Today KC and I were able to tour San Quentin Prison with his Chief's Academy class. It was put together by one of the instructors under special circumstances. We were able to walk around the open "yards" and go through the halls of the cells. There were certain areas that are off limits due to high security. Those areas house the criminals that are the most threat to society.
It was very interesting to say the least. Prior to going I had read a couple of Ensign articles that ironically talked about how everyone can change...even criminals. The articles talked about how the light of Christ is in all of us and by our choices we can radiate it. So, I did a little study and choose to look at as many of the inmates in the eyes as would let me and smile at them too. I wanted to do this to see if I could still the light of Christ in them. Interestingly enough...I could a lot of the time. I even felt like a few of them were happy to have someone looking at them for who they were and not for what they had become. They even smiled back and had a softness in their eyes. However, there was an area we were allowed to go into but only behind the fence. In other words, we could all see each other but through a chain linked fence. When we were in that area I felt the spirit leave and the feeling was very dark. When I looked into their eyes there was emptiness and sadness. I really felt like those men had lost their spirits. I will not totally understand what I felt that day until after I leave this earth but I know that I did not like the way it felt.
We were also able to see the gas chamber and that was very interesting too. It was just like the movies....cold and dreary. We learned some facts about the room and where the families sit vs the witnesses. The whole thing was very sad.
I left the tour having a greater appreciation for my life, freedom, family, education, choice of food/clothing/etc and so much more. I am so grateful for the gospel in my life and that I choose to live the teachings of Christ everyday.
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