Word of the Day: 5/19

While trying to find a talk for my visiting teaching appointment tonight, I came across the table of contents from the April 2011 General Conference - YW Broadcast. Since being released from Young Women's last August, this was the first conference that I did not actually attend the special broadcast. And I realized that while I may not be involved with the Young Women program, those talks were just as important to someone like me, as they were to the girls from my old class.

Sure enough, I found one that resonated with me; Mary N. Cook's talk, "Remember This: Kindness Begins With Me". She shares a portion of the 13th article of faith, highlighting the word, benevolence. It's a word I've heard a million times, but never really understood or focused on until today.

She says, "Benevolent is a lovely word that we don’t hear very often. Its roots are Latin, and it means “to wish someone well.” (2) Isn't that beautiful? The idea of benevolence is sweet & simple, yet powerful. It's one of those things on my "To-Be List"; something I want to do better in my life because it only takes a little effort to have a profound effect on someone.

Take her Benevolence Challenge: I would like to invite each of you to do at least one Samaritan-like act this coming week. It may require that you reach beyond your usual friends or overcome your shyness. You may courageously choose to serve someone who doesn’t treat you well. I promise that if you will extend yourself beyond what is easy to do, you will feel so good inside that kindness will start to become a part of your everyday life.

This is the message I'm going to share for visiting teaching - & the goal I want to keep in my heart.