So the last time I was asked to give a talk was Fathers Day 05, which was right after we moved into this ward, and I had just had Bailey. Nearly 4 1/2 years later, I got the call again. I guess they wouldn't want me to feel bad or anything! :) I was asked to speak on service, which was a great topic, and I think it turned out well. (lot's of praying before hand helps!) I am posting this mostly for my parents, so no one else feel obligated to read. (But you are welcome to, of course!)
As disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, we have a responsibility to care for and serve our brothers and sisters. Elder Michael J. Teh of the Seventy said, “Many believe that for service to be meaningful it should consist of having elaborate plans and forming a committee. Although many of these worthwhile projects help, much of the service needed in the world today relates to our day-to-day associations with each other. Often we find these opportunities within the confines of our own home, neighborhood, and ward.
The words from the hymn, “Have I done any good?” are a wonderful reminder of what we ought to ask ourselves regarding service. “Has anyone’s burden been lighter today, because I was asked to share? Have the sick and the weary been helped on their way? When they needed my help was I there? Then WAKE UP and do something more than dream of your mansion above. Doing good is a pleasure, a joy beyond measure, a blessing of duty and love. Doing good truly can be a pleasure, and a blessing.
The biggest difference in the way service “turns out” is our attitude going in to it. President Eyring reminds us that the prophet Jacob said, “lift up hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees” of those around you. You are the Lords servant covenanted to do for others, as best you can, what He would do. The part in that that stands out most to me is that we are covenanted to do the best WE can. Not as much as our neighbor, or a relative is doing, but the best we can. There are times for me in my life where I feel I am not adequately serving, but I realize that at this “stage” in my life right now, as I have young children who need me to attend to most every need, this is where I am serving the Lord best RIGHT NOW. I strive to serve where and when I can, and love the opportunity to do so. Serving others can at times seem an overwhelming task. President Eyring also said in a talk during the Priesthood session, (but this also applies to the Sisters of the church) Many of us may have discovered that serving in the church will stretch you to the point that you wonder if you can stretch that far. For men, you may have thought “Once I finish my mission, being a faithful priesthood holder will get easier.” But in a few years, you found yourself getting even less sleep at night, while trying to support a wife and a new baby, being kind and loving, scrambling to get some education, reaching out to the members of your elders quorum, perhaps even helping them to move their furniture, and trying to find time to serve your ancestors in the temple. You may have kept a smile on your face with the thought: “When I get a little older, being a faithful priesthood holder will not require so much. It will get easier.” Those of you further down the road are smiling because you know something about priesthood service. It is this: the more faithful service you give, the more the Lord asks of you. Your smile is a happy one because you know that He increases our power to carry the heavier load. The tough part of that reality, however, is that for Him to give you that increased power you must go in service and faith to your outer limits. It is like building muscle strength. You must break down your muscles to build them up. You push muscles to the point of exhaustion. Then they repair themselves, and they develop greater strength. Increased spiritual strength is a gift from God which He can give when we push in His service to our limits. Through the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, our natures can be changed. Then our power to carry burdens can be increased more than enough to compensate for the increased service we will be asked to give. That helps me understand when I see someone else who makes service look easy. I know that they have either passed hard tests, or that the tests lie ahead. So rather than envying them, I stand ready to help when the going gets harder for them, because it surely will.
The Lord does not ask to serve, and leave us helpless. D&C 84:88 comforts us: “And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.” Time and again over our lives, the Lord has given up the experiences to build strength, courage, and determination. He knew how much we would need it to serve Him.
We are never forced to serve, but are given the opportunities to bless, and be blessed in return. Our Savior gave Himself in unselfish service. He taught that each of us should follow Him by denying ourselves of selfish interests in order to serve others. Elder Oaks quoted President Hinkley as saying, “He who lives only unto himself withers and dies, while he who forgets himself in the service of others grows and blossoms in this life and in eternity. President Monson said, “Perhaps when we face our Maker, we will not be asked, How many positions did you hold? But rather, How many people did you help? In reality, you can never love the Lord until you serve him by serving His people. Elder Oaks also quotes a letter from a friend as saying, “Years ago, I changed my attitude about going to church. NO longer do I go to church for my sake, but to think of others. I make a point of saying hello to people who sit alone, to welcome visitors, to volunteer for an assignment. In short, I go to church each week with the intent of being active, not passive, and making a positive difference in people’s lives. Consequently, my attendance at Church meetings is so much more enjoyable and fulfilling.” All of this illustrates the eternal principal that we are happier and more fulfilled when we act and serve for what we give, not for what we get.”
My mother in law suffered a stroke the doctors referred to as “catastrophic” in late January of this year. She has always been the one to serve in that family. She has truly been an amazing example to me of selflessness, and now she is the one being served. She is making new strides daily, and I am inspired by her strength, but especially in the beginning she needed help around the clock. We have all been able to help in some form or another, and I know I have been blessed by serving her far more than she has. Her entire ward stepped up with monetary contributions, and volunteering their time and sweat to renovate her 100 year old house to allow her to come home. I have watched her, and she has had such a hard time being on the receiving end of so much service, and feeling like she cannot do anything in return. But I feel like this is everyone else’s turn to return, in some small portion, all of the love and service she has given for her entire life. I am heart broken that this had to happen to her, but am grateful for the opportunity for our entire family to grow and show our love for her. Even my children are doing what they can, we prayed so often for her, especially in those first few weeks when it was not certain she would come out on top, that one day Tyler said to me, “Mom, I think we can stop praying for her now—Heavenly Father has heard us, and she is doing much better!” And the other night for family home evening we went over and weeded Grandmas ENORMOUS garden, and had a nice talk about serving others, and why it is important. Of course, after we got home I got a call from Brother Hirschman asking me to speak today—I think I must have room to improve. J
Another strong example of service throughout my life has been my own mother. Growing up we did not have a lot of money, but my mom did whatever she had to do to make sure we had what we needed. I remember going with her to clean a neighbor’s house, or seeing her stay up all night to sew a quilt to sell. She was blessed with an amazing ability to sew. She can see just about anything, and sew it. Every Christmas and Easter my sisters and I got to pick out the fabric, and received a new dress. Sometimes we matched (which my older sister hated and I loved) or not, but we always had a new dress to wear to church that Sunday. And despite the fact that we had barely enough to make it, my mom always made a set of dresses for a family in our ward that she knew would not have any. She somehow got the girls sizes, and would make gorgeous dresses. When I was old enough to be let in on the secret, and keep it, I was able to go with her a few times to drop the dresses off and run. It was always so exciting to see the girls at church with their new dresses, and see how happy they were.
Elder Teh shared a similar lesson he was taught by his own mother, “My mother was a great example of helping others by giving them a boost. She taught us many important lessons. The one lesson that has had the most lasting effect on my life was her desire to help anyone in need who visited our home. It bothered me to see many of them leave with our food, our clothing, and even our money. Because I was young, and we were poor, I did not like what I saw. How could she give to others when our family did not even have enough? Was it wrong to attend to our needs first? Didn’t we deserve a more comfortable life? For years I struggled with these questions. Much later in life, I finally realized what mother was teaching. Even as she struggled with the effects of a crippling disease, she could not stop giving to those in need. “Wherefore be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small and simple things proceedeth that which is great.” Serving others need not come from spectacular events. Often it is the simple daily act that gives comfort, uplifts, encourages, sustains, and brings a smile to others.
I am a strong believer in that principle; that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass. You may never know the difference a simple hello, a compliment, or stopping to chat for a minute may make in someone’s life, but it can be far reaching. I know I have been on the receiving end of many of those instances, and am grateful to those who have blessed my life.
During the 2008 Christmas Devotional, President Eyring shared a story of helping others that I had never heard before, but will forever hold dear. “Bishop Sellers ward chapel was close to the highway of the small town. During the Great Depression, destitute people traveling from town to town looking for a way to them selves turned to the LDS bishops for help. The bishops would often send them to the home of Bishop Sellers. There was a reason for that. There was a tradition in the Sellers family, they welcomed strangers in need. In stead of dinner being only a family meal, 1,2, or 3 strangers might be at the table. The strangers would be in ragged clothes. After they enjoyed a delicious meal prepared by Sister Sellers, the bishop would give them a coat from the supply of surplus Army coats he had purchased. Once fitted with a warm coat, and carrying a package of another meal prepared by Sister Sellers, they would go out into the bitter winter with warm hearts. The sites, and the sounds, and the feeling of the day would stay with them. Because some of the coldest nights in Rexburg were during the Christmas season, and because of the families tradition of year long charity, the children of the Sellers family carried a memory of parents giving gifts that Jesus would have given on the day in December when we honor Him. What a wonderful example of Christ-like service. Bishop Sellers was my great grandfather. I saw so much of that charity in my grandfather, and now realize where he learned it from.
I pray that we may all do as Elder Eyring asked, and have a part of the desire which Jehovah had, in the world before this one, when He asked to come down from the realms of glory to serve us and give His life for us. He asked His Father, “Send Me.” May we strive, whatever our circumstance, to stretch ourselves a little closer to our “outer limits,” and bless the lives of those around us through service.
This is actually the second day of school, but it was so cute--Kyle has been wearing a backpack around ALL the time, wanting to be like his big brother!
It was a little chaotic to say the least when I dropped Tyler off the first day (what can I say--my first time too!) But I snapped one photo of him playing, and oblivious to what's going on! So funny to see him with the other kids, because he is at LEAST a head taller than all of them. The playground lady has even asked him several times if he is really supposed to be on the kindergarten playground. :)
Here he is--"Going Hero!" as Ben 10 would say. I still cannot believe my little man is in kindergarten! A few days before school started, I got an overwhelming feeling about the fact that this is it for him--school for the next 12 years at least. WOW! He is so excited though. There has been a little confusion with his teacher and stuff, they had to hire another teacher because they ended up with a lot more kids than they thought. He was upset to not have the teacher that he had met for the testing, but the morning of his second day (he has been waking up at 6 or earlier because he is SO excited) he came in and was talking to me, and he said "I don't just like it, I LOVE IT!!" He says the best things. His temporary teacher came up to me after the first day and said "Holy cow, he is reading and everything already!" He is such a great boy, I am so proud of him. I had the proudest mommy moment while he was doing his assesment, so fun to see you kids grow up. :)
I had to include this on here. Mike has been working on this for a while, and is so proud of it. You can't see in the daylight, but he even put lights on it! He plans on lighting it up every win (Which hopefully is a lot!) He's received some razzing from a few neighbors, but he is super excited about it. What a handy man, and a BYU nut I have! Love both!
