Make Time for Kindness

I spoke in my church sacrament meeting today. I was asked to do so two weeks before. Honestly I agonized over the talk feeling a lot of anxiety. But I prayed and asked the Lord if i could be the instrument and He could be the words. I feel like my prayers were answered and these are His words. I learned so much and felt an increase in my testimony and faith. This message of kindness is for ALL people.

Kindness is a universal belief. I thought it was interesting to learn that there is a form of the golden rule found in all world religions. Kindness is taught to children at the earliest age and something they are able to grasp very young.

Our family loves reading good books. And I often see the lesson of kindness intertwined through the stories we read. In these stories we see the power of kindness and the consequences of unkindness. In the beginning of the story The Beauty and the Beast, a prince is cursed because he does not welcome a beggar woman into his home. Later in the story the curse is broken because of the love and kindness of Belle.

Another story I have recently discovered, is about 2 sisters; snow white and rose red. They are shining examples of kindness! They allow a freezing bear into their home to get warm. When they later encounter a mean dwarf 3 different times when he is in need of help, the sisters do not hesitate to help him. The dwarf still yells and complains about the help they gave him but the girls continue on their journey giving no more thought to this ungrateful dwarf. At one point the dwarf attacks the two girls and the bear who they had befriended in the beginning is there to save their lives!

Then in the story of Little Women we see a cycle of kindness. An old grandfather- Mr. Laurence lets his neighbor- Beth March- play the piano in his house. Beth shows her gratitude by knitting him a pair of slippers. The old man returns his thanks by giving her a piano. And this very shy but deeply grateful young girl has the courage to go to his home and thank him with a hug and a kiss, an act that shocks her whole family and Mr. Lawrence.

The Savior, our closest and dearest friend, has shown us how to be kind. With every word he spoke and every action he took he did so with kindness; toward his family, friends, disciples, strangers, and even His enemies. He said, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” Elder Wirthlin said, “When we love the Lord, we seek less for things that benefit us and turn our hearts toward things that will bless and uplift others.
As our love for the Lord deepens, our minds and hearts become purified. We experience a “mighty change in … our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.”

I have noticed that the two things that keep us from being kind are fear and pride. Sweet Marmee in Little Women gave her young girls the advice that, “Love overcomes fear and gratitude overcomes pride.”

As I have been pondering this subject this past week I prayed the spirit would teach me. A thought came to my mind that was not my own. I was told, “Make room for kindness in your life.” When we fill up our lives up with activities, events, and long to-do lists we become distracted from the simple and small acts of kindness we can do for one another.

I have been blessed by people who have made room for kindness in their lives. When we moved into Legacy Farms just the end of January. We were warmly greeted the first day by our neighbors. They offered help of any kind and told us not to be afraid to ask. Well not soon after our move in, my car wouldn’t start when i needed to take a quick trip to the grocery store. I knocked on the neighbor's door explaining the situation. She warmly greeted me and busily got to work helping. After a few attempts of trying to jump the car with no avail she insisted I take her car to get my groceries and she would watch my kids while i did. How grateful I am for that kind act!

Elder Ballard said, “It is only when we love God and Christ with all of our hearts, souls, and minds that we are able to share this love with our neighbors through acts of kindness and service—the way that the Savior would love and serve all of us if He were among us today.”

Elder Wirthlin gave a beautiful talk on the Virtue of Kindness. He said, “there is no substitute for kindness in the home.” End quote. I feel that sometimes that the home is the hardest place to be kind. I recently was told that how a moment ends is what matters most. So if there is an unkind word spoken do not let that be the end and mend things with love and kindness. I know that when we do, that is when the spirit will enter our homes and our hearts will begin to change and become stronger against the natural man who is our enemy. In the story of snow white and rose red i like to think of the bear representing the Savior. When we love Him, and let Him into our life, and show kindness to others- no matter what- he will be by our sides and save us in our times of need.

Elder Bragg of the seventy said this last conference, “ Families increase in light as they increase in love and kindness...we will feel an increase in love towards the Savior and towards one another.” End quote. I like to call it the kindness cycle, just like in the story of Little Women it is the cycle that keeps on giving!

We hear in the song, “Give said the Little Stream” a part that says “"Give," said the little stream, As it hurried down the hill; "I'm small, I know, but wherever I go
The fields grow greener still." And the second verse says, "Give," said the little rain,
As it fell upon the flow'rs; "I'll raise their drooping heads again," As it fell upon the flow'rs.” With this small stream and tiny drops of rain they make a big difference. Everything they do is adding growth to whatever they touch.

My husband reminded me that some of the biggest trees in the world are in california and a main source of their water comes from the fog and mist. Tiny droplets of water hardly visible to the eye is what nourishes some of the biggest trees!

I hope that we can work to be like the small stream, raindrops, or even like the fog and mist. As we yield to the spirit, we will naturally nourish others wherever we go. I believe it can become a part of our nature and though we feel small great things (seen or unseen) will happen. Elder Ballard said, “our small and simple acts of kindness and service will accumulate into a life filled with love for Heavenly Father, devotion to the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, and a sense of peace and joy each time we reach out to one another.”

Semi quoting the prophet Jacob, “O be (wise) kind what can i say more?”

My testimony is simple. I know that God loves us. We are His children. He does answer prayers. And when we diligently seek Him we will feel His love in abundance. We will be blessed as we continue to show love and kindness to ALL people.