my little bit

"Behold, I say unto you, that ye must visit the poor and the needy and administer to their relief, that they may be kept until all things may be done according to my law which ye have received." Doctrine & Covenants 44:6

Who are the poor? Certainly, those in need of food, clothing, and shelter qualify. What about the lonely, the sad, or the stranger, do they qualify as the poor? How about the widow or orphan? We might look at Joseph Smith's example of hospitality to fully understand the meaning of the poor.

“At no time during the Prophet’s career did the care of the poor escape his attention or become a matter of indifference to him. He was a man of large benevolence, and his sympathies were quickly aroused by any tale of sorrow or appeal for relief. In the most busy and trying periods of his life those who went to him for counsel in their troubles, always found him willing to listen, and they were sure to receive encouragement and assistance. To extend comfort to the bruised spirit, and to help the needy and distressed appeared a constant pleasure to him. His hospitality, also, was a marked feature in his character. His house was always open to entertain the stranger. One of the most cherished recollections of many of the old members of the church is the kindness with which they were treated by ‘Brother Joseph,’ and the warm welcome he gave them to his house upon their arrival at Kirtland and other places where he lived.” (George Q. Cannon, Life of Joseph Smith, pp. 109–10.)

Again, who among us are the poor? In our land of plenty, not many go without the basic necessities, but many go without love and companionship. On my block, there are many elderly people five of whom are widowed. I've asked myself what sort of hospitality and love can I offer these lonely elders? I like to make delicious whole wheat bread--I can take them bread, visit with them, and check on them. I don't need to wait for an assignment, I can be a good neighbor.

But that's not all I can do. In the United States, even the poorest of us is wealthy compared to the rest of the world. There are several organizations that offer relief to the poor around the world. I'm connected with one organization in Haiti which runs a school for needy children as well as an orphanage for children given up by their parents. Usually, they are not orphans, but their parents can't afford to feed them. For very little, I can save a child from poverty or worse. Each time I go shopping, I empty my change into a dish. At the end of the month, this change usually adds up to enough to send my little sibling group to school, clothe and feed them. It provides enough of difference to allow them to live with their family and not be given up or shipped off to the city to become servants (slaves.) Personally, I cannot save all the children in the world, but I can save these.

Additionally, I might alleviate misery as I help 'Humanitarian Services help families become self-reliant by promoting health and disease prevention where health care resources and education are lacking, by helping with employment and job training, and by responding to urgent needs brought on by natural disasters' by giving a few extra dollars each month to LDS services and fast offering.

Fatalists would have me believe that my help is but a drop in a very empty bucket and of little worth. I disagree. I like to think of it as water falling along the footpath as a woman returning from the well brings water to her family. These little drops fall upon the seeds of wildflowers, which spring up to bring beauty to the world. Each flower is dear and a beautiful sight, adding immensely to the welfare of the entire community. Each child or family saved from poverty by learning self-sufficiency can likewise help another. Each widow cheered and made glad brings tenfold joy to her corner of the world. This is how my little bit saves the world.

"Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness;" Doctrine & Covenants 58:27