The following is a guest post from Rob Taber, who describes himself as…

“A proud native Delawarean, now a history grad student at the University of Florida. I spend most of my time researching seventeenth-century pirates, but I have an addiction to politics that expresses itself strongly in my attachment to The West Wing.”

By: Ron Taber

In the fall of 1637, a long-brewing storm of theological controversy unleashed itself upon the Massachusetts Bay Colony. For a multitude of reasons, some political, some religious, the Colony banished Anne Hutchinson and two others. Four months later, the Boston congregation excommunicated her. Her ideas had proved too dangerous, too heretical to the hardline religious establishment, too threatening to the fragile government. A mother of fifteen, she had devoted herself to her family and her religion, only to be cast out. For reasons only known to her and to God, she refused to bend to authority.

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Before my son goes to bed at night, he and I enjoy reading from the book My First Book of Mormon Stories.

Of course, my son has his own ideas on how the stories should be told.

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Wearing a neatly pressed police uniform designed just for his 4’2" frame, Officer Shevy Wright, 9-years old, lived out his dream of becoming a police officer…if only for a day.

Shevy Wright became Chandler, Arizona’s youngest police officer after Chief Sherry Kiyler learned of a dying boy’s dream to become a police officer.

He had been diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor and his final wish was to become a police officer. Chief Kiyler helped Shevy’s dream come true.

On the day that Shevy became an honorary officer, he was sworn in by Chief Kiyler in front of city officials, police command staff, family and his fellow Chandler officers.

He was presented with a badge, a license plate with his badge number and a day filled with police-related activities. A real dream come true kind of day for a boy of nine.

"I like it. I like being a cop," Shevy said that day. "I have a Taser gun, a radio, a flashlight, handcuffs and keys, and a badge. I like being a police officer because I can catch the bad guys."

Sadly, Shevy lost his battle with the biggest bad guy in his life—cancer.

As I walked past his casket Friday night, he was again wearing his custom-made police uniform, complete with a taser and police radio. Officer Shevy Wright had answered his final call.

Saturday morning, officers from neighboring cities will join with Chandler officers to honor Officer Wright as he is laid to rest with full police honors.

Although an officer for just one day, Shevy touched the hearts of many with his youthful courage and enthusiasm for a dream that almost never came true.

God speed, Officer Shevy. May you rest in peace.

One day a father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to
the country with the firm purpose of showing his son how poor people live.

They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be
considered a very poor family. On their return from their trip, the
father asked his son, “How was the trip?”

“It was great, Dad.”

“Did you see how poor people live?” the father asked.

“Oh yeah,” said the son.

So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?” asked the father.

The son answered: “I saw that we have one dog and they had four.
We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end.

We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night.

Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon.

We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight.

We have servants who serve us, but they serve others.

We buy our food, but they grow theirs…

We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them.”

The boy’s father was speechless.

Then his son added, “Thanks, Dad, for showing me how poor we are.”

Sometimes the best response to criticism against the Church is silence.

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