Doing Much Good

To my son,

                Recently I have been listening to a book about the life of William Wilberforce, an incredible man who devoted his life to the betterment of mankind. Most importantly, he led the charge in the British Parliament to end the slave trade. He was converted to Christianity at about the age of 25 and devoted his service in Great Britain to abolition of this terrible practice that allowed men, women, and children to be enslaved. He felt that this was what God wanted him to do and the cause that he was to champion. He was tireless in his efforts, and his first bill was brought before Parliament in April 1791 to end the slave trade. He implored his fellow members to adopt the bill: “Never, never will we desist till we have wiped away this scandal from the Christian name, released ourselves from the load of guilt, under which we at present labour, and extinguished every trace of this bloody traffic, of which our posterity, looking back to the history of these enlightened times, will scarce believe that it has been suffered to exist so long a disgrace and dishonour to this country.” Unfortunately, the bill was not passed, and he would labor unceasingly alongside many others for the next 16 years to end the slave trade. Finally in 1807 the law was passed that he had so desired. I feel like what the Lord said to Nephi in the Book of Mormon could have been spoken to him as well: “Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments” (Helaman 10:4). Wilberforce had labored with unwearyingness to declare God’s word to the people of Great Britain and convince them to abolish this evil. He had sought to do God’s will instead of his own, and through it he literally changed the world. It is fitting that three days before he died, he learned that slavery in its entirety had been officially abolished in the British empire, a result due in large measure to his indefatigable efforts over a lifetime.

                Stories of great men and women like William Wilberforce who have done incredible good for mankind can inspire each of us to also strive to bless others through our work. I love what the Lord said to both Hyrum Smith and Oliver Cowdery: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, even as you desire of me so it shall be unto you; and if you desire, you shall be the means of doing much good in this generation” (Doctrine and Covenants 6:8, 11:8). If he said the same thing to both of them, surely He would say the same to each of us today. He also said in another revelation to all of us, “Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward” (Doctrine and Covenants 58:27-28). These passages of scripture help us see that if we truly desire it, we can be the means of doing good and accomplishing great things with His help. I know that you have the power in you to accomplish wonderful things in your life as you strive to do the will of God and use your talents to bless others. You have a strong will, and when you put your mind to something I know you can accomplish it. As you strive to do those things that the Lord would have you do to bless the lives of others, He will magnify you to be the means of doing much good in this generation. The power is in you! 

Love,

Dad