I have learned that before we judge another person’s willingness to help, we should recognize almost every member would want to help and they will eagerly be ready to help if…… they understand the need is genuine, they have resources or ability to help, and that by helping they are committed long term for more than they can handle.
Hans SchippersAugust 3, 2021
How incredibly sad that no one in the ward even offered to help. Complacency seemed to have taken over and the good folks of the word were "carefully led down to hell". It looks like progress was made with the roof but how about the rest? Flooring? Paint? New windows? Insulation? Heating, etc? God bless you for stepping up with your own funds.
Boanerges RubalcavaAugust 3, 2021
I found this article, both good, fair, and at the same time not so good and unfair. It is commendable the efforts this man have done in the benefit of "Larry", and it is fair to call our attention to the fact that we are feeling fine just to take our fast offering to the Bishop but not thinking further how we can help other people in greater needs than ours. On the other hand it is wrong to point out the finger against people not knowing what those people either are just "thinking" or actually doing something but not saying anything about it. This brings to my mind a great lesson I received many years ago while living in what I thought was the wealthiest ward in the Church: Chevy Chase ward in Bethesda Maryland. I had arrived there in 1971 with a scholarship of $12,500/year withy wife and 4 children, to do my post doctoral training in National Institutes of Health, coming from Mexico City where I used to be until my moving the Bishop of a ward surrounded by a very poor neighborhood. because I my calling I was at 33 years old a High Priest, and began to meet with that group in the Priesthood meeting in the ward, and I had at my side (for unknown reason we always seated in the same place every Sunday), behind and everywhere millionaires.
One Sunday the group leader asked us that the Bishop needed a wheelchair for a lady in great need. I, the poor in the group, did not have a wheelchair and I did not know anybody with a wheelchair, so I erased from my mind the whole thing; but could not help but observe my millionaire at my left side, to take a yellow card from his shirt pocket and wrote "wheelchair".
The following Sunday by coincidence (?) I was in the Bishop's office when somebody knock at the door; I opened it and there was my fellow millionaire at my left side every Sunday with a wheelchair; he asked, "where do I put it?" left the chair and left. I couldn't help but to think in the young rich man when he asked the Lord: "what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" We all know this teaching that ends with these words from the Lord: "How hardly shall they that have riches to enter into the Kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God". I believe that almost if not everybody in this world know this scripture and have said internally: "poor the rich men, they will not make it, that's good I am poor (or not rich)". We can see the "rich" and "poor" are relative terms, although for sure they could be absolute also. In my case I was poor in Bethesda, but I was rich from the place I came from, but at that moment I knew that I was "the rich man" the Lord was talking about. During the week I never thought about the lady in need, but the millionaire did it. The cynics and the skeptic people would say "what is a wheelchair for a millionaire" but they would miss the point. and the lesson that I learned that day coming from that "rich" man J. W. Marriott the founder of Marriott Corporation.
My point is that there are many people in this world and in this Church that this lesson is well learned, and they are trying hard to "reach Zion", and it is difficult for anybody to know who and where they are.
Lisa Bolin HawkindAugust 3, 2021
Amen, Wally.
JuliannAugust 3, 2021
This should be published in the Liahona. There is so much in the Gospel about taking care of the poor and needy. We make covenants to sacrifice and consecrate in order to establish Zion. But I’m afraid we are more concerned with cruises and cabins and creating our own mansions here on earth and taking care of our own creature comforts to even consider others lack. It is understandable, with all the government “welfare”, to question how so many fall between the cracks. However, we aren’t commanded to judge the situation, we are commanded to “think of others like unto yourself” and to Care. I felt my own need to improve and thank Brother Goddard for his example.
Harry JonesAugust 3, 2021
I appreciate this article and believe we (I) are far from Zion but trying to head in the correct direction. Two observations:
1. Temple work with and for the disadvantaged is humbling and blesses
those that serve as well as the congregation as a whole.
2. I find that when we compare what we have to what we see others need and then desire for them to have what we have, our minds and hearts are softened and enlightened.
Comments | Return to Story
Harold RustAugust 15, 2021
I have learned that before we judge another person’s willingness to help, we should recognize almost every member would want to help and they will eagerly be ready to help if…… they understand the need is genuine, they have resources or ability to help, and that by helping they are committed long term for more than they can handle.
Hans SchippersAugust 3, 2021
How incredibly sad that no one in the ward even offered to help. Complacency seemed to have taken over and the good folks of the word were "carefully led down to hell". It looks like progress was made with the roof but how about the rest? Flooring? Paint? New windows? Insulation? Heating, etc? God bless you for stepping up with your own funds.
Boanerges RubalcavaAugust 3, 2021
I found this article, both good, fair, and at the same time not so good and unfair. It is commendable the efforts this man have done in the benefit of "Larry", and it is fair to call our attention to the fact that we are feeling fine just to take our fast offering to the Bishop but not thinking further how we can help other people in greater needs than ours. On the other hand it is wrong to point out the finger against people not knowing what those people either are just "thinking" or actually doing something but not saying anything about it. This brings to my mind a great lesson I received many years ago while living in what I thought was the wealthiest ward in the Church: Chevy Chase ward in Bethesda Maryland. I had arrived there in 1971 with a scholarship of $12,500/year withy wife and 4 children, to do my post doctoral training in National Institutes of Health, coming from Mexico City where I used to be until my moving the Bishop of a ward surrounded by a very poor neighborhood. because I my calling I was at 33 years old a High Priest, and began to meet with that group in the Priesthood meeting in the ward, and I had at my side (for unknown reason we always seated in the same place every Sunday), behind and everywhere millionaires. One Sunday the group leader asked us that the Bishop needed a wheelchair for a lady in great need. I, the poor in the group, did not have a wheelchair and I did not know anybody with a wheelchair, so I erased from my mind the whole thing; but could not help but observe my millionaire at my left side, to take a yellow card from his shirt pocket and wrote "wheelchair". The following Sunday by coincidence (?) I was in the Bishop's office when somebody knock at the door; I opened it and there was my fellow millionaire at my left side every Sunday with a wheelchair; he asked, "where do I put it?" left the chair and left. I couldn't help but to think in the young rich man when he asked the Lord: "what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" We all know this teaching that ends with these words from the Lord: "How hardly shall they that have riches to enter into the Kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God". I believe that almost if not everybody in this world know this scripture and have said internally: "poor the rich men, they will not make it, that's good I am poor (or not rich)". We can see the "rich" and "poor" are relative terms, although for sure they could be absolute also. In my case I was poor in Bethesda, but I was rich from the place I came from, but at that moment I knew that I was "the rich man" the Lord was talking about. During the week I never thought about the lady in need, but the millionaire did it. The cynics and the skeptic people would say "what is a wheelchair for a millionaire" but they would miss the point. and the lesson that I learned that day coming from that "rich" man J. W. Marriott the founder of Marriott Corporation. My point is that there are many people in this world and in this Church that this lesson is well learned, and they are trying hard to "reach Zion", and it is difficult for anybody to know who and where they are.
Lisa Bolin HawkindAugust 3, 2021
Amen, Wally.
JuliannAugust 3, 2021
This should be published in the Liahona. There is so much in the Gospel about taking care of the poor and needy. We make covenants to sacrifice and consecrate in order to establish Zion. But I’m afraid we are more concerned with cruises and cabins and creating our own mansions here on earth and taking care of our own creature comforts to even consider others lack. It is understandable, with all the government “welfare”, to question how so many fall between the cracks. However, we aren’t commanded to judge the situation, we are commanded to “think of others like unto yourself” and to Care. I felt my own need to improve and thank Brother Goddard for his example.
Harry JonesAugust 3, 2021
I appreciate this article and believe we (I) are far from Zion but trying to head in the correct direction. Two observations: 1. Temple work with and for the disadvantaged is humbling and blesses those that serve as well as the congregation as a whole. 2. I find that when we compare what we have to what we see others need and then desire for them to have what we have, our minds and hearts are softened and enlightened.
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