take with me that represented life here in Southern California.
And, those who live here know that nothing is more representative of SoCal than the Los Angeles world champion Lakers basketball team. So, I loaded up on Lakers gear including jerseys and caps. They were a real hit. But, what struck me most was when I started to present a jersey to the Commanding General of one of their military services. Before I even got the jersey out of the bag – just as the purple and gold colors became visible — the troops yelled out “Lakers!” and applauded.
American culture continues to sweep the world: sports teams, iPhones and iPads, Levis, movies and television, social media, and fast food. The youth of the world are mesmerized by our affluence, our audacious consumption, and our openness in all areas of our culture.
Then, shortly after the trip we were invited to a private luncheon with their ambassador to the United States at his home in Washington, D.C. During the conversation at lunch, the ambassador all of a sudden (not knowing that anyone in the room was LDS) expressed his great appreciation and admiration for the “Mormons” from the United States who come to his country and provide wonderful services to the people of his nation including teaching them English and living skills.
All of this brought both pride in my membership in the Church, and anxiety as an American about what all we really are telling the world about who we as a nation. American culture has spread to the world both great good and tremendous evil. Good, in that it has allowed a new generation to see the world through common eyes, and to communicate and share information with speed and completeness never before imagined. Good where we provide food, assistance, technology and jobs where none existed. And evil, in that it has opened up the world to the sordid and degenerate aspects of American life sweeping the country: pornography, Internet gambling, violent and sexually explicit movies and television, and constant reporting on the worst of the lives of the rich and famous.
I often remark that I understand how people can have such negative feelings and opinions about us if all they really know about America is what they see on American television. If that is their view of who we are, I can appreciate why they are teaching people not to want to have anything to do with America. I, too, don’t want the people I love and care for watching and emulating the lifestyle that pervades almost all of our television programming – so why should I be surprised when others feel the same way? I condemn all violence in the name of that rejection, but I understand the concern.
My recent experiences reaffirmed the responsibility we American Latter-day Saints have to work here at home to reawaken in our fellow citizens a commitment to be better, expect better from our entertainment, and demand better from role models. It is evident that our influence as Mormons in many foreign countries is having the effect we have hoped it would in fostering goodness, interest in educational and living improvement, and values that bring a nation stability, prosperity, and happiness. Now, we need to do more here at home to strengthen our own communities and nation. As the Savior reminded everyone:
And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country. (The Gospel According to St. Luke 4:23.)
