An Old Folktale About Becoming

Today in Stake Conference, we were asked to work on changing our hearts.  We can transform ourselves into becoming like the Savior as we strive to follow Him by emulating His example of love, kindness, non-judgment, and service towards others.

A voice told President Rigby,  "I didn't ask you to judge them.  I asked you to love them."   He then counseled us to extend to others the "BOD" (benefit of doubt) when we look at others' actions or looks.

The MASK (if anyone knows where this story is from, please let me know)

Once there was a king who was so nasty and mean that it showed clearly on his face and in his attitudes. So much so that everyone in his kingdom hated him, but more than that they feared him. Oh, they respected him, for he was their king, but when he would ride out among the people with his face all contorted in mean and nasty ugliness, people would scatter and run away.  If caught off guard they would bow low averting his eyes in silence, the dislike and fear of him showing on their faces.  And the king would mumble, mutter or sputter mean things to them.  No one spoke to him not even a 'good day, sire'.  After a while, the king grew even angrier with his subjects because of how they seemed to hate and fear him. 

Finally, the King called his wisest wizard to him and said, " I am tired of how the people treat me, use your magic to make them nicer people, I command it"  The wizard thought a long time and said the king would have to do exactly what he told him to do, with no questions and to the letter.  He asked the king if he was willing to do that.  "If you will not, it is hopeless," said the wizard.  The king agreed. "Fine, he said, whatever you say, I will do.  Anything that is necessary to get those rotten people to treat their king the way he deserves."  He grumbled a bit more under his breath and settled his face into his ugliest meanest grimace. 

The wizard went into a high cabinet and took down a box that he carefully opened.  Inside the box was a mask of the king's own face.  It was so like the king that the king's mouth fell open when he saw it!  Except for one small or not so small difference.  The expression on the mask was smiling and friendly--almost radiant, instead of grouchy and mean and nasty.  The king hardly notice the difference of the expression, "Where did you get such a mask?' he asked.  "Never mind the where," said the wizard, "it is a magic mask.  Here is what you must do, as you agreed with no questions asked:  You must put this mask on and not take it off for 100 days." "What..why... ehhhm I ... it isn't my way to grin like that, they will lose respect ... grumble ... grumble ... grumble ... I can't do that . . .  "Never mind the protest," said the wizard, "you agreed.  Put it on."  Well, the king grumbled, but he did put it on.  

The next time the King rode through the kingdom, a few people appeared to glance up at him in surprise, for never had they seen the king smile before.  After a few days, a few brave ones smiled a small smile back.  And a week later one peasant actually stood and smiled and said, "Good day to you, Sire."  This surprised the king and he did not know what to say, but he did not grumble mean things at the man.

Word began to spread, the king had had a change of heart. People began to stay where they could see him when he rode by.  Some bowed and then looked up and smiled at him.  Ah, thought the king, this is how a king should be treated.  Perhaps my subjects are becoming nicer people, perhaps they are not as rotten as they were a while ago. This continued.  Each day more people spoke to the king, smiled and even waved as he rode by.  And the king ... well he began to wave back and to offer his own 'good days' and 'how fare these.'  And the people began to tell him how life was for them. 

As the king heard sad stories of poverty and illness, he began to order that the people receive more of the bounty of the land, that they have the services of doctors and that disputes were settled fairly.  Oh, the people came to think highly of that king. They brought him fruits and vegetables and flowers from their gardens, and the king, in turn, came to really love these people who had become so lovable.  He would stop by a peasant's home and sit on the stoop to chat and taste a cake or such that a good wife had baked.

The king and his people loved one another. And the King began to feel guilty. He cared so much about these people now and he knew he was deceiving them with the mask. They liked him better, he thought, because of the beauty of the mask, but it is not me and I can no longer deceive them. 

Although the 100 days were not quite up, he knew he had to remove the mask and be honest with his people and if they would no longer love him, he would have at least had these past days. So, he went into a grand hall and looked closely into a large mirror at his face. The mask was smiling as it had on the first day he put it on.  He regretted having to take it off, but he could no longer fool the people he had come to love.  He reached up and pulled at the mask and it peeled off in his hand. When finally he got his courage up to look again at his mean contorted face, he saw a miracle!  For in the days he had come to love his people, his face had changed and now it matched the mask in every respect.  It was beautiful, and smiling and looked as he felt at that moment.  He wept and touched his laughing face.  When next he went out among the people his heart was light for he knew he was himself, true and true enough.  And that king and all the people of his kingdom lived a long and contented life.