Give me a number, instead of a name

The seed was planted on Sunday.
The seed of my thoughts that I am about to share with you.


During Young Women's, it appeared there. Immediately I took out my notebook and wrote this down:

"Names.

They are the number one identifier of a person.

Could you imagine what a world would be like without names?

"Hey..... you."

How many would react, thinking you meant them?

There is already such conformity in the world.

So without a name, how would we be identified?

How would we want to be identified?"

And that seed has been germinating all week.
Until today, at the temple.


Have you ever had a guest speaker in a class, or something like that, and they identified you by your clothes? I feel like this happens all the time.

"Yes.... uh, Red Shirt? Yes Red Shirt, can we get you to come up here?"

So in this hypothetical world my brain created, would we simply be identified by our appearance?

"Yes, Brown Hair with the color melt and Denim Shirt?"

Ha. Right.




I think that names easily go unnoticed. At least, that's how I was in my sheltered elementary school.
Like, those instances that I might mention a friend and based on their name, my parents would automatically make assumptions.
Like, Henry Lee. I still remember that day my dad asked if he was Asian.
"What? No!" 
I was appalled, whatever gave him THAT idea?
Because in my white dominate school, "Lee" was just another name that didn't appeal to a certain race. 




Appearance is too broad, so is it based on all the things you participate in?
"You know, she's the one that dances. And sings. And writes. And acts. And..."


Or, is by our personalities?
"Haven't you seen her? The really loud one in the hallway. She's always yelling."


Again, I pose this question:
How would you want to be identified?

"Surely you've noticed. That beautiful daughter of God? She is always smiling."