On Faith
Mark H. Willes
"Ashley Bryan lies down on the dirty carpet of her dad's bedroom where she usually sleeps. The 10-year old girl closes her eyes, clasps her hands and raises them to her lips. Firmly, fervently, she prays. Every little thing we
contribute helps others"She wishes not for a bike or Barbie like most kids her age, or to become a doctor or a firefighter some day. Every night, Ashley asks for something she believes only God can deliver. She prays for a new father. Someone kind, someone whose life -- and thus hers -- is not ruled by the demons of drug addiction and alcoholism. 'Just once, give me something good,' she whispers in the darkness. 'Please make my life get better.'"
I read this story, Orphans of Addiction, in the Los Angeles Times as I sat in my big corner office at Times Mirror. I was associated with some of the great newspapers in the country. I had been an active, practicing Christian all of my life. But I was troubled. My heart ached for this innocent little girl who deserved better. But I also was stung by the thought that I had not done enough for people like her. They needed help and were not getting it because I and others were too wrapped up in our own lives and not involved enough in the lives of others.
Like Ashley, I believe in God. But I also believe that He expects each of us to provide the answers to most uttered and unuttered prayers. He is already perfect. We are the ones who need to learn unconditional love by sacrificing for others. We are the ones who need to develop our talents and our character by unselfishly serving someone else. We are the ones who need to be refined by being more sensitive to others and less focused on ourselves.
It says in James 1:22, "But be ye doers of the word and not hearers only..." I was stunned as I realized how often I had complained about a problem but had not personally done anything about it.
I knew I could not solve all of the problems. I acknowledged that my impact might be small. But I knew I needed to do something. My father once said he hoped during his lifetime he could "add to the sum of goodness in the world." God has told us that by small and simple things, great things can be accomplished.
As brave men and women fight to keep us safe, I am profoundly grateful for their sacrifices, which are valued beyond measure.
It inspires me to try even harder to do something each day to help someone else. I'm too old to fight, but I'm not too old to love and lift up. I can help carry someone else's burden or brighten their day. I can help someone's life be better. I can try to please my Heavenly Father and my earthly father by adding to the sum of goodness in the world.
Mark H. Willes is president of the Hawaii
Honolulu Mission, Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints. He retired three years ago as
chief executive officer of Times Mirror Co.
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