"Let Your Hearts Expand"

I would like to share a story Virginia H. Pearce shared in "The Beginning of Better Days: Divine Instruction to Women from the Prophet Joseph Smith":

"In the last stage of my husband's illness, he wore a mask over his mouth and nose to enable him to breathe more easily. He depended on others to situate the mask properly so that the air forced through it didn't escape and blow into his eyes. One morning, for whatever reason, I was having difficulty fitting the mask successfully. I thought I was doing what I had always done, and then he would signal that it wasn't working. I tried again and again as he waiting patiently, and I became slightly frustrated. I finally got it right, and just as I turned to attend to something else, he said something. I couldn't understand him, and he repeated it. Still unable to understand him through the mask, I took it off, only to find that he just wanted to thank me. Of course, now I had to go through the frustration of trying to get it on right yet again! The amazing part of this little tale is not my frustration and annoyance, but Jim's interpretation and reaction it. He didn't say anything immediately, but when the nurse came that afternoon, he asked her-with great effort-to "help Ginny with the mask, She's losing her confidence." (pg.17-18 "The Beginning of Better Days")

Sister Pearce later lost her husband. I cannot imagine going through the trial of loosing a spouse. That would be real heartache.

In this story her husband shows perfect charity. Sister Pearce states, "Rather than be offended and hurt by my behavior, he interpreted my actions as having come from a place of ignorance rather than flawed character." President Thomas S. Monson stated, "I have in mind the charity that impels us to be sympathetic, compassionate, and merciful, not only in times of sickness and affliction and distress but also in times of weakness or error on the part of others."

How many times do we have charity for those who are sick or afflicted, but then forget to have charity on those who have wronged us?

How many times do we excuse someone who has a problem physically or mentally, but then blame someone else when they have hurt you or done something wrong?

How many times are we offended by something someone did, when in reality they weren't there to offend in the first place?

Sheri Dew shared in this book something Marvin J. Ashton told her once. He said to her, "Sheri, don't ever allow yourself to be offended by someone who is learning his job." Aren't we all learning our job and what we are supposed to be on this earth?

We should go about our everyday remembering that the people around us are people too. They are all trying to do good and any mistake they make are only mistakes.

With Love,
jm

Joseph Smith said, "Let your hearts expand-let them be enlarged towards others-you must be long suffering and bear with the faults and errors of mankind."