Take Every Opportunity to Help Your Neighbor

 

The Eternal Principle of Love

By Elder Hugo Montoya

Of the Seventy

It is not enough to avoid being a stumbling block for others; it is not enough to notice the needy on the road and pass by. Let us take advantage of every opportunity to help our neighbor, even if it is the first and only time we meet him or her in this life....

Even when we do what is right, the circumstances in our life can change from good to bad, from happiness to sadness. God answers our prayers according to His infinite mercy and love and in His own time.

• The brook where Elijah drank water dried up.⁴

• Nephi’s fine steel bow was broken.⁵

• A young boy was discriminated against and expelled from school.

• A long-awaited-for child died within days of being born.

Circumstances change.

When circumstances change from good and positive to bad and negative, we can still be happy because happiness does not depend on the circumstances but on our attitude toward the circumstances. President Nelson said, “The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives.”⁶

We can sit back and wait for circumstances to change on their own, or we can look for and bring about new circumstances.

• Elijah walked to Zarephath, where a widow gave him food and drink.⁷

• Nephi made a wooden bow and hunted animals to eat.⁸

• The young boy sat listening and taking notes by the window, and today he is an elementary school teacher.

• The couple have developed a great faith in the Savior Jesus Christ and trust in the plan of salvation. Their love for the long-awaited child who died suddenly is greater than their grief.