Today was ward conference, and I gave a talk in it. Does that sound
familiar? Well, last year I gave a talk at ward conference as well. This year, I was less nervous, and I think that is because I was well prepared (preparation, what a novel concept!) I was asked to speak two weeks ago, and my talk was basically finished on Thursday. I did do one thing that I should not have done as far as speaking, and that is... I read my talk. The whole thing. Everything but my testimony was down on paper. Every word. Horrible, I know. I just REALLY wanted to read it. Usually when I give presentations (I'm giving one in class this week) I use note cards, and I actually look at the audience. I have noticed when I give the Spiritual Thought in Young Woman’s, people look uncomfortable when I look them in the eyes, since so often people avoid eye contact when speaking. When I'm speaking in a smaller group, I am totally ok with looking people in the eyes, speaking directly to them, using note cards, etc. But not in front of the whole congregation. But still, I was much less nervous then I was last year. I know this because I did
not lock my knees the whole time I was speaking. That's probably an improvement. I did start shaking when a few people laughed at one of my stories, though. I think that's because their laughter reminded me people were actually listening to me. I had put the audience out of my mind while speaking, which wasn't that hard since I couldn't see them. I was looking down. At my paper. Which I should not have been doing. To make amends, I will use note cards and look up as much as possible during my presentation on Thursday. Its on "Water Rights." Doesn't that sound exciting?!? Anyway, here is my talk if you would like to read it. It was actually pretty fun to write, since I didn't procrastinate. (Not procrastinating, another novel concept) Oh, and just because it was fun to write does not mean I would like to speak in church again anytime soon. I would be happy to take a loooooonng break. (that's what I said last year)
Here's my talk!
Mosiah chapter 2 verse 17, says;
“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.”
When we serve others, we are serving God. I am sure you have heard that said many times before, but, have you ever really thought about it? When we serve other people who are friends, strangers, anybody, we are literally serving God. Service can be thought of in many different ways. But really service can be anything; it just has to done for the right reason. In Matthew, chapter 25 verse 40, it says.
“And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”
This scripture means that it doesn’t matter who it is that you’re serving, you are still serving God. I think it also means even if you don’t think anybody noticed a quiet act of service you gave, God still knows what you did and is thankful for it. There are also many kinds of service. Sometimes you might not think of something as service, but really it is. A few years ago I was taking some classes for school that I really enjoyed. I noticed that one of the kids was very shy and usually alone without any friends. I decided to try talking to them and be nice and try to be there friend. That was almost four years ago, and now they are one of my best friends. That may not seem like service, but in a way it was. I think that can be compared to the scripture, because when we are kind to people that others might treat as “less” because they are shy or different, we are serving God.
In the October 2008 Priesthood Session of General Conference, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf gave a talk entitled “Lift Where You Stand.” In this talk, he told a story about service that I enjoyed. The story is about a man named John Moyle who had joined the church in England and traveled west with a handcart company. He had built the home for his family in a small town that was a valley away from Salt Lake City. John was an excellent stone cutter, and he was asked to work on the Salt Lake temple because of that. Every Monday morning, John would leave his home at 2am, then he would stay in Salt Lake City working on the temple until Friday evening when he would walk home. He would usually not get home till after midnight on Friday, and he did this for years. President Uchtdorf goes on to say:
“One day, while he was doing his chores at home, a cow kicked him in the leg, causing a compound fracture. With limited medical resources, the only option was to amputate the broken leg. So John’s family and friends strapped him onto a door and, with a bucksaw, cut off his leg a few inches from the knee. In spite of the crude surgery, the leg started to heal. Once John could sit up in bed, he began carving a wooden leg with an ingenious joint that served as an ankle to an artificial foot. Walking on this device was extremely painful, but John did not give up, building up his endurance until he could make the 22-mile journey to the Salt Lake Temple each week, where he continued his work.
His hands carved the words “Holiness to the Lord” that stand today as a golden marker to all who visit the Salt Lake Temple.
John did not do this for the praise of man. Neither did he shirk his duty, even though he had every reason to do so. He knew what the Lord expected him to do.
Years later, John’s grandson Henry D. Moyle was called as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve and, eventually, served in the First Presidency of the Church. President Moyle’s service in these callings was honorable, but his grandfather John’s service, though somewhat less public, is just as pleasing to the Lord. John’s character, his legacy of sacrifice, serves as a banner of faithfulness and an ensign of duty to his family and to the Church.”
I think this story is a good example of how service is service, no matter how public or private it is. God appreciates any service we give to others, so long as we do it for the right reason. If we are doing it to make ourselves look better than others, or because we are prideful, that is not really service since we are doing it for ourselves. True, heart-felt service is what God really wants us to do.
My family has benefited from the service of others many, many times, especially from this ward. Last month, my family was sick. Many members of the ward, and a friend from another ward brought us dinner over the course of the week we were sick. That was service because they were helping us in a time of need. A few years ago, everyone in my family had the flu. We hadn’t been to the store in a long time since we were so sick, and we were having a difficult time. It was also around Halloween, but we had been too sick to go Trick-or-Treating and my siblings and I had all been sad about that. Sister Harris knew we were sick, so she brought us over some yummy food, and some of our favorite kinds of Halloween candy. When she found out that we hadn’t gone trick-or-treating, she had each of her children “donate” 3 pieces of their favorite candy, plus some of their other candy to give to us. Even though we didn’t trick-or-treat, that is probably one of the most memorable Halloweens for me because of the service of the Harris family.
I am thankful for the service in my life, both the opportunity to give it and when I receive it. I know that when we serve others we are serving God and we will be blest for it. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
I hope you enjoyed my talk! Thanks for reading it, let me know what you think! :)
