Becoming Mahonri Moriancumer

I think that the account of the Brother of Jared, from the Book of Ether in The Book of Mormon, is an excellent story to learn from.

Mostly because people are people, no matter the time period, and despite differences in situation we aren't all that different in the long run.

And Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have to work with imperfect people. So seeing the Brother of Jared's progression is heartening, and helps us other "imperfect people" realize that we can do it, too.

The record of Jared and his brother, Mahonri Moriancumer (there's a reason why he's called The Brother of Jared. Seriously, Mom of these two, what were you thinking? And I thought that my name was difficult), is set during the Tower of Babel.

Right before the languages of all the people get confounded, as a punishment for trying to build a tower to get to Heaven, rather than...you know, trying to follow the commandments and just be good people in general. Instead they wanted to cheat. So Heavenly Father confounded their languages as a punishment.

But Jared and Mahonri (his brother) are a bit better than that. Jared proves himself to be one that follows the prophets (as his brother IS the prophet) and asks for the Lord to have mercy on them and not confound their language.

So the Brother of Jared (Mahonri) prays long and hard, and Heavenly Father is pleased, and promises not to confound their language.

Then Jared, who is a pretty awesome guy and doesn't get as much mention as his brother does in the scriptures, says, "can you do the same for our friends and family, who we really care about?"

So the Brother of Jared (Mahonri) does. He prays for a really long time, in humility, and asks for the Lord's help. And this sign of humility and devotion via prayer results in, yes, their kinsfolk and friends not having their language confounded, either.

Then Jared is talking with the Brother of Jared and mentions that it makes sense that they are going to be driven out to other lands (which follows the fact that everyone has scattered because of the languages, and it's customary for the righteous to be sent forth from the wicked. We have several other scriptural accounts, such as Moses and the Israelites leaving Egypt, Lehi and his family leaving right before the Babylonians conquer the Jews, things like that).

So he says, "well, if we are going to be driven out, can you please ask  God to send us to a better land? A Promised Land?"


So the Brother of Jared does and they are sent out into the wilderness.

But then once they are there they forget to ask for more instruction. They spend FOUR YEARS in the wilderness, basically just chilling.

Which makes me think of you and I. Before going on my mission I spent year and years doing the same thing, with the same result, and no progression. I worked the same job (Toys R Us) for seven years. I was at the same school (Salt Lake Community College) for the same length of time. And I did the same thing every week, month, and year.

I could tell that I was spiritually stagnant, which bothered me, but I didn't know what I could do to change my situation.

This was in part because I was too comfortable where I was at to want to change or develop.

Because changing and improving is HARD. And hard things can be uncomfortable and sometimes saddening.

And then, at the tender age of 25, when President Thomas S. Monson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints announced the age change, from 21 down to 19, for young women who wished to serve a mission I had two thoughts:

1. This is awesome! My sister is nineteen! She can totally go on a mission early!
2. "This means you, too."

I put the second one in quotes because it was a thought that wasn't quite a thought. It was a strong, "WAM", hit-you-in-the-chest, bowl-you-over-with-certainty kind of feeling and simultaneous impression.

The Lord wanted me to go on a mission. And I couldn't deny it.

Of course, I could put up a few Biblical-style protests. "Um, don't you think that I'm a bit old for that?" a la Sarah, wife of Abraham. (Genesis 18:10-14) https://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/gen/18?lang=eng

And then, "well, if I'm going to go on a mission then I'll need help finishing school. Because I don't have enough money to finish my schooling in a short period of time."

Almost immediately after I, and all the other unfinished art majors in my field, received tuition wavers. I kid you not. And this experience is tied to Tithing as well, but that's a story for another time...

So don't test the Lord--nothing is impossible for God.

Seriously.

So I found myself spiritually stagnant and was, in my experience, sent on a mission to change that. I met people who changed my life and my heart, and learned more about myself that I could have ever expected.

I grew and developed and started on the path toward the person that Heavenly Father wants me to be.

And, of course, it hurt sometimes. But other times it was absolutely fantastic as I was given the chance to meet and fall in love with a family I had never known, all the way across the world from where I had been.

I can't even imagine NOT having gone on a mission and met those people, learned those things, and most importantly having felt the love of God and Jesus Christ for them and myself within my heart. <3

 The Brother of Jared, however, found himself on the receiving end of a three-hour lecture, telling him that if they were supposed to go to the Promised Land (they had even asked for it!), why weren't they working on the next step to go there?!

Here's how it went down:

"And now I proceed with my record; for behold, it came to pass that the Lord did bring Jared and his brethren forth even to that great sea which divideth the lands. And as they came to the sea they pitched their tents; and they called the name of the place Moriancumer; and they dwelt in tents, and dwelt in tents upon the seashore for the space of four years.

And it came to pass at the end of four years that the Lord came again unto the brother of Jared, and stood in a cloud and talked with him. And for the space of three hours did the Lord talk with the brother of Jared, and chastened him because he remembered not to call upon the name of the Lord.

And the brother of Jared repented of the evil which he had done, and did call upon the name of the Lord for his brethren who were with him. And the Lord said unto him: I will forgive thee and thy brethren of their sins; but thou shalt not sin any more, for ye shall remember that my Spirit will not always strive with man; wherefore, if ye will sin until ye are fully ripe ye shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord. And these are my thoughts upon the land which I shall give you for your inheritance; for it shall be a land choice above all other lands." (Ether 2:13-15)

Aka, 'I'll forgive you this time. But seriously, don't sin any more, or I'll stop helping you and guiding you by my Spirit. Now let's get things in order for you to head off to this promised land of yours.'

So they basically get a slap on the wrist, and a Parental tug in the right direction.

(Here's a pic of Jared repenting by praying some more.)

 

But the interesting thing is that, from here on out, the Brother of Jared (Mahonri) does not forget this experience. And he keeps praying for help, which really leads to the happy ending of this story.

So! In order to go to the promised land they need to cross the sea. So they build boats that are "tight like a dish." My brain just compares them to tuperware containers floating in a pool. :|

But there's a problem! There's no light, and no air.

First, the Brother of Jared approaches the Lord about the first problem:

"And it came to pass that the brother of Jared cried unto the Lord, saying: O Lord, I have performed the work which thou hast commanded me, and I have made the barges according as thou hast directed me. 

And behold, O Lord, in them there is no light; whither shall we steer? And also we shall perish, for in them we cannot breathe, save it is the air which is in them; therefore we shall perish.

And the Lord said unto the brother of Jared: Behold, thou shalt make a hole in the top, and also in the bottom; and when thou shalt suffer for air thou shalt unstop the hole and receive air. And if it be so that the water come in upon thee, behold, ye shall stop the hole, that ye may not perish in the flood.

And it came to pass that the brother of Jared did so, according as the Lord had commanded."

(Ether 2:18-21)

Problem solved. Yet there was still a problem with the lack of light.

"And he cried again unto the Lord saying: O Lord, behold I have done even as thou hast commanded me; and I have prepared the vessels for my people, and behold there is no light in them. Behold, O Lord, wilt thou suffer that we shall cross this great water in darkness? 

And the Lord said unto the brother of Jared: What will ye that I should do that ye may have light in your vessels? For behold, ye cannot have windows, for they will be dashed in pieces; neither shall ye take fire with you, for ye shall not go by the light of fire.

For behold, ye shall be as a whale in the midst of the sea; for the mountain waves shall dash upon you. Nevertheless, I will bring you up again out of the depths of the sea; for the winds have gone forth out of my mouth, and also the rains and the floods have I sent forth." (Ether 2:22-24)

Now, I love sarcasm in the scriptures (Elijah is a hoot!) and in this instance it might seem like the Lord is a tad...impatient with Jared.

But from the perspective of a Teacher it makes perfect sense!

He basically says:

"What do YOU think? Here is the story problem: you can't have windows, you can't have fire. Now what do you think the answer is?"

Which is, again, something that we can learn from. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ expect for us to pray to Them.

It's the same way that my Mom wants me to Skype every week, so that we can remain connected and help each other in our trials and difficulties. She's my best friend and the more we communicate the stronger that bond is.

But while the Lord is willing to help us, He is not going to give us all the answers! Sometimes we have to muddle through things on our own and use our own agency.

So the Brother of Jared ponders what to do and comes up with an idea.

He takes 16 stones. Then moltens them so that they are clear like glass.

And presents them to the Lord.

Now, remembering his sins and what they did before, he prays in humility for help.

 

"O Lord, thou hast said that we must be encompassed about by the floods. Now behold, O Lord, and do not be angry with thy servant because of his weakness before thee; for we know that thou art holy and dwellest in the heavens, and that we are unworthy before thee; because of the fall our natures have become evil continually; nevertheless, O Lord, thou hast given us a commandment that we must call upon thee, that from thee we may receive according to our desires.

Behold, O Lord, thou hast smitten us because of our iniquity, and hast driven us forth, and for these many years we have been in the wilderness; nevertheless, thou hast been merciful unto us. O Lord, look upon me in pity, and turn away thine anger from this thy people, and suffer not that they shall go forth across this raging deep in darkness; but behold these things which I have molten out of the rock.

And I know, O Lord, that thou hast all power, and can do whatsoever thou wilt for the benefit of man; therefore touch these stones, O Lord, with thy finger, and prepare them that they may shine forth in darkness; and they shall shine forth unto us in the vessels which we have prepared, that we may have light while we shall cross the sea.

Behold, O Lord, thou canst do this. We know that thou art able to show forth great power, which looks small unto the understanding of men." (Ether 3:2-5)

In faith he asked this request--that the Lord touch the stones, and from the power of the Lord they would glow so that they could have light as they traveled in the darkness of the ocean. Because faith requires action. And this is the action he took, acting in the faith that the Lord can do all things.

But the end result is so much more than just sixteen glow-in-the-dark rocks!

The Lord did as he requested...

"And it came to pass that when the brother of Jared had said these words, behold, the Lord stretched forth his hand and touched the stones one by one with his finger. And the veil was taken from off the eyes of the brother of Jared, and he saw the finger of the Lord; and it was as the finger of a man, like unto flesh and blood; and the brother of Jared fell down before the Lord, for he was struck with fear.
 

And the Lord saw that the brother of Jared had fallen to the earth; and the Lord said unto him: Arise, why hast thou fallen?

And he saith unto the Lord: I saw the finger of the Lord, and I feared lest he should smite me; for I knew not that the Lord had flesh and blood." (Ether 3:6-8)

As He touched the stones, the Brother of Jared saw the finger of the Lord!

So shocked by the realization that Jesus Christ (who is the Jehovah of the Old Testament, and the intermediary between men and God until his Atonement allowed me to pray to Heavenly Father directly) had the form of a man, Jared fell back in understandable anxiety that he would get smitten!

But the Lord isn't mad at all!

"And the Lord said unto him: Because of thy faith thou hast seen that I shall take upon me flesh and blood; and never has man come before me with such exceeding faith as thou hast; for were it not so ye could not have seen my finger. Sawest thou more than this?

And he answered: Nay; Lord, show thyself unto me.

 And the Lord said unto him: Believest thou the words which I shall speak?

And he answered: Yea, Lord, I know that thou speakest the truth, for thou art a God of truth, and canst not lie.

And when he had said these words, behold, the Lord showed himself unto him, and said: Because thou knowest these things ye are redeemed from the fall; therefore ye are brought back into my presence; therefore I show myself unto you.

Behold, I am he who was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people. Behold, I am Jesus Christ. I am the Father and the Son. In me shall all mankind have life, and that eternally, even they who shall believe on my name; and they shall become my sons and my daughters." (Ether 3:9-11)

 In preparing the stones and asking for the Lord's help he was acting on Faith. In trusting the Lord, that He could do all things, he was showing his Faith. Because of his Faith he could see the finger of the Lord. And in seeing the finger of the Lord he was given the chance to further see the Lord in full.

And THAT is why the Brother of Jared is awesome.

Because he's human and makes mistakes and has to repent and sometimes asks dumb questions.

But ultimately, he shows his Faith, and the results are amazing!

My Dear Angel Mother

This weekend I had the opportunity to spend time with my Mother. This is actually a rather rare thing, as she has lived in Montana (and more recently Idaho) for a little over half a decade, and I live here in Utah.

The last time I saw her was for a few short days when I returned from my mission, in which one-on-one time wasn't really possible due to time constraints and commitments leaving us pulled in several directions.

This weekend we kept things simple. She drove down, picked me up, we visited my sister for a short time, she dropped me off so that I could go to the wedding of a pair of returned missionary friends, then on Sunday she came to church with me and was able to attend most of the meetings we had that day.

Honestly, it was a very short time, but I am very much grateful.

Lately I have been reading about the prophets Mormon and Moroni, from The Book of Mormon. Mormon is a history-prophet who has been compiling the history, religious doctrine, and revelations that his people have received from God.

He does quite a bit of work, start to finish, resulting in, well, The Book of Mormon. The most important aspect of this work being that it is a witness of Jesus Christ coming to the ancient Americas after He was resurrected. He taught, administered ordinances, prayed for them and blessed them.

But Mormon's actual life is roughly four hundred years after that, and the glory days are over.

His people are at war with their enemies, and both sides are so incredibly wicked that Heavenly Father isn't going to help either one of them in their efforts. Not only that, but there's a curse mixed with a blessing that's been hanging over Mormon's people from the beginning, with his ancestor Lehi and their family: if they are righteous and keep the commandments, they will prosper in the land.

If they are wicked, they'll be utterly destroyed.

So they're getting utterly destroyed. And Mormon is there to witness it. Then, the sad but not entirely unexpected thing happens: Mormon is killed in battle. And his son, Moroni, has to finish the record.

Here's his very first entry:

"Behold I, Moroni, do finish the record of my father, Mormon. Behold, I have but few things to write, which things I have been commanded by my father.

And now it came to pass that after the great and tremendous battle at Cumorah, behold, the Nephites who had escaped into the country southward were hunted by the Lamanites, until they were all destroyed.

And my father also was killed by them, and I even remain alone to write the sad tale of the destruction of my people. But behold, they are gone, and I fulfil the commandment of my father. And whether they will slay me, I know not.

Therefore I will write and hide up the records in the earth; and whither I go it mattereth not.

Behold, my father hath made this record, and he hath written the intent thereof. And behold, I would write it also if I had room upon the plates, but I have not; and ore I have none, for I am alone. My father hath been slain in battle, and all my kinsfolk, and I have not friends nor whither to go; and how long the Lord will suffer that I may live I know not.

Behold, four hundred years have passed away since the coming of our Lord and Savior."

(Mormon Chapter 8, verses 1-6, The Book of Mormon) 

This is probably the saddest, most depressing entry in the entire Book of Mormon. And it pretty much breaks my heart every time.

His father, whom he loves dearly, has been killed. He is entirely alone. He has no where to go, and if he did go somewhere it wouldn't matter, because he's just going to be killed as well.

(Also, this is a great defense regarding The Book of Mormon not being solely written by one person, because if you compare writing styles between this father and son duo, they are completely different people.)

With this in mind, as I was reading the passage I had the thought:

How Would I Feel if My Mother was Killed?

The answer being that I would be absolutely heart-broken.

So (another story), when I was serving my mission as a full-time proselyting missionary, there is a time in which you go to a training center in order to learn the language of the place that you are heading for, and to help you learn how to prepare talks and teach people. Given that I went to Japan, I was there for nine weeks. I entered the Missionary Training Center in August of 2014. And not long after I got a note to go to the office and speak to those in leadership there.

I had the feeling that it was something serious, and my companion felt the same way. We'd missed the call to the office a couple of times, so it was a little late, but finally everything worked out where we could talk to someone official (I don't remember--that wasn't my focus at the time).

They broke the news to me that my mother had contracted cancer.

I broke. I simply...broke.

Upon being given a chance to call my mother, I immediately started crying. She, upset that they had broken the news to me rather than allowing her to do so, immediately began reassuring me.

She, who had cancer, was comforting me.

I don't remember everything she said, but what I do remember was certain promises and phrases:

The Lord would help us.

He loves us.

It's only a little bit of cancer.

and

Don't quit my mission because of this. She NEEDED both of her daughters to be serving missions (my younger sister was assigned to Louisiana), so that she could receive the blessings needed to help her survive this trial.

We were having our own trials, but this one was to be hers. And she wasn't alone in experiencing it.

The Lord has and always will be with our family.

There is a story (again) from The Book of Mormon in which a whole community of Lamanites, normally hostile to the Nephites, converted over to the gospel of Jesus Christ. These amazing, amazing converts gave up everything, including the weapons of war, as they covenanted to follow God and Jesus Christ.

But later when the Nephites and (hostile) Lamanites were at war, these Anti-Nephi-Lehites (that's their chosen name) felt so bad about their brethren, the Nephites, dying in the act of protecting them from the (hostile) Lamanites that they were about to take up their weapons again!

But doing so would put their souls in danger!

So their young sons, no older than 12-17 year olds, stepped forward to fight in the place (a la Mulan).

"And now I say unto you, my beloved brother Moroni, that never had I seen so great courage, nay, not amongst all the Nephites.

For as I had ever called them my sons (for they were all of them very young) even so they said unto me: Father, behold our God is with us, and he will not suffer that we should fall; then let us go forth; we would not slay our brethren if they would let us alone; therefore let us go, lest they should overpower the army of Antipus.

Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.

And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it."

(Alma 56:45-48)

After this battle, and other battles to come, the Lord blessed both these young men because of their faith, and the faith of their fathers and especially their mothers:

"And now it came to pass that when they had surrendered themselves up unto us, behold, I numbered those young men who had fought with me, fearing lest there were many of them slain.

But behold, to my great joy, there had not one soul of them fallen to the earth; yea, and they had fought as if with the strength of God; yea, never were men known to have fought with such miraculous strength; and with such mighty power did they fall upon the Lamanites, that they did frighten them; and for this cause did the Lamanites deliver themselves up as prisoners of war."

(Alma 56:55-56) 

This scripture is what went on my business card when I was in Japan, upon introducing myself to others. This is the scripture that got me through the REALLY hard times.

I love my mom and I am SO grateful for a second chance with her. I'm glad that Heavenly Father gave us more time together, even if it ends up short. I am more thankful than words can say for my dear, brave, angel of a convert mother who taught me that if I trust in God then everything will be okay.

I love her. I love Heavenly Father. I will continue to cherish the little time we have left together in this life.

Hate is Taught. So is Peace.

In light of recent events in the United States I just wanted to pull out a scriptural observation. It goes like this:

"And it came to pass that they who rejected the gospel were called Lamanites, and Lemuelites, and Ishmaelites; and they did not dwindle in unbelief, but they did wilfully rebel against the gospel of Christ; and they did teach their children that they should not believe, even as their fathers, from the beginning, did dwindle. 

And it was because of the wickedness and abomination of their fathers, even as it was in the beginning. And they were taught to hate the children of God, even as the Lamanites were taught to hate the children of Nephi from the beginning."

--4 Nephi 1:38-39

Recently I had the thought that the scriptures, especially The Book of Mormon, are truly meant for our day. The closer that they got to Christ visiting the Americas the more and more they fluctuated between righteousness and wickedness (as in really, really bad wickedness). Similarly, we are preparing for Christ's coming and things are, predictably, becoming pretty horrible.

Wars, rumors of wars, murders, whoredoms, thievery, corruption in high places (i.e. politicians and governing bodies), adulteries, secret combinations (gang warfare, including gang justice, gang signs to show that you are part of the group, and promises to back each other up if someone gets caught in their crimes), and other horrible things.

Seriously, it's all in there! Sometimes people wonder why members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints read The Book of Mormon, considering how many war chapters there are, plus the fact that eventually the main people in it die off due to wickedness. And the reason is that it parallels our day and shows us what we need to do to avoid that fate.

But one of the big things I noticed actually came AFTER Christ appeared. He taught them, everything was happy and honky-dory for four hundred years, and then once you got to the generation that didn't remember Him coming then they turned to wickedness, big time.

Now, in those years before the Final Corruption, as I think of it, we get these scriptures (in the same chapter!).

"And there were no envyings, nor strifes, nor tumults, nor whoredoms, nor lyings, nor murders, nor any manner of lasciviousness; and surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God

There were no robbers, nor murderers, neither were there Lamanites, nor any manner of -ites; but they were in one, the children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God."

--4 Nephi 1:16-17

Now, comparing that against the previous verses I posted, you have to ask, "what in the flying fish happened?!"

People let pride and hatred get in the way of the Love of God and the Love of Christ (i.e. charity, which leads also to a love of fellow men). And then, after deliberately separating themselves, they taught their children to hate!

"Taught," as in, deliberately went out of their way to make their children hate the enemies that they had made for themselves by pulling away.

Now, what we are dealing with in America right now can easily tie into this theme: there are several groups of people, who had a relative truce, but then they blew up in each others' faces. And in the aftermath the hatred of people became inflamed so that everything is in tumult. Everyone is angry at everyone, and whether it's being deliberately taught or not, children are learning from their parents to fear and/or hate one of the groups involved.

But the true solution to the problem is to not match hate with hate so much as so match hate with love. Which seems like too obvious of a solution, but it really is the answer.

Let's bring up another scriptural account!

In this case Alma the Younger, a Prophet (son of Alma the Elder, which is pretty obvious) goes on a mission to bring back some people that have become pretty wicked, the Zoramites. He brings along his old mission companion, his most awesome convert, his sons, and his friends from his youth who also went off and became really great missionaries in their time.

The first, most obvious thought, would be to bring back this rebellious group by force. But Alma completely ignores that:

"And now, as the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just—yea, it had had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which had happened unto them—therefore Alma thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue of the word of God."

--Alma 31:5

Then we have the case of the Gadianton Robbers (a gang group that ultimately brought down an entire nation to destruction)! They came in two waves, and the first time around the Lamanites try their hand at dispelling the force in a unique way.

"And thus we see that the Lord began to pour out his Spirit upon the Lamanites, because of their easiness and willingness to believe in his words

And it came to pass that the Lamanites did hunt the band of robbers of Gadianton; and they did preach the word of God among the more wicked part of them, insomuch that this band of robbers was utterly destroyed from among the Lamanites."

--Helaman 6:36-37 

(To those unfamiliar with the Book of Mormon, there are two main bodies in The Book of Mormon called the Nephites and the Lamanites, who are generally always at war with one another.

It's interesting thing to note is that sometimes the title of "Lamanite" has been a bit of a flux term. At first it was a specific group of families, but then later it came to mean anyone that didn't follow God and Jesus Christ.

Additionally, there are times when the Lamanites are more righteous than the Nephites. This is one of those cases.)

SO! What do we learn from these accounts? 

That the Word of God changes hearts more than the effect of hatred, of war, of anger, or social diatribe. A soft heart defeats the clenched fist.

Let's give some modern-day examples of this:
  
1. Let's start with how this Danish town, called Aarhus, is awesome. And how they are not perpetuating the hate as they welcome back young Muslims who were lured into joining ISIS, only to realize that they had made the wrong decision. 

In most cases people wouldn't have welcome them back (the article gives a few examples), but Aarhus has created a plan to help former ISIS soldiers return home, find jobs, continue schooling, and get back on their feet as adults AWAY from the fighting. Because hatred only begets hatred, and the best way to conquer the feeling of rejection by society is for society itself to welcome them back in.

http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/07/15/485900076/how-a-danish-town-helped-young-muslims-turn-away-from-isis?utm_campaign=storyshare&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social 

2. How about that time, among all the rioting in Egypt, when Muslims protected Christians as they prayed and Christians protected Muslims as they prayed?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1353330/Egypt-protests-Christians-join-hands-protect-Muslims-pray-Cairo-protests.html 

3. And then there was this protective line, shielding Police Officers in Baltimore from rioters. This was after the shootings of two black men lead to protests and later killings of five Police Officers, creating public protest. These individuals, in turn, protected officers from the rioting in Baltimore.

http://reverbpress.com/news/black-baltimore-protecting-police/

4. When an American in Okinawa, an already existing hotbed of debate, raped and murdered a Japanese woman while she was out for a walk, outcry demanded that Americans be removed from Japan once again.

In a largely unpublicized act, these are Americans chose to express their sorrow for what happened.

http://en.rocketnews24.com/2016/05/31/americans-show-support-to-okinawa-after-recent-murder-leave-locals-asking-why-doesnt-japanese-news-show-this/

The conclusion is clear.

If we want change it has to come from ourselves, and it has to be an act of peace and not war. By attacking our attackers we become no worse than they are. Instead of teaching our children to hate and to grow up with bias from a young age we need to teach responsibility for actions--all actions, including our own!

Hate can be taught. But so can peace.   

 

“In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart. I simply can’t build up my hopes on a foundation consisting of confusion, misery, and death. I see the world gradually being turned into a wilderness, I hear the ever approaching thunder, which will destroy us too, I can feel the sufferings of millions and yet, if I look up into the heavens, I think that it will all come right, that this cruelty too will end, and that peace and tranquility will return again.”

― Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl