The Ultimate Community

Imagine yourself in a place as phantasmagoric as Disney Land but make it your own neighborhood. Everyone around you radiating with happiness as they live life to the fullest. However, once you pass the Enchanted Castle, everything turns gray and dingy, filth and offal line the street leaving an impermeable stench embedded into every fiber of your clothing.

Believably enough this image is in similitude of cities across America! At one moment one may find him or herself in an advanced, thriving metropolitan area, but further ahead the street, decay, crime and feculence impress upon the mind an everlasting effigy they wish to repress and never revisit. 

How do you define yourself as a person? Do you wish to help improve the impoverished community or do you hold your head high and ignore the suffering that will ultimately be the demise of those residents? Where do your values lie? 

Despite the constant suffering of many people in this situation, ordinary people can make extraordinary efforts to bring about a change. I have been fortunate enough to see and understand what it takes to make these changes. While living in Italy I saw a community come together, reform their school, beautify the park and develop a friendship that could only come from trial and tribulation. This happened after a devastating earthquake that put many buildings in ruin and killed several people. We have seen time after time, that when tragedy strikes, people unite to build a better community!   

Tragedy is all around. When children go without food, proper schooling and parenting society is crumbling. Why do these tragedies go so unattended too? 

I belong to a community that is trying to give everyone a fair chance. My community is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Our goal is to help every child of god reach his or her full potential. We do not discriminate against anyone that is sincere and willing to do his or her best! I belong to this community because I genuinely care about the wellbeing of all that are around me. I desire every community that has needs and concerns to work together to resolve problems and find solutions that have never been discovered. 

I know that real communities fight to overcome problems. When was the last time you helped someone in need? Do not walk away from a challenge, but rather face it with all you strength and might until you stand the victor!