Family Home Evening Thought

Yesterday, I taught the Teachings for our Times lesson in Relief Society. The lesson chosen for me was Elder Bednar's CES fireside talk, Things as They Really Are. Also, last Thursday, Aidan and Ryan were here. Aidan and I had a discussion about service - helping other people in any way. I had a similar discussion with one of the young women two weeks ago at camp. She was surprised at the willingness of the members of the church to serve one another and others not of our faith (she isn't a member). So, my thought tonight is a combination of these experiences.

Matthee 25:31-40 talks about service to the "least of these" being the same as serving Him. King Benjamin said it beautifully in Mosiah 2:37, "...when ye are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are only in the service of your God." Elder Bednar was talking about specific subjects in his fireside, but the two questions he gave for evaluating our lives in that specific area can be paraphrased to apply to our lives as a follower of Jesus Christ:

1. Does my choice invite or impede the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost?
2. Does the time I spend in the activity I have chosen enlarge or restrict my capacity to live, to love, and to serve in meaningful ways?

My challenge to you this week is to look for a way to serve. Perhaps it is a note to someone who has a challenge in their life, a donation to help students returning to school (Many groups have "shopping" experiences with school supplies for kids who otherwise don't have school supplies. These can often be purchased and donated with maximum use of a couple of dollars by watching the sales.), a smile and encouraging words, a prayer offered for someone other than yourself. Find something you can do - King Benjamin explained the attitude we must have if we are among those who "have not and yet have sufficient, that ye remain from day to day; I mean all ytou who deny the beggar, because ye have not; I would that ye say in your hearts that: I give not because I have not, but if I had I would give." But even the person who can give nothing of material value, which is a common situation today with the economy as it is, can give of themselves in some way.

This week - serve someone else and you will find that your problems suddenly seem just a bit smaller.

PS - If you want to know what Elder Bednar was talking about, go to lds.org, Gospel Library, Additional Addresses, scroll down the list and find the talk. Powerful apostolic warning about a concern today.

Love, Mom/Sylvia