What If Their Story, Was My Story?

Imagine this: You are a 29 year old mother of two children. You dropped out of high school when you were in 10th grade and pregnant with your first child. It was at that point that you began to receive welfare assistance. You live in the very same neighborhood you grew up in as a child, in Philadelphia. It worries you to be here because it so full of crime and poverty. You don't want your children to follow your example and end up as you have. However, you struggle to maintain a job partly because of the problems your seven year old daughter Audrey is having. She has many behavioral issues. You are constantly being called to the school because she won't show her teachers respect nor will she do her schoolwork. Not only that, but you can't find any care centers or babysitters to watch her because she is so ill-behaved. You want so badly to get off of welfare and be able to maintain a job, but you also know the importance of being at home with your daughter so you can teach her and help her overcome some of her problems as best you can. What do you do?

Now, I know this can be a touchy subject, so bear with me. I am going to approach the topic of poverty from Christ's standpoint. This past weekend we had General Conference. We were able to listen to the Prophet and leaders of the church. A few of the talks focused on our part as disciples of Jesus Christ, in helping those around us. They were specifically talking about refugees around the world, but this could apply to anyone in need. I loved the phrase a few of the talks referenced, which is also the title, "What if their story, was my story?" How would you feel if you were in the mother's position in the story (a true story by the way) above? What could possibly be a good solution for this mother? Or, you could even put yourself in the child's shoes. I don't know the answer, but I know that as disciples of Jesus Christ, we are commanded to help those in need. 

I have been working on a school project about poverty and low-income families. This is a very controversial topic because it seems there will never be a sound solution in helping all those who need it. Of course, you always get a handful of people who abuse the system as well which usually negatively impacts how many of us view welfare and how our tax dollars are spent.

So what is poverty? "Poverty is the state of being poor and the inability to provide for basic needs on a consistent basis" (Goldsmith, 2013). Those who are most likely to fall into poverty are those with children in the home, especially single mothers. In 2015, single mothers made up 1/3 of those in poverty. This is a problem because there are many negative impacts on a child if they are in persistent poverty early in life. These problems include but are not limited to behavior issues and negative cognitive development. This is what causes "poverty to breed poverty" (Poverty, 2015). Poverty is a generational cycle. I believe it is this way because of the negative impacts poverty has on children. When children aren't able to learn to their fullest capacity, and have negative impacts on their cognitive growth, it drags them behind. This does not mean there aren't many people who have been able to climb out of poverty and become great people who are very intelligent. However, research does indicate poverty hinders a child's learning ability and growth.

 I was curious to see what people believed about poverty after doing some research. I was able to find 54 people (through Facebook) from all over the country, with different genders, ethnicity, and locations to take this survey.  Here are my results:

 I provided multiple choice questions with answers I had heard or found most often. This question was a heated topic for many people. The "other" section had answers ranging from mental illness to women flooding the job market, to problems with capitalism. However, one of the number one causes of poverty is the rise and fall of the economy. I found it so interesting that no one picked that one when my research indicated this to be a huge factor. For example, before the recession in 2008 and 2009, many people had been climbing out of poverty and were well on their way to being self-reliant. However, when the recession hit, it cause those same people to fall back into the level of poverty. Other causes of poverty include mental illness, disability or disease, or being laid off.

This question was also fascinating to me. I think there are so many people in the world who do so many things to help those around them. However, how many times have walked past someone who needed help, found ways to slip out of paying some of your taxes, or have just been too busy to notice anyone but yourself? I know we all fall into these traps at one point or another. However, to me, when someone chooses the first answer, "aid and programs are needed to help people work to become self-reliant" opposed to "the government needs to help them", it is telling me that it's not just the government's responsibility. It's also OURS. We are to help others around us as well.

  "...Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:31) 

"Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When we saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? Or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the Kings hall answer and say unto them, Verily I saw unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."
(Matthew 25: 34-40)

As stated earlier, this generally is a multi-generational issue. This means that it is a cycle that seems unbreakable at times for those in poverty. People sometimes feel there is no way to get out of that cycle, and then they lose hope. They accept that that is just the way their life with bee. It doesn't have to be that way though. We need to reach out and help others as they struggle to get on their feet again.

 I love this picture. The Savior loves children. I think one of the greatest ways we can help overcome the effects of poverty, is in the way we influence children and their families. We can't beat poverty, but we can make a difference in someone's life. By influencing children, we can give them the hope and motivation and aid that is needed to escape poverty. When a mother or father is putting all their effort into trying to stay afloat, and provide for basic needs, they don't have time for their family, and lack the time needed to teach them of their Savior and His gospel. As we help those around us, we will be able to help families grow closer to the Savior and also have time to be with their families. This will help reduce the negative effects that take place in a family as a result of poverty.

Use your skills, talents, and things you have been blessed with from God, to be an instrument in his hands. I love the way the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is there to help all those in need. Not only do they help, but they provide families with skills needed to become self-reliant. They truly aid and strengthen them as they strive to become self-reliant and are then able to provide for their families and then help others who were just like them. This brings us back to where we started: What if their story, was your story?

I challenge you to do one extra thing each month in order to help a family in need. I love this music video. The actress was a woman who was in poverty, received help and aid, and now is able to provide for her own family.

Comments and questions are welcomed below! 

A Life of Love- Why Death Isn't A Bad Thing

This is my little great-grandma, June Rockwell. She passed away a few weeks ago and I was lucky enough to travel to her funeral. Her funeral was a wonderful occasion for my family because it brought so many of us together that rarely get to see one another. It was so much fun and we all had a great time reminiscing our sweet grandmother. 

Why were we able to be so happy at such a sad time? 

Death does not have to be a sad thing. On the contrary, I was very happy for my grandmother when I heard she had passed away peacefully in her sleep. She was 91 years old and her husband died 5 years ago. She has missed him terribly but still was a spunky woman full of life. However, her health declined rapidly these past few months and I was grateful that she was finally able to be reunited with her spouse and her daughter (my grandma, who passed on when I was 6) after living such a fulfilling and long life. I am going to miss her, but am grateful that she no longer suffering physically.

Death is not the end! 

God has a plan for us. We are not alone. He loves you, and He loves me. He wants us to return to live with him again. Yes, RETURN. We lived with God before we came to this Earth. God created this Earth for us to come and gain experience for ourselves so we can become like Him. He wants us to have bodies and to rely on Him and His Son, Jesus Christ. We must have faith and keep the commandments. We must follow the Savior's example and strive to be more like him. We all will have to die physically for a time, but our spirits live on! My grandma is very much alive and is happy that she is able to be with her family. We will miss her here for a time, but we too will be united with her and all our loved ones again. Because of Jesus Christ, we will get our bodies back and we will have the opportunity to live with Him if we accept Him and do His will. Check out this awesome video that explains in more detail why death doesn't have to be a sad thing!

I want to share with you the legacy that my grandmother left behind. My grandma had an amazing life full of refining moments and experiences that have caused her to be the strong woman that she is. I could spend hours rehearsing stories about her life, but I want to focus on the one thing that I've always admired about my grandma. That is her love, and more specifically, her marriage. My great-grandparents lived far enough away that we only saw them once or maybe twice a year, if that. However, every time my family visited, I could feel the love that they had for us.


As I grew older, I started to recognize the great love that my grandparents shared as well. This awareness grew even more after my great-grandpa died five years ago. I wish I could relay to you the feelings that I felt whenever my grandmother talked about their love and stories from their life. My grandmother had dementia that just got worse and worse every time I saw her, so she often told the same stories again and again. However, I never got tired of them, especially the ones about grandpa. She had so much emotion and love for him every time she talked about him. She could NOT wait to be with him again. I have always wanted a marriage and a love like theirs. I have kept that with me for years and it has always been the goal of mine. Because of Jesus Christ, and promises she made to God and her husband when they were married, she knew she would see him again. 62 years of marriage was not broken, even by death.

I was lucky enough to find the man of my dreams, much like my grandma did. My grandma was able to travel to our wedding, which I am so grateful for! Even though her dementia had gotten so bad that she often didn't know who I was, I was so grateful that she was able to be there for that special moment as I was able to follow in her foot steps. I hope to continue to grow in my marriage and have a love as strong as theirs. 

Because of Him

I am so grateful for my grandma's example and her testimony and knowledge of Jesus Christ. Even when she forgot so many things for the past few years, she never ever forgot who made all things possible. She never forgot her sweet husband or the knowledge that she would be with him again. She never forgot she was a daughter of God. The mind may forget, but the spirit never does. 

(Feel free to comment below on things you have learned from your grandparents!)