Neil Waite

One of life’s miracles is when a kind word or action alters the mood of a difficult or tense situation. A bad day or a grumpy mood can be changed by a simple act of kindness.

Just a few (of the many) examples of kindness that have been shown to me or my family include:

• Friends have watched children for us, brought us dinners or dropped off tasty treats.

• When discouraged, simple compliments have brightened my day.

• Friends have loaned me tools or helped with projects.

• We were far from home and our van wouldn’t start when a stranger noticed our predicament. He quickly figured out the problem and got our van started. In a similar situation, a friend helped us out by driving up to Bozeman to pick us up in winter weather conditions.

• One of our children was diagnosed with a heart condition shortly before he was born. We experienced an outpouring of love and support from many folks, making the unknown path much easier to travel.

• Early in my career of teaching mathematics at Northwest College, I was officially notified that my position was going to be eliminated. However, some kind individuals intervened on my behalf, and saved my position.

• The Powell community has blessed our family through many kind athletic, robotics and clogging coaches, church youth leaders and school teachers who have taken their time to bless our children's lives.

When life is difficult, a simple act of kindness can make all the difference. Kindness is contagious. I love the idea of “passing it on.” We can repay an act of kindness by being kind to someone else. A kind act may seem to be unappreciated or unnoticed and we may never know the result of a kind act. Kindness is a talent that all of us can develop. I think of it as a “lifetime quest.” I am certainly still in the “working on it” stage. Attempts at kindness may sometimes seem awkward, but they become more natural with practice. 

My wife is a wonderful example of kindness to me. I cannot even begin to enumerate all the times she has shown kindness. Many times I have been the recipient of her kindness and I consider her my greatest blessing. In my “natural man wisdom,” I recall chiding her for being “too kind” to others. Upon reflection, I realize that my counsel was foolish.

Russell M. Nelson, president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, recently shared some advice about kindness in a talk entitled “Peacemakers Needed.” I would like to share a few of his words:

• “My dear brothers and sisters, how we treat each other really matters! How we speak to and about others at home, at church, at work and online really matters. Today, I am asking us to interact with others in a higher, holier way. Please listen carefully. ‘If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy,’ (Articles of Faith 1:13 said) that we can say about another person — whether to his face or behind her back — that should be our standard of communication.”

• “One of the easiest ways to identify a true follower of Jesus Christ is how compassionately that person treats other people.”

• He also said if someone is struggling they do not need your judgment. They need to experience the pure love of Jesus Christ reflected in your words and actions.

The greatest example of kindness that I know of is Jesus Christ. Over and over again he showed kindness in situations in which it would have been very easy to be unkind. His words still resonate through the centuries: “Verily I say unto you, In as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me,” Matthew 25:40 said. I invite us all to strive to be a little kinder. In doing so we will be happier and we will bless countless lives of those around us.

(Neil Waite is a bishop in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.)