Monday, September 12, 2011

Opportunities to Do Good and Finding Joy through Loving Service

With the call to YW came another call to be on The Compassionate Service Committee- sisters called to help out when the VTers are unavailable or unable to step in. It was a week after my call and I remember thinking, "I am so overwhelmed as it is, when am I going to find time to serve more?". It was then that we were reading this first article in FHE (perfect timing!) and I learned so much from searching scriptures all about service and loving our neighbor, especially those in our own wards.

I have always liked Pres Eyring's talks. They are simple yet cause us to think and ponder. This one was no different.
"Pres Marion G Romney said of welfare work, "You cannot give yourself poor in this work." And then he quoted his mission president, Melvin J Ballard, this way:"A person cannot give a crust to the Lord without receiving a loaf in return."


Pres Eyring continues, "I have found that to be tru in my life. When I am generous to Heavenly Father's children in need, He is generous to me."





We just recently read this article last week in FHE and for our scripture study. I taught the lesson and had everyone write down some of the complications in their lives outide the home in one column and complications they feel inside the home in another. I knew ahead of time what the common complications would be in the home and geared my lesson around that. We talked about the common complication of not being able to get along with siblings and talked about ways from the talk that would help us at home.

"There are myriad ways and circumstances in which we can serve and love others. May I suggest just a few.
First, charity begins at home. The most important principle that should govern every home us to practice the Golden Rule. Take a moment and imagine how you would feel if you were on the receiving end of thoughtless words or actions. By our example, let us teach our family members to have love one for another."




5 comments:

  1. President Kimball taught:"God does notice us and watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs. Therefore, it is vital that we serve each other in the kingdom."

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  2. Christlike love should respond to the specific needs of those around us. Christ taught us this in Matthew 25. He enumerates the various acts of kindness that perfectly fit the needs:"I was an hungered and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger and ye took me in; naked and ye clothed me; I was sick and ye visited me; I was in prison and ye came unto me."

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  3. A familiar example of losing ourselves in the service of others—this one not unique to Latter-day Saints—is the sacrifice parents make for their children. Mothers suffer pain and loss of personal priorities and comforts to bear and rear each child. Fathers adjust their lives and priorities to support a family. The gap between those who are and those who are not willing to do this is widening in today’s world. One of our family members recently overheard a young couple on an airline flight explaining that they chose to have a dog instead of children. “Dogs are less trouble,” they declared. “Dogs don’t talk back, and we never have to ground them.”

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  4. That last post was not the words I wanted, I was trying to copy and paste from the talk by Elder Dallin H. Oaks, April 2009 Conference. There was a quote by Mother Teresa of Calcutta and the First Presidency message on her death. President Monson taught:"You can never love the Lord until you serve Him by serving His people.

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  5. From a talk by Elder Wirthlin, he stated: "We should well remember that the Lord often sends 'blessings from above' through words and deeds of those who love. Love is the very essence of the gospel of Christ. In this church, prayers for help are often answered by the Lord through the simple, daily service of caring brothers and sisters. I have always been humbled by the knowledge that the Savior regards us as His friends when we choose to follow Him and keep His commandments."

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