There Is Still So Much Good
Brothers and sisters,
Some mornings, we reach for our phones before our feet reach the floor. Within thirty seconds, we have checked the weather, read three alarming headlines, and discovered that someone on the internet is furious about something we didn’t know existed.
And we haven’t even had breakfast.
It is easy to begin the day feeling that the world is coming apart. But there is another part of the story, and I think we ought to tell it more often.
Today, someone will sit beside a lonely person. Someone will apologize and mean it. A tired parent will make a child laugh. A neighbor will return a borrowed tool—possibly even the one you had given up hope of ever seeing again.
These moments rarely make the news. Yet they make life beautiful.
There is still so much good. And through Jesus Christ, we can help it grow.
As we approach general conference on October 3 and 4, we have an opportunity to pause and listen for messages that can strengthen our faith in the Savior. We can bring our questions, our gratitude, and whatever hope we have managed to carry into this week.
We can also bring a simple willingness to notice what God is already doing around us.
Consider Alma’s familiar words: “By small and simple things are great things brought to pass” (Alma 37:6).
That is an encouraging scripture for anyone whose schedule does not currently include performing a spectacular miracle before lunch.
Small and simple things are within reach.
We can learn someone’s name. We can send the message we keep meaning to send. We can thank the person whose steady work usually goes unnoticed. We can listen long enough for someone to finish the answer after we ask how they are doing.
A few minutes of attention can become the best part of another person’s day.
Think about growing a plant. You place a small seed in its growing medium, provide water and light, and give it time. Checking it every eleven minutes does not make it grow faster, although some of us are determined to test that theory.
Then one day, a little green leaf appears.
Something has been happening even when you could not see it.
People grow that way, too. A child may remember a kind sentence for years. A friendship may begin with one ordinary conversation. A person who seems discouraged may be gathering the courage to try again.
We seldom know how much our kindness matters while we are offering it.
That gives us a wonderful reason to keep offering it.
There is also room in a faithful life for delight. We can enjoy an autumn afternoon, a good meal, a ridiculous family story, or the sound of someone laughing so hard they cannot finish the joke.
Gratitude helps us receive those moments fully. We can pause and say, “Heavenly Father, thank You for this.”
Thank You for the person across the table.
Thank You for the chance to begin again.
Thank You for this little piece of a good day.
For someone going through grief, illness, or uncertainty, joy may arrive quietly. It may be a visit, a song, a moment of rest, or the relief of being understood. We can welcome that joy without expecting it to resolve everything.
Sometimes the kindest thing we can do is share a little happiness. Sometimes it is to sit beside someone and let them feel whatever they are feeling. Love makes room for both.
As you listen to conference this weekend, perhaps write down one thought you want to carry into the following week. Give it a place in your everyday life. If you feel prompted to reconnect with someone, reach out. If you are reminded to express gratitude, say it aloud. If a message gives you hope, share it with someone who could use some.
Imagine the good that could come from thousands of people acting on one loving impression.
Then remember that you only need to begin with yours.
The Savior’s Resurrection gives us reason for lasting hope. His invitation to follow Him gives us something meaningful to do today. We can turn toward Him, receive His help, and become more generous with the people He places in our lives.
There is still so much good in this world: goodness we can notice, goodness we can receive, and goodness we can offer.
May we enjoy the blessings that are here today. May we help someone else feel a little less alone. And may our faith in Jesus Christ give us courage to greet tomorrow with hope.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Finally. Someone that gets it.