Fascinating UN Presentation about LDS Charities

[Anonymous]

This United Nations presentation is almost two hours long, but it is fascinating.

“DPI/NGO briefing: Focus on Faith – Mormonism” (http://webtv.un.org/watch/dpingo-briefing-focus-on-faith-mormonism/3267145282001)

As I listened and watched, I thought there was a lot that lies outside the specific issue of organizational humanitarian aid – that applies to us as individuals and what we can do to help others.

[Anonymous]

I have waited to watch this until I had time to really pay attention. Because of the length I will be doing it in small chunks. This is some great stuff. Especially for we service hearted souls. This is a presentation by our top Humanitarian leaders to the United Nations.

– The firs speaker emphasized how the U.N. by-laws and LDS objectives are similar. He spoke of families as priority number 1 and Religious Freedom, in all of it’s facets as #2. He sited Joseph Smith dying for men of other religions, and the 11th Article of Faith. He tied that to U.N. rule #18m- which talks about tolerance and respect.

-Second speaker Sharon Eubanks – head of LDS charities. She begins by relating this rare potato story. If you have 15 min. It’s worth watching. Fantastic talk material. In a nutshell at the end of WWII Netherlands was a devastated country. A Bishop or Stake President (she just says leader) saw the destruction and was seeking an answer. The nation was not just physically war torn, it was emotionally torn, relationships were wrecked, anger, mistrust, abuse were thriving on top of hunger, cold, etc. This leader learned that the government was giving away seed potatoes. He called on his people to claim the potatoes and plant them anywhere and everywhere. The minute the project started, so did the healing. Every planting took 3 people. One to prep the ground, one to drop the potato, one person to cover and water, then move on. While doing that, these people had time to talk, to connect, to build heart bridges.

The story gets better. All summer they weeded, nurtured and prepared for the harvest. All summer the leader kept hearing stories about Germany’s poverty and privation. Right before harvest the leader, screwed up his courage, and called a conference, he gently described the problem with the enemy nation – he urged his people to send their entire harvest to Germany. The congregation processed the idea, and agreed to do it. By November 70 million tons of potatoes were sent to Germany. All planted, nourished, and cared for by the enemy Netherlands.

David O. Mckay said “It was the greatest act of true Christian conduct ever brought to his attention.”

This story is the essence of the LDS Humanitarian objective. Those 2 objectives are…

#1 –

Quote:

Humanitarian acts are rooted in a desire to listen, to heal, to learn, to cooperate, and to respect. These are as potent of an agent of transformation as anything on this earth.

#2 –

Quote:

Charity. Charity is more than just aid. It is assistance that is being offered with love and human respect. It is not quid pro quo. It emphasizes dignity, human worth, unity and sacrifice and the assurance that nobody is too poor, too vulnerable, or too marginalized

That is all the time I had to watch today, if you get time, take 15 min. every day and watch it. Thanks, Curtis for posting.

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