Hero

I have a new-found hero. George Albert Smith. I think all the prophets of my church are a hero of mine, but I just heard the GREATEST story about George Albert Smith that just really made him shine in my eyes a little more. I tried to find it online, but couldn't (I didn't try too hard) but I did hear it from a stake president, my boss, who is pretty stickler on references, so I believe it.

In our last week's staff meeting Zully and I were talking about how poorly some people treat assistants---often, I get mistaken for an assistant. I had a patient that day who was very concerned that I was putting him on a prescription fluoride treatment, because he lives in Davis county and they have fluoride in their water. (GAH! What is WITH people and thinking that is so much fluoride??? It should be EVERYWHERE!) Anyway, I reassured him that I was giving him a mouth rinse, used topically, so he wasn't even ingesting it. There would not be a problem. He then demanded to know if I was certain of the safe percentages that a person could have of fluoride, and I went again to reassure him when he interrupted "Do you go to school for this?" "I did, I have a bachelors...." Interruption again, "What is it in? Dentistry?" (this was seriously sneered-shouted to me) "Yes actually, in dental hygiene, and we learn all about fluoride." After that, he seemed somewhat ashamed of his rudeness, but there you have it. Some people and their fluoride. So that is what started this conversation, and our boss piped in with the statement that he has always thought that people who treat everyone the same, whether they are waiters or doctors, are the most respectful and good people he's ever met. And then he told me this story:

George Albert Smith was the prophet and president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints during/after WW2. He was instrumental in huge relief efforts around the world after the war, and worked closely with the president of the United States. He was a very well-known and respected man. When he passed away, there were 2 people that responded immediately in consoling the family. The first call was the President of the United States, letting the family know what a wonderful man he was, and sending their condolences to the family. The second? An 11 year old paper boy, rang the doorbell, and through his sobs told the family that he had just lost his "best friend." President George Albert Smith had taken time every day to talk to this little paper boy about his little life and dreams while getting the newspaper. The family let the little boy be a pall-bearer at the funeral. I cried when our Dr. told the story, I cried when I told Sterling the story, and I cried just now typing it up. It would be my biggest aspiration to be the kind of person that takes the time to treat everyone that equally and kindly.