Sabbath Devotional :: Finding Empathy Amid Trials

I recently met with an old college student of mine, Emilia, who asked for my help. She’d met three families in her Spanish-speaking ward in Utah who didn’t have money for Christmas gifts for their children. These families recently immigrated to the United States to seek refuge from dangerous and war-torn countries. They gave all they possessed to journey to safety, leaving nothing for the holidays. Emilia asked if I could contribute presents for one of the five-year-old girls who was hoping Santa would visit.

I sat across from Emilia in awe, wondering why she felt responsible for the welfare of these families. Emilia, an international student from South America, had previously mentioned that she’d struggled to find work because she wasn’t a US citizen, and tuition was high. Transportation, books, housing, and food were all expenses that piled up and overwhelmed her. Curious, I asked, “Why are you wanting to help these families when you yourself have so little? Can’t these families be taken care of by someone else?”

She replied, “When I was young, my family lived in poverty. We never had much. I don’t remember ever having a Christmas tree for Christmas. One year, my mother made one out of magazine pages to hang on the wall.” She continued, “I know what it is like to be without for Christmas. I don’t want these families to have to experience being in want like so much of my childhood.”

Tears came to my eyes as I was humbled and inspired by her compassion. I thought of the widow described in Mark, who threw two mites into the treasury: “Many that were rich cast in much.” Jesus said, “Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living” (1).

Just as Emilia had great empathy for those who endured trials similar to hers, Christ has great empathy for us because of the Atonement. Neal A. Maxwell said:

“Jesus’ perfect empathy was ensured when, along with His Atonement for our sins, He took upon Himself our sicknesses, sorrows, griefs, and infirmities and came to know these ‘according to the flesh’ (Alma 7:11–12). He did this in order that He might be filled with perfect, personal mercy and empathy and thereby know how to succor us in our infirmities. He thus fully comprehends human suffering” (4).

Those who have undergone trials are often the ones who “mourn with those that mourn. . . and comfort those that stand in need of comfort” (2). Emilia had tremendous empathy for these families because she knew how they felt. She had endured similar trials herself. Perhaps one reason for our trials is to increase empathy. One study in psychology found individuals from lower income classes compared to higher income individuals had greater levels of empathy when shown pained expressions, as measured by brain activation (3). This may be because they better understood the pain of others after experiencing their own heavy burdens.

The experience with Emilia caused me to reflect on the tremendous blessings I have and on how much I have to give. Alma taught, “Blessed are they who humble themselves without being compelled to be humble” (5). As someone who has never been compelled to be humble through trials of poverty, I was inspired to strive to humble myself and find empathy and compassion to those less fortunate than me.

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1. Mark 12: 41-44
2. Mosiah 18:9
3. https://asumaclab.files.wordpress.com/…/social-class…
4. https://www.lds.org/ensign/1997/04/enduring-well?lang=eng
5. Alma 32: 16