[m14] edited copy
- From: "Ray Moore" <raymoore.id@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "m14 freelists" <m14@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 24 Dec 2001 00:50:31 -0700
edited by Ray Moore
CHILDREN OF OUR HEAVENLY FATHER
Many people in my life when I have mentioned to them about my concern in
life about certain people, not of my family, they have said "why?"
I have thought deep down in my heart about how this all began. As far as I
can recall, it began when I was living in Rigby.
There was an elderly gentleman who used to walk the streets. I would see him
nearly every time I went to town.
He would walk in a stooped manner with his head down and his shoulders
slumped forward. He walked at a very slow pace. His clothing was well worn
and very unkempt.
Following behind him also at a slow pace was an old black dog. He also
walked with a drooped sad looking face. As they walked along people would
bump into them or completely ignore them.
I felt a deep compassion for this man. So one day I spoke to him. The words
I said I do not remember. Each time I spoke to him, he would raise his hand
and just nod, but I always tried.
I asked several people about what caused him to be in such a sad state. One
said "at one time he was a wealthy man, and lost everything in the stock
market crash in 1929."
Others said, "we really do not know why you worry about it, why do you
care."
In high school, I wondered about some of the kids I knew; why they dropped
out of school, why they didn't care, why they were mean to others. I
remember one boy was really mean. He had other boys with him and the other
boys would say, "Go get him" and he would punch them in the back and laugh
because we were in school and couldn't do any thing.
I would ask why is he that way and I still got the same "Why should you
care?"
Then I went in the Navy there was the real test. In boot camp at Farragut
and even when I got assigned to the "Nevada."
Young boys would enlist, barely seventeen. Some of them would quit school
just to be in the service.
I would ask them,"Why didn't you finish high school at least?" They would
have excuses, they were one year too young for the draft, and they had to
have their parent's consent to enlist.
I would tell them try not to get some of their bad habits in here. So you
won't do things you may be sorry for later.
Very few of them would listen to me. Some older sailor would get their
friendship, teach them bad habits of which the Navy has a lot and then this
older boy would laugh about it.
I would say, "Why did you do that to him?" Then that same answer would come.
Why should you care?
When I left the Navy and was called to different positions in the church,
serving with the youth, as a missionary, Seventy, and Ward Executive
Secretary and with different High Priest Group Leadership, I always tried to
help all I came in contact with.
One time, or one portion, I would like to put special emphasis on is when I
was an Elder's Quorum President in Montana in the early 1960's.
When Stake President Grant Patten called us, I and two counselors Dan
Brumwell and Gaylord Maughan, and after we were all set apart, he called us
into a meeting. He looked us right in the eye and said, "Every Elder in your
Quorum is important and once a year I want you to visit and have prayer and
council with each one."
We did. There were four wards and branches in our Quorum. One branch,
Thompson Falls, was 160 miles round trip from our home ward in Charlo.
We went there on Sunday each month even in the wintertime. Sometimes we were
invited to speak, because they were really short of priesthood holders who
were active. It taught me that a lesson of caring about other people.
Even today as I ask about those who aren't members of our family. How are
you doing? Is there anyway I can help?
Those same words come to me or are said to me, just like the elderly man in
Rigby, many years ago. "Why should you care?" That has been my thought for a
while for the past few months. "Why should I care?" After much prayer
reading, meditating, and just plain thought, this is my answer in simple
words. "We are all Heavenly Father's Children." When we meet someone we can
help, and strengthen his or her testimony, that is one more who can be saved
in the Lord's Kingdom. Whether they are family or not. That should be our
main purpose in life to strengthen our Heavenly Father's kingdom.
Jim Perry
November 25, 2001
I would like to close with these final words. I have tried to be faithful in
service to the Lord, my country, my family, and my fellow men. May the Lord
bless you?
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