Service

I woke up feeling wonderful this morning.  Especially after struggling so much this past week, I was wondering how I came to be feeling so good.  One thing I realized was that I had been making sure to serve others lately.  It's been neat to see how serving others really blesses their lives, how doing even small things can bless others.  It was also neat to ponder how it blesses our own lives as well.  For every sacrifice that we make, Heavenly Father will repay us, and the greater the sacrifice, the greater the blessings.

The way I see it, when we are struggling and serve others, we don't think so much about ourselves but start thinking more about other people, and we remember that other people struggle and have trials too, even if our trials may seem very heavy at times.  Not only that, but lifting others' burdens really does help lighten our own and make them more bearable.

This also made me think of when the Savior talks about losing our lives for His sake:  "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it" (Matt. 16:25).

I also found this wonderful advice from President Monson:

God bless all who endeavor to be their brother’s keeper, who give to ameliorate suffering, who strive with all that is good within them to make a better world. Have you noticed that such individuals have a brighter smile? Their footsteps are more certain. They have an aura about them of contentment and satisfaction—even dedication—for one cannot participate in helping others without experiencing a rich blessing himself.  (Our Brothers' Keepers, June 1998 Ensign)

Look at the life of the Savior:  even during the most difficult time of His life, even when He was carrying the cross to Calvary, He found ways to serve others and bless their lives.  As He was lead to Calvary and heard the people mourning, He chose to teach them and warn them (see Luke 23:27-31).  When He was on the cross, He comforted the repentant malefactor (Luke 23:40-43).  When He saw His suffering mother, He was thinking of her needs when He charged the disciple "whom he loved" to take care of her (John 19:26-27).  He even prayed for the Father to forgive the Roman soldiers who mocked Him and nailed Him to the cross, who "knew not what [they did]" (Luke 23:34).

If you are struggling, if you are having a hard time with whatever challenges you face, find an opportunity to help another person, whether that is by shoveling a driveway, raking a lawn, delivering cookies, saying hi, or just listening as someone's talking to you.  It will help remind you of the love of God, it will fill you with His love and peace as you get to be like the Savior who always took the time to help others even in His own distress.

Love you all, my dear friends!