Believe there is good in the world: be the good!

By Wendy K.

2012 was a difficult year for me. There were heartbreaking lows for myself, my family and my friends, not the least of which was my 2 1/2 year old nephew being diagnosed with leukemia. When the year wrapped up with a particularly horrific shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, I pretty much felt hopeless. My faith in the world and in humanity struggled to the point I did not BELIEVE THERE IS GOOD IN THE WORLD. I was too upset to BE THE GOOD. When I heard the news of the Connecticut shootings my first reaction was fear. I was afraid to send my kid to school. I was afraid to raise my kids. I was afraid of evil. Fortunately a second reaction came: don’t let fear win.

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” -- Isaiah 41:10

Truth and righteousness will prevail. We know that; we believe that. Now is the time more than ever to have faith in that, to seek that, to identify that and to live that.

We, as Latter-day Saints, BELIEVE THERE IS GOOD IN THE WORLD.

At the end of last year, I did a lot of thinking and praying about the state of the world and how I fit into it all... and how the gospel fits in and how I could do my part to make the world a better place for me and my children. Here’s what I came up with: I can’t stop violence. I can’t stop terrorists. I can’t stop cancer. I can’t control other people’s actions. What can I do? I can only control my reaction. And I can control my home. Isn’t so much of this about the breakdown of the family?

So I started thinking, “What does our home stand for? When our kids grow up and leave what do I want them to remember most about our family, our home, our message?” I wanted a family mission statement. I wanted a family theme. When I saw this message, I knew THAT’S what I want to teach my kids. THAT’S what I want to live. I want to have faith. I want to live righteously. I can’t keep my kids from school... or movie theaters... or marathons. But I can impact them in the home. That’s a place I have control over. That’s a place I can make a difference. That’s empowering. I can teach my children that THERE IS GOOD IN THE WORLD. I can teach them to BE THE GOOD.

It is no small task. And it is one that is never done.... which drives the “check things off your

list” part of me crazy. But it’s not something you do. It’s something you live. And guess what?

We can do it! We are daughters of our Heavenly Father, who loves us and we love Him and with Him all things are possible.

“We must never lose sight of the strength of the women. It is mothers who most directly affect the lives of their children. It is mothers who nurture them and bring them up in the ways of the Lord. Their influence is paramount. They are the creators of life. They are the nurturers of children. They are the teachers of young women. They are our indispensable companions. They are our co-workers in building the kingdom of God. How great is their role, how marvelous their contribution.” – President Hinckley

We can do this.

This is the first of a series of blog posts about being the good in the world.