we thank thee o god, for a prophet

a picture can speak a thousand words, and this one says a lot.

in a nation filled with constant criticism, rumor-milling, nasty email chains, and overall negativity, i think president monson displays a shining example of how not only (but perhaps especially) members of the LDS church but people in general need so desperately a spirit of respect and love for all. President Obama and President Monson surely have very opposing views on many things. Maybe President Monson thinks Obama's health care plan is the worst idea ever. Maybe Obama thinks President Monson is delusional for claiming to speak to God. But when it comes down to it, just because they have differing, maybe even opposing opinions, they both possess the basic courtesy of respect.

To quote another Latter-Day prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley said, "...We must work harder to build mutual respect, an attitude of forbearance, with tolerance one for another regardless of the doctrines and philosophies which we may espouse. Concerning these you and I may disagree. But we can do so with respect and civility...But there is greater strength in the God-given mandate to each of us to work for the uplift and blessing of all His sons and daughters, regardless of their ethnic or national origin or other differences." (quoted from Dallin H. Oaks, "Weightier Matters")

basically my point here is this: there are a lot of things you might not like. there are a lot of things you might not agree with. and that's fine. but as soon as we open the door to disrespect and insolence, we also start down the path of hard-heartedness, hatred, and destruction of many of the basic principles that govern our beliefs and our nation, or at least the nation we should all be striving to uphold.