First Impressions...

This is something that I have been thinking about for the past couple of days and thought that I would write and see what you guys think.

In our apartment complex there are a few teenage boys that most would call "hellians." They walk around with their skateboards and baggy clothes "terrorizing" the apartment complex. Well, I was coming out of my apartment the other day to go grocery shopping and saw these boys sitting at the end of the hallway (our apartment has inside hallways). I contemplated going back inside because they were blocking the doorway and I didn't want to manuveur the stroller around them but decided to go anyway. As I neared the door one of the boys jumped up and said, "Let me get the door for you ma'am." I was so surprised! He then yelled at his friend to get up and get the other door for me. They kept calling me "ma'am" and were so helpful!

Another story happened on Sunday. I was sitting in the foyer with Hami during Sunday School (he was a little noisy because he had hiccups) and this guy walked in looking, well, scary. There were a few missionary couples standing in the foyer and he walked up to them asking where a certain Bishop was. Taken off guard the missionaries looked at him suspiciously and then finally one elder helped him. As the man and the elder walked away all of the ladies in the foyer started whispering about this man. I was so ashamed at how he was treated. What made me feel worse was as the elder and the man were returning to the group I heard the man say, "I just needed to find the Bishop to pay tithing. Last week I paid tithing for the first time and it was the best week of my life. I thought I would try it again."

I think we all get so wrapped up in our own lives that we are quick to judge others on what they are doing in their lives. We need to remember that not one of us is perfect and we are all at different stages. Life is a process of learning and growth and we need to allow everyone the opportunity to grow.

Thanks for indulging me. I have just been thinking about this a lot lately and how to improve the way I look at others. Hope you all have a great day!