Opportunities to Do Good, by Henry B. Eyring
First Couneslor in the First Presidency
I saw something interesting at church today. In the opening of a meeting for the men, a leader made an announcement. He said something similar to the following:
There is a single sister who is moving on Saturday. I don't know who it is; I don't know at what time she is moving; I don't know any of the details because I just learned of this minutes ago. I don't know much, but I know she needs help.
This isn't the interesting part. What was surprising was that I then heard the person conducting the meeting calling out the names of men who were volunteering. While I wasn't counting, it seemed like there were at least fifteen names that were called! I think I witnessed a body of men who were seeking opportunities to do good.
But this isn't the end of the story. I'm in Florida starting a new job, working out details for my family's housing. I'm without a car, without a home; however, I've been "adopted" by a family who have provided me a place to sleep, a temporary home, and a ride to and from work each day. After these many men volunteered to help someone move, I stood and asked for help getting to the airport for an early flight (I will need to be there before 5am). Before I had finished asking for help, a kind man enthusiastically raised his hand indicating that he would be more than happy to help. I later learned that he is the type who "will do anything, anytime, for anybody."
Both of these examples show the kindness of others either without fully knowing what is involved, or to help someone they didn't really know.
I could repeat what President Eyring taught about Opportunities to Do Good, but these examples taught me firsthand that I'm surrounded by those who live this way everyday. President Eyring said:
Always the Lord’s way to help those in temporal need requires people who out of love have consecrated themselves and what they have to God and to His work.
I want to be more like these people; I want to be more like Christ, reaching out to those in need.
