When I was young, many of society's problems troubled me. I would sort them out in my own mind and look for solutions. I also dreamed about implementing all the solutions. Some of my dreams became a reality and some didn't. However, I still have an eye out for solutions.
While studying political science in college, I thought about being a Peace Corps volunteer. However attractive it seemed on the secular level, it failed on the spiritual level. Serving a mission for the Church would consume the same amount of time and accomplish much more. More change. More improvement. More happiness. In fact, more of everything.
There simply isn't any better solution for the problems of the world than the gospel of Jesus Christ.
We can give people food, we can teach them to produce their own food. We can teach them all sorts of skills but nothing, nothing equals the gospel.
We have become accustomed to thinking that if government would just get it's act together, the problems of society would be solved. Nothing could be further from the truth. The answers don't lie with government.
While working on my Ph.D., one of my professors told the following story from his schooling. His teacher assigned them a problem to solve. He presented them with a mythical rural village in the heart of India. The village was backward in every imaginable way. The assignment was to, "bring this village into modern times."
My professor said he worked his heart out. He submitted about 40 typed pages of all sorts of experts and workers operating under all sorts of organizations and grants targeting every imaginable thing. Everything was meticulously researched and documented.
He received a B+ on his paper.
A fellow student received an A on his paper.
However, this fellow student did not submit 40 pages of typed text or even more than 40 pages of typed text. He submitted one page. On this page was one sentence. It read:
I've never forgotten the points he made that day. Simple solutions are often the best solutions. Living the gospel of Jesus Christ could eliminate every social program in existence. It is the most basic, least expensive and comprehensive solution we have.
At the end of the day, governments, experts, scholarly research and exorbitant consulting fees cannot achieve what the gospel can.
It makes sense for us all to devote our lives to the gospel, and to help others do the same.
While studying political science in college, I thought about being a Peace Corps volunteer. However attractive it seemed on the secular level, it failed on the spiritual level. Serving a mission for the Church would consume the same amount of time and accomplish much more. More change. More improvement. More happiness. In fact, more of everything.
There simply isn't any better solution for the problems of the world than the gospel of Jesus Christ.
We can give people food, we can teach them to produce their own food. We can teach them all sorts of skills but nothing, nothing equals the gospel.
We have become accustomed to thinking that if government would just get it's act together, the problems of society would be solved. Nothing could be further from the truth. The answers don't lie with government.
While working on my Ph.D., one of my professors told the following story from his schooling. His teacher assigned them a problem to solve. He presented them with a mythical rural village in the heart of India. The village was backward in every imaginable way. The assignment was to, "bring this village into modern times."
My professor said he worked his heart out. He submitted about 40 typed pages of all sorts of experts and workers operating under all sorts of organizations and grants targeting every imaginable thing. Everything was meticulously researched and documented.
He received a B+ on his paper.
A fellow student received an A on his paper.
However, this fellow student did not submit 40 pages of typed text or even more than 40 pages of typed text. He submitted one page. On this page was one sentence. It read:
Extend bus service into the village.After delivering his story's punch line, he pointed out that Alcoholics Anonymous is one of the most successful social programs in the world. It doesn't require any experts, grant money or expensive equipment. A room with some chairs is all it takes, and some alcoholics of course.
I've never forgotten the points he made that day. Simple solutions are often the best solutions. Living the gospel of Jesus Christ could eliminate every social program in existence. It is the most basic, least expensive and comprehensive solution we have.
At the end of the day, governments, experts, scholarly research and exorbitant consulting fees cannot achieve what the gospel can.
It makes sense for us all to devote our lives to the gospel, and to help others do the same.
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