A Plan of Salvation for the Government

As the talk of Presidential candidates and politics are in the air, I've been thinking a lot about government and some of the present day issues at hand. I have a good friend in California that I'm pen pals with, and as we were talking about politics, I expressed to him that I wish there was a "plan of salvation" for our government. His response blew me away:

"It's interesting that you say how you wish there were a 'plan of salvation' for our government. I have often thought very similar thoughts, but I am reminded of some scriptures in Helaman 5:2-4:

     'For as their laws and their governments were established by the voice of the people, and they who chose evil were more numerous than they who chose good, therefore they were ripening for destruction, for the laws had become corrupted.
     Yea, and this was not all, they were a stiffnecked people...

     And it came to pass that Nephi had become weary because of their iniquity; and he yielded up the judgement-seat, and took it upon him to preach the word of God all the remainder of his days...'

I have reflected on these verses often, for I feel in many ways it describes the constituents of the United States right now. I do believe it is important to be civically involved, and for some like Mitt Romney, to run for office. But to be honest, the real impact, the real responsibility we have, will come through 'taking it upon us to preach the word of God all the remainder of [our] days...' A nation is only as righteous as its people, even it its leader is Mormon. A nation's people is only as righteous as the families and individuals who make moral decisions every day. And those individuals and families will only ever change for the good, and in turn our entire nation, if they are taught and live the gospel of Jesus Christ. You want to change the corruption, scandals, and mismanagement of our nation, as do I? Then we need to share the last, the only salvation, with the people of our country and urge them to do the same. I remember a prophet once saying that 'The gospel of Jesus Christ will be the only thing that saves the world from its own self-destruction.' Not the army, not the U.S. government, the gospel. It's always the answer." 

My friend has very good rhetoric. Using the ethos of scriptures and quotes from the prophets, his logos was very persuasive in reminding me to maintain the perspective that the Gospel is always the answer. I think because of society and being aware of the separation of church and state, I haven't always associated the gospel and its principles as answers to government problems. As with everything in life, however, the most effective solutions come from living the righteous, moral principles of the gospel and I suppose the government is no exception. It's interesting to entertain the thought of what it would be like if our nation was headed by the prophet, or even if the president and the government used the scriptures and advice from the prophet and apostles to guide the domestic and foreign affairs... I suppose only time shall tell... In the meantime, I'm grateful for my friend and his reminder. I think it's a pretty incredible perspective to follow.