The wise King Solomon in one of his many inspired declarations, counseled, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6). In this we are taught a simple but distinct pattern of raising and rearing our children into becoming the kind of persons that we wanted them to be. Such a model is applicable not only during the time of the reign of the Kings, but even more appropriate in this very turbulent times when the terrible assaults of the adversary are launched to demonize the youth in their vulnerability. With moral repression becoming a haunting challenge and a barrier for righteous living, it is most vital and imperative that our children be taught the ways of uprightness and virtue.
Our children and youth today are overfed with inflated entertainments on televisions and social media---the internet and smartphones---broadening its impact upon their tender minds and entreating them to embrace those unhealthy values and morals they are peddling. Of such, King Bejamin in the Book of Mormon likewise warned, “And ye will not suffer your children…that they transgress the laws of God, and fight and quarrel one with another, and serve the devil, who is the master of sin, or who is the evil spirit which hath been spoken of by our fathers, he being an enemy to all righteousness.
“But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another.” (Mosiah 4:14-15).
My 12-year-old grandson Rulon Asher has always been generous of his friends and classmates and fellow members of the church his age group. He is loving and patient to his sister and cousins. He has been taught in the ways of righteousness and truth by his parents.
In this time of the joyous season, in celebration of the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I wanted him to experience greater joy by giving gifts the way Jesus gives. Prior to our Christmas program in the church, I asked him if he would go with me to give food to the beggars as part of our light the world activities for the family. I wanted to teach him how it feels to “succor those that stand in need of [his] succor” and “administer of [his] substance unto him that standeth in need; and…not suffer that the beggar putteth up his petition to [him] in vain…”, as taught by King Benjamin. (See Mosiah 4:16).
He obliged and apprised his parents about our plans. His parents agreed but he was cautioned though that if he is truly willing to give of his entire gift for Christmas to the beggars, he consequently will be depriving himself of the joy that it brings personally to him. He consented without hesitation and honestly told his parents that he is willing to sacrifice for the sake of those who needed the gift more.
In the morning of Saturday. December 22, 2018, in my prayer, I express gratitude to Heavenly Father for my grandson’s having the opportunity to experience for the first time in sharing his personal Christmas gift to the beggars. However, after the party, I somehow forgot about our plans and while we were sitting on the church lobby, Rulon Asher furtively requested his mother to remind me of our scheduled light the world activity. Therefore, Analiza called my attention as regards our planned dinner with the beggars. Then she gave him the cash gift that in my estimate would be able to feed regular meals for at least 7 to 8 persons. Again she reminded him that such was his gift and nothing more, and for the last time tried to validate his willingness to have it given. But he responded with conviction in the affirmative.
And off we went, first along the pedestrian alley near the Roman Catholic Church, but we found none, until we reached the church entrance and found an old woman sitting on a makeshift chair and a paraplegic man on a wheelchair. We talked to them and invited them to have dinner with us at Jollibee. But the old woman refused as it would be difficult for her to push the wheelchair. We assured her that we will be the one to transport them to and from the restaurant, but she declined as she was ashamed. So we just asked her if she would be willing for us to buy food for them, which she willingly agreed. So we went to Jollibee and ordered meals for two and went back and gave it to the suffering needy souls. They were very happy and grateful. I requested that they take a picture with Rulon for a remembrance as the money we used to buy food was actually his gift from his parents for him which he instead offer to be given to them for this Christmas season. The paraplegic was extremely grateful as to try his best effort to grasp my hand with his paralytic arms.
We then went to the park to look for other beggars, but we observed only one. We further went to Metro Surigao Mall to find more, but found none. We went back to the park to invite the one lady we have observed begging. But while on our way, my legs suffered severe cramps and I was in pain. So we rested on a bench and while massaging my legs, we noticed that the beggar was already eating her scanty meal which she had been carrying the first time we observe her. When my cramps was somewhat relieved we approached her while she was counting her money from her coin purse. We observed there were only a few coins. We talked to her and asked about her circumstances. We observed her to be some kind of a woman with special interest. She said she was living alone. We invited her for a dinner at Jollibee. But she was reluctant telling us that she had already eaten her meal. We suggested that if she be willing, we will instead buy for her some groceries, but she rather asked that we buy for her Jollibee for her breakfast the following day. So we went and ordered a special Jollibee meal for her. We also took a picture for a remembrance. And we see the joy that shines in the gentle smile of a woman with special needs, even more than a beggar. She even asked Rulon Asher to let her see her picture, and her countenance even glowed with so much joy and gladness.
We should have feed more, but we found no other, except for those three. Since I was also feeling pains from my cramps and found it difficult to walk, we decided to go home.
While we were on our way home, I saw in Rulon Asher’s countenance the indescribable feeling of joy for having been able to serve those three people who were truly in dire need. He told me how difficult their lives are. He even suggested that we come back other days and find more. While we have our dinner at home and in the presence of his parents I asked him what he feels about our activity. He simply said, “Nice”.
Indeed, it was so nice to feel the joy that comes from doing good. To Rulon Asher it was getting more joy out of the gift he receives by giving it forward to those who needed it most. With such real life experience he learned best that it is indeed “better to give than to receive.” In his regular scripture studies with his parents, he is sure to understand better the words of King Benjamin: “For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind?
“And behold, even at this time, ye have been calling on his name, and begging for a remission of your sins. And has he suffered that ye have begged in vain? Nay; he has poured out his Spirit upon you, and has caused that your hearts should be filled with joy, and has caused that your mouths should be stopped that ye could not find utterance, so exceedingly great was your joy.
“And now, if God, who has created you, on whom you are dependent for your lives and for all that ye have and are, doth grant unto you whatsoever ye ask that is right, in faith, believing that ye shall receive, O then, how ye ought to impart of the substance that ye have one to another.” (Mosiah 4:19-21)
I am aware of the warning to “Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.” (see Matthew 6:1-4). However, this activity is part of the church initiative to “Light The World,” to show to everybody that no matter our circumstances, no matter our age, no matter our economic conditions in life, we can always extend the light of Christ in service to others and find greater joy by giving as Jesus gives.
For as King Benjamin had further taught: “And again, I say unto the poor, ye who have not and yet have sufficient, that ye remain from day to day; I mean all you who deny the beggar, because ye have not; I would that ye say in your hearts that: I give not because I have not, but if I had I would give.
“And now, if ye say this in your hearts ye remain guiltless, otherwise ye are condemned; and your condemnation is just for ye covet that which ye have not received.
“And now, for the sake of these things which I have spoken unto you—that is, for the sake of retaining a remission of your sins from day to day, that ye may walk guiltless before God—I would that ye should impart of your substance to the poor, every man according to that which he hath, such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and administering to their relief, both spiritually and temporally, according to their wants.” (Mosiah 4:24-26).
When I related part of our experience during my Sacrament Meeting message the following day, Sunday, Rulon Asher covertly hide his tears from his mother. Surely, those were tears not of sorrow and sadness, but of joy and happiness; a symbol of emotional strength that develops as he let go of his personal gift to share the light of Christmas to the hungry needy souls even just during that short moment of their lives. Indeed, his heart was filled with gratitude and exceedingly great joy according to the Lord’s promise, that he found no utterance but tears of gladness. I am most confident that such a life reality experience will long stay in the library of Rulon Asher’s young and tender heart for a remembrance and reference on to his growing years.
