"Charity", is a Well House, and so much more!

[Bill “Papa” Lee]

In the Book of Mormon, we are taught a simple and powerful truth...

"And behold, I tell you these things that yet may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when you are in the service of your fellow beings yet are only in the service of your God." (Mosiah 2:17) A simular command can be found in Matthew 25:34-40, related to service to others, as service to God. This with the added definition of what "true religion is, "Prue religion and undefiled before God the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself (and of course herself) unspotted from the world."

Many critics say that service to others, missionary work, and Temple attendance, are "methods of control". Also that the belief that God requires such things is proof that we do not believe that we are saved by Grace, but we believe we can save ourselves by our works. 

For the last two weeks, I have endured something very difficult. My former Stake President, and someone who I served with as counselor for three years while he was our Bishop, called me to help him figure out an electrical issue. During the conversation, he asked about my health, in passing I mentioned that before the first hard freeze, I had to hire someone to build my "Well House" that was destroyed by a tornado. Two day later, members (friends) from four different Wards and two Stakes (friends I have known for 30+ years), showed up to build and paint a new well house. I found that, although I had helped them many times over the years. That it is very difficult to watch, and let others do the same. They did so, not to "save themselves, not to deny Gods Grace, but because this is what friends do, and this is what the Gospel of Jesus Christ, calls us to do. 

This in contrast to the owner of a website not to be named, has been doing for days. Standing outside a new Tenple in Idaho, yelling at those going in. The reality is by doing so, they will see his signs that will direct them to his website, and where they can donate money to him. Often we can just look to the actions of others to know who they serve. 

Does anyone have similar stories of what Charity and Service looks like? 

 

 

[Okrahomer]

Thank you, Papa, for the great example of the pure love of Christ in action.  This may not be what you were hoping for, but here you go:

Most of the homes on the street where I grew up (in Oklahoma) were occupied by young families similar to ours—Moms and Dads and a few kids. We were the only Mormons, and we had a lot more kids than the rest.  The kids in the neighborhood were all great friends.  We told ghost stories on cool Autumn nights and played harmless pranks on each other at school.  In the summer, it was Kick the Can, Red Light/Green Light, and Annie-I—Over late into the night.  Many of us remained friends through high school.  There was little concern in those days about locking doors.

One warm evening after I had returned from my mission and was away at BYU,  a much loved widow who lived three houses down the street from us was murdered—in her home. This lady was from Germany and years earlier had come with her US serviceman husband to America.  Within days of the murder, police arrested the teenage son of the next door neighbor, and he remorsefully confessed.  Apparently, a drug addiction had led him to enter the home in order to rob it.  He knew this lady would be gone to visit family in another city.; but when she became ill, she had come home early and surprised the would be burglar.  In an instant, she was dead.

The peace that had always prevailed in our little “neck of the woods” was shattered.  There was tremendous shock and sadness, and eventually anger—intense, red-hot almost vigilante-esque anger directed at the young man.  Some of the neighbors circulated a petition demanding that the DA seek the death penalty.  Virtually all of the adults living on our street signed the petition—except my parents.  They refused to sign.

A few weeks later, Mom and Dad were out working in the yard.  Glancing up from his labors, Dad noticed the neighbor—the father of the confessed murderer—emerge from his house.  My mother watched her husband walk quickly down the street to meet the heartbroken father in the middle of his driveway.  Without a word, Dad embraced him.  Both of them wept.

Edited November 21, 2017 by Okrahomer

[Robert F. Smith]

16 hours ago, Bill "Papa" Lee said:

...........................................

Does anyone have similar stories of what Charity and Service looks like? 

People yelling at us at Conference or at our temples reminds me of the angry yelling by members of the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas, during funerals for veterans.  Some people are completely lacking in charity and grace.

[Guest]

20 hours ago, Okrahomer said:

Thank you, Papa, for the great example of the pure love of Christ in action.  This may not be what you were hoping for, but here you go:

Most of the homes on the street where I grew up (in Oklahoma) were occupied by young families similar to ours—Moms and Dads and a few kids. We were the only Mormons, and we had a lot more kids than the rest.  The kids in the neighborhood were all great friends.  We told ghost stories on cool Autumn nights and played harmless pranks on each other at school.  In the summer, it was Kick the Can, Red Light/Green Light, and Annie-I—Over late into the night.  Many of us remained friends through high school.  There was little concern in those days about locking doors.

One warm evening after I had returned from my mission and was away at BYU,  a much loved widow who lived three houses down the street from us was murdered—in her home. This lady was from Germany and years earlier had come with her US serviceman husband to America.  Within days of the murder, police arrested the teenage son of the next door neighbor, and he remorsefully confessed.  Apparently, a drug addiction had led him to enter the home in order to rob it.  He knew this lady would be gone to visit family in another city.; but when she became ill, she had come home early and surprised the would be burglar.  In an instant, she was dead.

The peace that had always prevailed in our little “neck of the woods” was shattered.  There was tremendous shock and sadness, and eventually anger—intense, red-hot almost vigilante-esque anger directed at the young man.  Some of the neighbors circulated a petition demanding that the DA seek the death penalty.  Virtually all of the adults living on our street signed the petition—except my parents.  They refused to sign. 

A few weeks later, Mom and Dad were out working in the yard.  Glancing up from his labors, Dad noticed the neighbor—the father of the confessed murderer—emerge from his house.  My mother watched her husband walk quickly down the street to meet the heartbroken father in the middle of his driveway.  Without a word, Dad embraced him.  Both of them wept.

You are wrong, this is a great story, tragic, but filled with Charity. Your parents were a great example of Charity. You must be very proud of them. BTW, I would have never guessed you are from Oklahoma, with your screen name. Go figure  

[Guest]

9 hours ago, Robert F. Smith said:

People yelling at us at Conference or at our temples reminds me of the angry yelling by members of the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas, during funerals for veterans.  Some people are completely lacking in charity and grace.

So true, one night he was complaining that when a "KJV Only" guy showed up shouting, that it was distracting and making it hard for him "yelling his own message". A true quote! The "KJV Only" guy was not asking for money, or for there to go to his website. 

[Okrahomer]

15 hours ago, Bill "Papa" Lee said:

You are wrong, this is a great story, tragic, but filled with Charity. Your parents were a great example of Charity. You must be very proud of them. BTW, I would have never guessed you are from Oklahoma, with your screen name. Go figure  

When I was a child, I was embarrassed when people noticed that I had acquired a very strong Okie drawl.  I spent my teenage years trying to “cleanse” it from my speech.  Unfortunately, I was too successful, and I can’t even fake the accent very well anymore.  So, my online moniker is an effort to recapture and own my Okieness a bit more than I once did.

[Guest]

On November 22, 2017 at 11:58 AM, Okrahomer said:

When I was a child, I was embarrassed when people noticed that I had acquired a very strong Okie drawl.  I spent my teenage years trying to “cleanse” it from my speech.  Unfortunately, I was too successful, and I can’t even fake the accent very well anymore.  So, my online moniker is an effort to recapture and own my Okieness a bit more than I once did.

Good job, don't ever worry about those who would make sport of you. Thankfully, God never does, and loves as we are, and understands any dialect.  

Edited November 23, 2017 by Bill "Papa" Lee

[Okrahomer]

2 hours ago, Bill "Papa" Lee said:

Good job, don't ever worry about those who would make sport of you. Thankfully, God never does, and loves as as we are, and understands any ancient. 

Amen, Papa!

[Guest]

45 minutes ago, Okrahomer said:

Amen, Papa!

I changed a couple of things in my cmment. I has one too many of "as", and dialect, seemed more appropriate. I am from Atlanta. Georgia...so he speaks and understand "deep South".