Being Friendly Toward Others

This is a repost of one Sister Walker put on her Facebook page:

Sikit sikit lama lama jadi bukit. This is Malay for little, little, long, long becomes hill/mountain. I wanted to learn the language here in Singapore which is mostly Mandarin, however most people here speak English. Well, I'm failing miserably at it but one young missionary who is serving in Malaysia taught me that saying. I do love that saying though because it has deep meaning and can mean many things. The way I like to think of it is in the viewpoint that it is in the seemingly small consistent acts of kindness that bring the greatest results.

My Daddy was a very friendly man. As he would drive down the road, every passerby whether a pedestrian or driver in another vehicle would see him nod his head to them and he would raise his pointer finger to wave hello. He never met a stranger. I didn't realize the power of his small gesture of kindness. They weren't the only ones who were watching him, I was watching, too! It was so natural for him; he was so sincere.

I find myself carrying on his legacy; caring about others the way I felt he did. I tell almost every person I pass each day hello or good morning. I try to see if I can get the person with the scowl on their face to change it to a smile. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I wonder if they need a friend or if they might be depressed. It doesn't even bother me if they are non-responsive because I'm not doing it for me but rather for them. I hope I can help them have a better day. I know now that is what Daddy was doing.

Although I don't speak the language that some speak, I think that we all have the capability of communicating heart to heart. In Texas there was a lady that some of us would pick up for church because her husband worked most Sundays. Her name was Padma. She couldn't speak English. We were only able to smile and say hello to each other and being women, we always hugged. Sometimes I found myself talking really loud and annunciating my words thinking that somehow Padma might understand English. My daughter, Katelyn, would always remind me that they weren't deaf - they just spoke another language. I'm sure when we get to heaven one day, Padma and I will giggle about that one.

But all of us who knew Padma and her husband will never forget the day Padma's husband bore his testimony one Sunday. Although we didn't understand a word he said for the most part, we understood his heart. There wasn't a dry eye in the chapel.

I've come to realize the only language we need to speak is the language of love. The greatest exemplar of love being the Savior said, "A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another as I have loved you, that ye also love one another."

I'm so grateful for all those who have taught me by their examples and help me to strive to be everything I came to this earth to be. I know at times in my life, I have had people say we can't work our way to heaven. I heard it said best yesterday by a man name Brad Wilcox and I quote, "We are not earning heaven. We are learning heaven." Thanks to all who have helped and who presently help me to learn heaven, especially my family.

To my older Louisiana friends and family, I bet Buckskin Bill didn't know the hill/mountain he built in the lives of those who watched him each week as he marched around the room in his buckskin outfit with his flute (that he actually didn't play) doing the Monday morning march and as he ended his program with, "Remember, you're never completely dressed 'til you put on a smile!"

Simple, yet impactful! I still say that to people! Never underestimate the good you are doing no matter the size! You will be surprised to see one day that you actually did a mountain of good in someone's life!