A cousin sent a video my way that was one of those studies in human behavior.  I saw scores of folks walk past a stroller, covered with a baby blanket.  A baby’s cries could be heard all around, and the baby in distress seemed to have been left alone. It was, in fact, a taped cry and a baby doll was lying in the seat of the covered stroller.  The intriguing thing about the video was to note how many people walked past a ‘crying baby’ without even checking on the infant. 

Let’s compare this study to some real-life examples on the opposite end of the “caring” spectrum:

• One of our girls made a yummy, homemade dessert and took it anonymously to a neighbor’s house. 

• A fellow at the grocery store pays the couple of dollars that will allow a customer [a stranger] in front of him to purchase all of her groceries. 

• A settled and popular student reaches out to meet and welcome a new student at school.

• A driver stops her car to change the tire for a woman who is stranded on the Interstate.  She quickly makes the change, smiles, and hops in her car to go on with her day—accepting only a “Thank you”. [this one happened to me, not too long ago.]

• Several people come to the aid of a child who is crying because he has temporarily lost his parent.

• A number of people take the time to say, “Good job!” or “Thank you for your remarks” to a young person who has just spoken in sacrament meeting, knowing it was a terrifyingly growing experience for them to stand at the podium.

These are but a few examples of goodness in action.  Thank heaven for good people who will stop to help the other guy, and make this a better, more caring world!

The gospel of Jesus Christ is about caring.  It is all about reaching outside ourselves and noticing the ways--small or large--that we can help another.  Not for praise or honor, not for notice or gain…. Simply because it is the right thing to do.   Because of the good within us, we are blessed to respond to the call to be “Good Samaritans.”

We don’t need a special degree, a specific calling, or a platform from which to act. An eye to see, a heart to feel, and courage to act are all that is required to make the world a better place. I feel sure that most of you do many kind things every single day, quietly going and doing, meeting needs without thought of compensation in any way. 

Today’s column is a forum to say “thank you” for all you readers do.  It is to encourage each one of us to thank our Father in Heaven for the opportunities we are given to go and do good things. It is to help us reflect on the goodness inherent in the gospel, and keep on improving in our efforts to better reflect the Savior’s love.

I imagine that each one of you reading this can think of a number of ways you have been the helper or the “helpee” in recent days.  With the barrage of sad and unfortunate things going on in the world, isn’t it good to remember that there is still plenty of good?  It may not make the headlines, but there are lots of good people doing lots of good things in this world. 

From every background, every color, religion, creed, and age, there are people who care to reach out in kindness and goodness.  As followers of Jesus Christ, we have the opportunity to extend a loving hand to another soul. We may never see the person again in this life. We may feel as though our attempt to help was in vain. But it is always noticed by our Father in Heaven. It always enriches us, as Christ’s own. It enlarges our heart and may give a bit of hope to one who might really need it.

Every time we reach out in quiet concern, we are glorifying our Father in heaven.

Elder Hugh B. Brown, when retelling the story of the Good Samaritan, made this observation:

“The Samaritan, according to the record, held no high office, wrote no book, was not widely known, but has been remembered through the centuries because he extended to a stranger a hand of love and appreciation.  He did not seek commendation for what he did; he did not publicize his action.” [Relief Society Conference, October 2, 1963.]

I approach this topic, in one form or another, often.  I think it’s because the very core of the gospel we believe, we teach, and we live, is based on fundamentals that would have us reach out to other people -  without questioning what’s in it for us, what credit we may receive or attention we may gain, or without turning the other way because we are ‘too busy’.

Joseph Smith taught that the translation for “Mormon” is “more good”.  Every day, we have a chance to teach what we, and our gospel, are about. We do it every time we quietly reach out and make a positive loving difference for another of our Father’s children.  It is worth celebrating the quiet joy and the great personal growth that comes to each one of us when we – without thought of personal cost or gain- tend to another of our Father’s children. There are so many great examples for us to follow. We simply get to go and do!