“Light the World Initiative” underway
President Richard Evans of the Soda Springs Idaho Stake marked the beginning of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ “Light the World” event, which officially began on December 1.
“We would like to invite our friends of all faiths to join us in celebrating the Christmas season by lighting the world around them; through Christ-like words and acts of service,” President Evans said.
The overall idea behind the project is to focus on spreading goodwill and joy around to those around you as much as possible during the season through a variety of ideas, from large to small.
Members, and everyone who participates whether church member or not, are encouraged to perform acts of service, donate to local and global charities, and attend a variety of events virtually or in person.
The hub for activities can be found at LightTheWorld.org, which gives users access to inspirational videos, links to charitable donation sites, project ideas, and a number of other tools including a “kindness randomizer” that lets people randomly generate a person and an activity to direct an act of kindness toward.
The project also looks to reach out to younger, and international audiences who use social media and other online services for information and communication. Texting “light” to 71234, for instance, will provide responses that suggest service ideas based in Jesus’ teachings. Ideas can also be found on WhatsApp and GivingMachine.org.
A link on the page also provides a playlist of devotional songs performed by the world famous Tabernacle Choir, and an interactive map of local meeting places for the Christmas, December 22 service can be used at any time to find the nearest church.
The campaign was introduced by a video filmed around the world, and featuring the collaborative efforts of individuals from London and New York to Tokyo and Sydney, among others. The idea is the make this season one of brotherhood and shared purpose for making the world a better place.
Find more information at LightTheWorld.org.
