A third experience in the branch came during a discussion the members were having in Sunday School concerning when you should give to those who ask you for aid.
One of the members, who had come with his wife from Africa to further his education, raised his hand and told us of the following experience.
As he had been walking home in the neighborhood, he had been approached by a man who put a pistol to his chest and demanded all his money.
Our member took the money from his pockets and handed it over to the man and then said, "If you need the money that badly, I have more."
He opened his briefcase and took out additional money, which he gave to the robber, saying, "Understand, you are not taking this from me; I am giving it to you in the name of the Lord because you need it."
He said the robber looked at him in amazement, put the pistol in his belt, and said, "Where do you live?
I'm going to walk you home because you're too good a man to be on these streets, and you are not safe here."
As they started to walk to the member's apartment, suddenly they were surrounded by police cars because a woman had seen the holdup from her apartment window and had called the police.
The police arrested the robber and took him away.
Having been the victim, this member was asked to be a witness later at the trial of the robber.
At the trial, he testified that although the robber had demanded his money, he had told him that he gave the money to him in the name of the Lord and that if the robber need it that badly, he wanted him to have it.
Since then, when I hear the Savior's words, "Him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also," my mind goes back not only to the Holy Land but also to the hard streets in that eastern city.
Stephen A. West -"Out of Small Things" -April 1999 General Conference
Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
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