Influencing the World

Most of us go about our days thinking that what we do and say and think is of little consequence. After all, we are just one little person in the billions of people that fill the world and we aren’t even anyone important. What we do doesn’t make news. But President David O. McKay taught that “Man radiates what he is, and that radiation affects to a greater or lesser degree every person who comes within that radiation.” In another talk he defines this radiation by saying that “Man’s unconscious influence is the silent, subtle radiation of personality—the effect of his words and his actions on others.  This radiation is tremendous.   
Every moment of life man is changing, to a degree, the life of the  

whole world.”

Edward Lorenz, a famous meteorologist, says that the reason it is impossible to make long-range weather predictions is because there are so many variables.   

“A Brazilian butterfly beating its wings in Brazil has an effect on air movements which together with other currents affects the weather in Texas.”       

What we learn from this is that we do make a difference in the world. Try an experiment today. Go out of your way to thank or give compliments to five people you usually wouldn’t and watch what happens. Tell someone whose efforts you usually take for granted such as a grocery store checker or bagger what a good job they are doing. Point out to someone how much you appreciate their smile. Or call someone just to tell them how they have influenced you for good. Do this five times today and notice how it affects
the radiation you have and watch the joy spread to others.

You influence the world. 

Use that influence for good today!

Thanks for the "Radiation"

I start each day with a brisk walk along the Provo River with two friends. It begins my day right as I soak in the beautiful natural surroundings, listen to the birds and the rushing water, and enjoy the company of two amazing women. But one of my favorite things is that on the way back home we stop on a bridge for a morning meditation. First we face down stream and I think about jettisoning all the negative things that have accumulated in me and watching them float away downstream. I mentally rid myself of all the bad baggage and spend a few moments thinking about my Savior—the one who heals me. After that we turn around and face upstream. Then I think about being filled with good and positive things. I imagine that the water rushing toward me is flowing through me to cleanse and purify me—that it comes from the Fountain of Living Waters, Jesus Christ. It is a wonderful time that I look forward to every day. But this morning was extra special.

Usually as we walk onto the bridge, we space ourselves over about thirty feet of the bridge and then meditate, but this morning for some reason we ended up almost elbow to elbow in the middle of the bridge with me between my friends. As I meditated besides feeling the usual strength from the thoughts I was surprised by an empowering feeling coming from both sides of me. It was a radiation of love and goodness that seeped into me from my friends and it was so strong I could actually feel it warming me like sunlight.

It made me wonder how often others have influenced me in this way simply because of what they are. I think in the next life we are going to be surprised to find out how much other people actually helped us and encouraged us just by their presence. It is a very real thing, but since it is unseen it too often goes unnoticed. I am so grateful for my many friends and others who over the years have shared their goodness and love with me through the radiation of their character. Thank you! I love you all!

You Are Radiating

I changed the Words of Encouragement today. The quote I posted is one of my all time favorite quotes. It came from President David O. Mckay. “There is another responsibility correlated and even coexistent with free agency, which is too infrequently emphasized, and that is the effect not only of a person’s actions but also of his thoughts upon others. Man radiates what he is, and that radiation affects to a greater or lesser degree every person who comes within that radiation.”

We’ve all been in the presence of someone who lifts and encourages us just by being. It isn’t the words they say or the stories they tell. It is something tacit that radiates from them and empowers us. On the other hand, we have all been in the presence of someone who depletes us, sucks power from us, and drains us. This empowering or depleting is the effect of the radiation that President McKay is talking about.

When we consistently use our agency to choose righteousness, we become strong and that radiates to influence others. When we consistently use our agency to choose evil, we become weak and needy and that radiates to influence others. It is a mistake to think that we are just one little person and so what we do or say or think doesn’t matter. We do matter. We influence all those we come in contact with and we add to the righteousness or evil in the world. That is why it is so important to remember what King Benjamin said, “Watch yourselves and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds” (Mosiah 4:30). Our thoughts determine our words and deeds and are the source of what we radiate. If we live in Truth and watch our thoughts and feelings we will radiate goodness and love and will be a powerful influence for good in the world—especially to those around us.

Me In My Cage!

I thought today I'd share some pictures of the radiation process. It is fascinating. These are the two radiation therapists, Dallas and Darren, that are evicting Grizelda. And yes, that is me in the cage under my favorite red comforter. (It gets cold in that room holding still for an hour!)

This is Darren putting on my "cage"./> He's clamping it to the table so I can't move.This is me snug as a reptile in its skin! I'm trying to decide where I'm going to go for the hour. I ended up staying in the room and letting the angels come to me! I visited with my dad, daughter, grandmothers, a good friend and a few others. Talking to people when you control both sides of the conversation is nice. You ought to try it sometime!

A Report of Day Two

While being radiated yesterday, I listened to Vivaldi and I went to Galilee. I listened to the Sermon on the Mount and then watched as the Savior mingled with the people. I love the beautiful paintings of the Savior among the people, but I’ve always been disappointed that there has never been a picture of Him laughing and seldom is He even smiling. I know He laughs and smiles because when the Spirit is with me smiling and chuckling are the natural way of being.

But that is the advantage of traveling in your imagination. You can make it happen. Listening to the Sermon was wonderful, but the best part was afterward when I watched the Savior tousle the hair of a young boy, and chuckle as another young boy delighted in a bug crawling on a low-hanging, tree branch. I watched Him smile as he saw a young mother tenderly cradle her sleeping child as the father protectively guided her through the crowd. But then something strange happened. Without me directing the thoughts, I was suddenly in Nauvoo and Joseph Smith was pulling stick with a large farm hand while a crowd of young boys cheered them on. Joseph won the stick pull and then he grabbed a young boy playfully and tousled his hair. They laughed and the others laughed too.

At that point I was disappointed that the session was over. What seemed like five minutes had been an hour. They let me out of the cage and we drove to the Timpanogos temple. After I got dressed for the temple session, I happened to pass a mirror and noticed that my face still had the imprint of the mesh cage. I looked like I’d been pressed in a waffle iron—like a character you’d find in a Dr. Suess book! I’m still laughing as I wonder what anyone who saw me thought!