Small Things

 

Yesterday we attended the funeral of a father and husband who died of covid a few weeks ago.  

The family had moved to Indiana a few years ago but didn't have a large social circle.  

One of the things his widow had mentioned in her grief as she went through the difficult ordeal of planning his funeral was how she really hoped she could "do right by him".  As a part of that she was hopeful that even though their family lived across the country that they would have enough people to properly say goodbye.  She hoped for 40.

For multiple reasons including job schedules, social conflicts and personal struggles, the family hadn't been to church much and many of our ward members didn't know who they were.  

But 18 ward members, including some who hadn't met them, took time out of their schedule to pause their lives and say goodbye.  They were willing to step into their own discomfort to hopefully lighten that of another.  As we counted the total in attendance- 42, I was overwhelmed with gratitude for the good people who honored a life they didn't know well, and granted the wish of a grieving family.

It's certainly an example of Christ-like love.

Sister Anne C Pingree spoke of a quote she saw on the Berlin Wall.  Many small people in many small places doing many small things can alter the face of the earth.

She then elaborated,  "It matters not whether we are new converts or lifelong members; single, married, divorced, or widowed; whether we’re rich, poor, educated, or uneducated; living in a modern city or in the most remote jungle village. We, as covenant women (and men), have consecrated ourselves to the cause of Christ through our baptismal and temple covenants. We can alter the face of the earth one family and one home at a time through charity, our small and simple acts of pure love."

You never know when you will be the 40th person in someone's hope for a crowd of 40.