Service: Service, Sacrifice and Missionary Work

Who am I to serve today?

INTRODUCTION

            At each season in your life the service you render may be given in different ways. No matter how you serve, always look to the Savior as your example. Even though He came to earth as the Son of God, He humbly served all those around Him. He declared, “I am among you as he that serveth.” (Luke 22:27)

The Savior invites you to give of yourself in the service of others. Your opportunities to do so are limitless. Each day, look for ways to gladden hearts, to say kind words, to perform labors for others that they cannot do for themselves, to share the gospel. Be receptive to the whisperings of the Spirit, prompting you to serve. You will find that the true key to happiness and joy is to labor for the happiness of others.

Serving your fellow men is not always convenient. It may require sacrifice on your part. To sacrifice is to give up something you value for the sake of something of greater worth. As you sacrifice, your faith develops and deepens. As you view life with an eternal perspective, you can see that giving up the things of the world is really no sacrifice at all. The blessings you receive are greater than anything you will ever give up.

As you serve you experience the blessings of gospel living bringing joy that fills your heart and creates a desire to share those blessings with others. The Lord has declared that missionary work is the responsibility of all Latter-day Saints (see D&C 88:81). As a member of the Lord’s Church, you can, by the goodness of your life and the strength of your testimony, help prepare your family members, friends, and other acquaintances to meet with the missionaries. You can pray for opportunities to tell others about the restored gospel, then you can be alert watching for those precious opportunities as they come. (True to the Faith, p. 162, 105 &149)

POINTS TO PONDER

• As I look to the needs of others I am showing my Father in Heaven the gratitude and love I feel for Him.
• Giving selfless service blesses my life with an abundance of spiritual blessings.
• As I draw closer to the Spirit I become more selfless and willing to sacrifice my own desires for the welfare of others.
• Earnestly seeking the Spirit in my life helps me to live in such a way that sharing the gospel comes more naturally.

SUPPORTING SCRIPTURES AND QUOTES

As I look to the needs of others I am showing my Father in Heaven the gratitude and love I feel for Him.

“And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.” (Mosiah 2:16-17)

“Some callings and assignments in the Church may seem insignificant and unimportant at the time, but with each willingly fulfilled assignment, love of the Lord will grow. We learn to love God as we serve and know Him.” (Marvin J Ashton, Ensign, May 1981, 24)

 “Let us serve the Lord in righteousness all the day long and He will be our Father and Friend, and our enemies shall have no power over us.” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church, Joseph F Smith, 417)

 “May you realize that this is your world, a beautiful world with unlimited opportunities to grow, to learn, and to serve. Will you make it a better world through the preparations you make now and the noble service you render throughout your life as a token of the love you have of your Father in Heaven and his Son.” (Robert L Backman, Ensign, November 1980, 42)

Giving selfless service blesses my life with an abundance of spiritual blessings.

“For thus saith the Lord – I, the Lord, am merciful and gracious unto those who fear me, and delight to honor those who serve me in righteousness and in truth unto the end. Great shall be their reward and eternal shall be their glory.” (Doctrine and Covenants 76:5-6)

“Latter-day Saints are uniquely committed to sacrifice. In partaking of the sacrament each week, we witness our commitment to serve the Lord and our fellowmen. In sacred temple ceremonies we covenant to sacrifice and consecrate our time and talents for the welfare of others.” (Dallin H Oaks, Unselfish Service, Ensign, May 2009, 94)

“As we invest our time, talents, and means to build Zion, our hearts are purified, our wisdom increases, celestial habits begin to form, and the Holy Spirit prepares us to receive the presence of the Father and the Son. By thrusting in our sickles, we reap a double portion – for ourselves and for the kingdom.” (Dale E Miller, Ensign, May 1998, 30)

“Service changes people. It refines, purifies, gives a finer perspective, and brings out the best in each one of us. It gets us looking outward instead of inward. It prompts us to consider others’ needs ahead of our own. Righteous service is the expression of true charity, such as the Savior showed… Service helps us establish true values and priorities by distinguishing between the worth of material things that pass and those things of lasting, even eternal value… Service helps us establish a righteous tradition… Service helps us overcome selfishness and sin… Service helps us generate love and appreciation. We come to know people by serving them – their circumstances, their challenges, their hopes and aspirations… Service is the principal way of showing gratitude to the Savior… Service channels our desires and energies into righteous activity… Service helps us cleanse ourselves and become purified and sanctified… Righteous service brings us nearer to Christ, increases our spirituality, and brings others likewise. Such service is helping to prepare a people worthy, in the Lord’s due time, to redeem Zion.” (Derek A Cuthbert, Ensign, May 1990, 12-13)

“The real secret of happiness in life and the way in which to prepare ourselves for the hereafter is service.” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church, Heber J Grant, 143)

“It is a God-given law that in proportion to the service we give, in proportion to what we do in this church and out of it – what we are willing to sacrifice for the Church and for those to who we owe our loyalty outside of Church activity – we shall grow in the grace of God and in the love of God, and we shall grow in accomplishing the purposes of our being placed here on the earth.” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church, Heber J Grant, 144)

“There is more spirituality expressed in giving than in receiving. The greatest spiritual blessing comes from helping another…If you would be happy, render a kind service, make somebody else happy.” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church, David O McKay, 183)

“It is by serving that we learn how to serve. When we are engaged in the service of our fellow men, not only do our deeds assist them, but we put our own problems in a fresher perspective. When we concern ourselves more with others, there is less time to be concerned with ourselves! In the midst of the miracle of serving, there is the promise of Jesus that by losing ourselves, we find ourselves![See Matthew 10:39]” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church, Spencer W Kimball, 85)

“There is great security in spirituality, and we cannot have spirituality without service!” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church, Spencer W Kimball, 87)

As I draw closer to the Spirit I become more selfless and willing to sacrifice my own desires for the welfare of others.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

“The most worthy calling in life… is that in which man can serve best his fellow man… The noblest aim in life is to strive to live to make other lives better and happier.” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church, David O McKay, 184)

 “We should all be willing to labor for the welfare and salvation of the people – to sacrifice our own desires and feelings for the good of the whole, being perfectly willing to do the bidding of the Almighty, with no will of our own but to serve the purposes of the Lord… We are laboring for the salvation of soul, and we should feel that this is the greatest duty devolving upon us. Therefore, we should feel willing to sacrifice everything, if need be, for the love of God, the salvation of men, and the triumph of the kingdom of God upon the earth.” (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church, Joseph F Smith, p. 342-343)

Joseph Smith stated, “A religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation… It was through this sacrifice, and this only, that God has ordained that men should enjoy eternal life.” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church, Harold B Lee, p. 157)

“One can never tell what will be the result of faithful service rendered, nor do we know when it will come back to us or to those with whom we are associated. The reward may not come at the time, but in dividends later. I believe we will never lose anything in life by giving service, by making sacrifices, and doing the right thing.” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church, Heber J Grant, 143)

Earnestly seeking the Spirit in my life helps me to live in such a way that sharing the gospel comes more naturally.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)

“Therefore, hold up your light that it may shine unto the world. Behold I am the light which ye shall hold up – that which ye have seen me do.” (3 Nephi 18:24)

“The spirit of truth will do more to bring persons to light and knowledge, than flowery words.” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church, Brigham Young, 247)

 “When one is giving service for the advancement of humanity, when one is working without money and without price, with no hope of earthly reward, there comes a real, genuine joy into the human heart.” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church, Heber J Grant, 86)

 “Righteous members, living the gospel by example, as well as by precept, are the Church’s best advertisement!” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church, Spencer W Kimball, 262)

“Every member is a missionary… If every member will carry that responsibility… no power on earth can stop this church from growing. And personal contact is what will influence those investigators. That personal contact, the nature of it, its effect depends upon you. And that’s one thing that AI wish to emphasize. There’s one responsibility which no man can evade, that’s the responsibility of person influence… It’s what you are, not what you pretend to be that will bring people to investigate.” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church, David O McKay, 53)

“The gospel is true. By studying and living its principles and seeking the help of the Holy Ghost, any earnest seeker can know for himself that it is true. But how much easier it is to understand and accept if the seeker after truth can also see the principles of the gospel at work in the lives of other believers. No greater service can be given to the missionary calling of this Church than to be exemplary in positive Christian virtues in our lives.” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church, Spencer W Kimball, 262)

APPLICATION

· How have I grown spiritually through acts of service?

· How can you develop and maintain a love for service in the kingdom of God?

· In what ways can you determine whom to serve?

· How willing am I to sacrifice my time and talents for the good of others in service to the Lord? How can I improve?

· How can I increase my personal missionary efforts in building up the kingdom of God on the earth? What missionary experiences have I already had?

GOALS AND IMPRESSIONS

Use this space to set goals that will help you ponder your efforts to serve the Lord in your family, church callings, community and through missionary efforts. Ponder your willingness to share the gospel and reach out to those in need. As you do so record any notes or impressions that come to you as you have read and considered the quotes and references above.

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SOURCES

·  The Standard Works

·  The Gospel and the Productive Life, Religion 150, 2004

·  Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Heber J Grant, Joseph F Smith, Harold B Lee, Brigham Young, David O McKay, Spencer W Kimball

·  Conference Ensigns and Church Magazines

·  True to the Faith – A Gospel Reference, 2004