To Continue......

I guess that today's post is a bit of a continuation of yesterday's.  It is SO distressing to me to read and see images of the horrific things that are going on in our nation and in the world.  Christians being targeted in Egypt because of Morsi's overthrow.  Blacks all over the United States "hunting" whites and beating them in retaliation for Trayvon Martin's death and threatening more riots and civil unrest if George Zimmerman is found guilty.  (The jury is still out on that question.)  The corruption in our government is staggering, from the I.R.S. to Benghazi to the billions upon billions of dollars that Obama is throwing to countries and groups that HATE us while he ignores the poverty in our own nation.  And don't even get me started on Michelle Obama's vacations, parties, and other luxuries -- she is sucking our country dry and complaining all the while.  BOTH Obama's are the most un-American, anti-Christian, greedy, EVIL people I have ever seen. 
The internet has been such a great blessing to the world and to me, in particular.  If it were not for the internet, I would never have met Roger.  We all have access to so much more information, we have tools for finding people and renewing old friendships.  The gospel is spreading through the internet.  But the fact that we have so much more knowledge is a double-edged sword.  I know of things happening around the world that I probably would not have known before, or at least not known so quickly and with such graphic detail.  The good things make me cheer but the horrible, wicked, ugly things hurt my heart.  There is so much evil in the world, just as we have been told there would be as the end of the earth draws near.  I HATE hearing and reading about innocent people suffering.  I think, too, that it is the reason for their suffering that is so difficult for me.  It is very sad to read of people going hungry because of famines or losing their homes due to a natural disaster, but to hear of women being butchered because of Sharia Law or people being tortured because of their religion or their political beliefs -- that is a lot worse to me.  Nobody can stop a natural disaster, but man's inhumanity to man IS something that, to my way of thinking, does not HAVE to happen.  It happens because someone is wicked and CHOOSES to do it.  THAT is what is hard.  Seeing the hold that Satan has on SO many hearts, seeing that the number is growing, not being able to help those who are victims.....
There are times when I think it would be better to not know, but I still look and read and investigate.  Roger tells me to stop, to not look, to put it out of my mind.  He loves me and just wants me to not be upset.  When I talk to him about things I read and see, he will listen for awhile but then he will ask me to not talk about it anymore because it upsets him too much.  So I stop because I love him, too, and do not want him to be unhappy.  Maybe he is right. 
I wrote last time about balance.  I DO think it is hugely important!  And trying to put more good into each day DOES help. I cannot stop the evil in the world.  I can pray for the people who are victims.  I can pray that those who are inclined to do evil might have a change of heart.  But I am not a president or a queen or someone with any power, so I really cannot have much of an impact.  All I can do is to try to make the tiny little piece of the world that I am in a better place for my having been in it.  I try to live so that the Spirit will be in our home.  As a teacher, I work hard to teach my students the academic concepts that they need to know but I also try to be an example to them and guide them to be good citizens and decent human beings. At church, I try to fulfill my callings and do what I can to help build the kingdom.  In all of these areas, I know I can do better and that I must try harder.  That is all I can do. 
I think that all of this relates to Lehi's dream in The Book of Mormon.  As he and his family held tight to the iron rod and made their way through mists of darkness and all kinds of dirt and muck and gross stuff, they were constantly besieged by the voices of those in the tall and spacious building.  I have always thought of those people as the ones who do evil and try to dissuade the righteous from doing good.  But maybe a part of those people who are in that building are those who are screaming about all of the wickedness in the world -- who are shouting about Sharia Law and corruption and war and inhumanity.  Those things MUST be part of the distractions that are being thrown at us to make us stop and let go of the rod.  It isn't just the voices trying to entice us to do things we know are wrong -- a lot of people can withstand that, at least most of the time.  But it is much harder to ignore the voices that say, "Look what Obama's doing now!" or "Look! the Muslims raped another girl and cut off her hands!"  If we stop too long to look and fret and become angry, we lose our grasp and can be swept away.  THAT is why Roger tells me to stop looking.  I have got to hold on tighter.  As I write this, I realize that that is the answer: "Hold to the rod, the iron rod.  'Tis strong and bright and true.  The ion rod is the word of God.  T'will safely guide us through."