During the great depression, the homeless, the downtrodden, the
unemployed "rode the rails that passed not far from our home. On
numerous occasions, there would be a soft knock on the back door.
When I opened the door, there I would see a man, sometimes two,
ill-clothed, ill-fed, ill-schooled. Generally such a visitor held in his
hand the familiar cap. His hair would be tousled, his
face unshaven.
The questions was always the same:
"Could you spare some food?"
My dear mother invariably responded with a pleasant, "Come in and
sit down at the table."
She would then prepare a ham sandwich, cut a piece of cake, and
pour a glass of milk. Mother would ask the visitor about his home, his
family, his life. She provided hope and words of encouragement.
Before leaving, the visitor would pause to express a gracious
thank-you. I would note that a smile of content had replaced a look of
despair. Eyes that were dull now shone with new purpose. Love, that
noblest attribute of the human soul, can work wonders.
Thomas S. Monson