Freedom

For Martin Luther King day, we showed the kids a few clips from movies to help them understand the importance of the day. The first clip was from Martin Luther King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech. Then we decided to stress the importance of his message by watching the TV series America The Story of Us that showed how the slave trade operated and, in essence, was worse than cattle auctions. The show recounted the need for colored people to carry papers either stating their status as a freeman or who owned them. It turns out that Frederick Douglass , on his final and successful attempt to leave slavery, used borrowed documents from a friend to gain his freedom. It also showed how Harriet Tubman, a woman who already escaped to freedom, risked her life several times in order to offer that same freedom to over 300 other "slaves".

Still interested, I showed the kids part of Gandhi. Surprisingly, they watched over an hour of the movie asking questions the whole time.

I don't know if it was due to just finishing the book "The Hiding Place", but for some reason, the importance of standing up against injustices seemed more amazing and important to me this year. I wonder what I would do faced with such injustices. Sadly, I already know the answer. There are injustices all around and I do nothing about it.

Then my thoughts turned to the thoughts of Gandhi and his peaceful non-violent non-cooperation campaign. He spoke of how they would face pain and violence and even death, but all the people would have was his body. No one could take his spirit and will.

Our Family Home Evening lesson focused on the scripture in 2 Nephi 2

27 Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and call things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.

28 And now, my sons, I would that ye should look to the great Mediator, and hearken unto his great commandments; and be faithful unto his words, and choose eternal life, according to the will of his Holy Spirit;

29And not choose eternal death, according to the will of the flesh and the evil which is therein, which giveth the spirit of the devil power to captivate, to bring you down to hell, that he may reign over you in his own kingdom.

No matter our life situation, freedom is found within. I loved the metaphor of staying within bounds: