Chapter 18 (part ten)

Conclusion

          I hope you begin to see how similar we all are and how important it is that we learn from each other. Opposition in all things has existed from the beginning. We know of groups who have shown such intolerance towards one another that they have sought to exterminate each other. On the other hand, we know of many groups of people who have had different views, traditions, and beliefs but who have lived peacefully side-by-side. Intolerance leads to darkness. Tolerance leads to light. Compare, for instance, the people of Enoch, who were taken into heaven, with the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, who were destroyed by fire and brimstone. One group lived in unity and love; they grew toward the light. The other group fought with and preyed upon each other; they descended into darkness. One build the other destroyed. President David O. McKay made this observation of Church members: “In the Church we sometimes find two groups of people: The builders and the murmurers. Let each ask himself: In which class should I be placed?17 Each of us must ask ourselves: Am I searching for brightness or for darkness? Am I a builder or am I a destroyer?”

          For me, searching for brightness means learning of Christ and His teachings. It means following His example. It means organizing my life according to a set of values that will inspire me to do good. It means having respect for all people, young and old. It means seeking true knowledge in good books. It means taking an interest in my community and in public affairs. It means trying to be the best I can be in whatever vocation I find myself. It means living the golden rule, treating others the way I want to be treated, with the complete understanding that I am human and very capable of making mistakes. It means seeking the Lord’s merciful grace.

          Consider the following: Are we builders or murmurers? Will we make someone’s day brighter, like sunshine, or be a cloud, cold and indifferent?  Are we lovers of darkness or seekers of light? A paragraph in the novel My Antonia by Willa Cather explains how sunflower seeds were planted by Mormon pioneers as they were crossing the plains, leaving behind a trail to help the next group of pioneers find their way to Zion.18 “And the Lord called His people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind and they dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them.” (Moses 7:18).

        Latinos are at a moment of incredible possibility. They are being courted by major parties as swing voters with the ability to decide the outcome of an election. We as a community are to provide the support and nurturing that our youth so desperately need.19 Immigrant children living among us are not just their parents’ business; they are also our business. What if some brave ancestor of yours had not made the journey to the United States? Where would you be today? Where would your children and grandchildren be today? Ask yourself: Are we one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all? If we want to maintain a cohesive and prosperous society, we need to be concerned for one another because, after all, we are all brothers and sisters equal in God’s eyes. Simple as that!

Con amor,

Vero