Sometime after the death of
Sarah, Abraham spoke to his servant about his son Isaac. He knew the importance
that Isaac marry within the covenant, and sent his servant to go and find a
wife for Isaac among his relatives, far from the promised land[1].
When the servant arrived at the
city of Nahor, he prayed to the Lord for help in identifying the woman that had
been prepared by the Lord to be Isaac’s wife. As he prayed, Rebekah came from
the city to the well, and the servant tested her according to his prayer to the
Lord. He asked that she share a little of the water that she had just obtained
from the well. In response, she offered not only for him to drink, but that she
would draw water for his camels as well.
In those arid lands, the wells
are dug deep to find water. The process of drawing water from such a well is an
arduous task. For Sarah to share only what she already had with the servant
would have been very generous. To also provide for his camels would have
required much greater work and generosity. She willingly did both not for a
family member or friend, but a total stranger, dusty and tired from a long,
desert journey.
In another time and place, the
son of a king went to preach repentance and redemption to a wild and ferocious
people. Captured and taken before the king, his words pleased the lord of the
land, and he was offered a princess to wife. Instead, prince Ammon asked humbly
and sincerely to be a servant[2].
In the service of king Lamoni,
Ammon was with a group of servants watering the king’s flocks. When others
scattered the flocks, it was Ammon who rallied the servants to gather the
flocks again. He had the servants encircle the regathered flocks, while he
alone went to battle with the would-be robbers. After repelling the robbers,
Ammon and the other servants returned with the flocks to the home of the king.
There the servants told Lamoni of Ammon’s skill and prowess. King Lamoni asked
them, ‘Where is this man that has such great power?’ The response: ‘’Behold, he
is feeding thy horses.’
Ammon, that mighty man, conqueror
of the day, had not forgotten that he had come as a servant, and his service
was not yet finished. King Lamoni noted this quality, saying, ‘Surely there has
not been any servant among all my servants that has been so faithful as this
man; for even he doth remember all my commandments to execute them.’
These examples from the lives of
Rebekah and Ammon remind us of the great need for service. Indeed, service is
an expression of the purpose of our lives. In the pre-mortal existence, we
shouted for joy over our Father in Heaven’s plan, a plan designed to provide
access to eternal happiness and felicity with our God. Our part to play was to
choose to follow our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Indeed, the Lord put it
this way: ‘And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things
whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them’[3].
Thus, while our goal here is to follow Christ back to the Father, our modus operandi is to ‘live by every word
that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God’[4].
Thus we hear and obey the command: ‘Worship God, for him only shalt thou serve’[5].
But since, by the Fall, we are
cut off from God’s direct presence[6],
how shall we serve? King Benjamin reminded the people: ‘…when ye are in the
service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God’[7].
It is interesting to note that it is in the service of others that we come
closer to God: ‘…for their labor they were to receive the grace of God, that
they might wax strong in the Spirit, having the knowledge of God’[8].
That knowledge of God is a vital part of the reason that God wants us to serve
Him through serving others. We understand that His work and His glory are the
bringing forth the immortality and eternal life of man[9],
and this is life eternal: that we might know the only true God and Jesus
Christ, whom He sent[10].
Thus the significant question:
For how
knoweth a man the master whom he has not served, and who is a stranger unto
him, and is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart?[11]
Service is thus about an eternal
outcome. It is an apprenticeship through which we learn the duties and
disciplines of deity. It patterns us after our Saviour, and imprints his image
in our countenances[12].
It is a vital part of the process through which our hearts are mightily changed[13].
Then, when we see Him, we shall be like Him, and we will be purified, even as
He is pure[14].
Thus the significance of service.
But service to God cannot be
half-hearted.
Therefore,
O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your
heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the
last day.[15]
Don’t mistake God’s desire for
total devotion as being narcissistic and selfish. No. God’s purpose in this is,
as ever, designed to maximize our happiness. Thus the Saviour explained:
No man can
serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else
he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.[16]
Total devotion on our part
prevents our trading masters for one who offers, instead of every good thing[17],
captivity and eternal misery[18].
We remember as well that, for those who are faithful servants, the promise is
to inherit all that the Father hath[19].
We must also never forget that
our own efforts, no matter how hard and long we work, are always less than how
God could have performed the same effort Himself. Thus King Benjamin bluntly
reminds us:
I say unto
you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is
preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and
move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment
to another—I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would
be unprofitable servants.[20]
Yes, we are weak and imperfect, and God could
do it better than our best efforts. The Lord taught Moroni:
I give unto
men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men
that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and
have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.[21]
I find great comfort in the
phrase “…my grace is sufficient”. Grace is another word for divine power. Sufficiency
is a measure of capacity to meet a need. God’s power is equal to every weakness
which me might experience or encounter. When we trust in God’s grace, then we
may go and do in the same faithfulness of Nephi:
I will go
and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth
no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them
that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.[22]
Elder Neal A Maxwell put it so
well: ‘God does not begin by asking us about our ability, but only about our availability,
and if we then prove our dependability, he will increase our capability’[23].
We spoke earlier about the
example of Ammon. When he and his brethren left to go on their mission to the
Lamanites, they ‘fasted and prayed much that the Lord would grant unto them a
portion of his Spirit to go with them, and abide with them’. The Lord visited
them with his Spirit, comforted them, and strengthened them throughout their
missions. The work was not easy, but the Lord had warned them to be patient in
long-suffering and afflictions. They willingly endured those afflictions while
continuing to serve, thrusting in their sickles with their might. As a result
of the Lord’s enhancement of their service, seven cities and lands of the
Lamanites were converted. After such success, Ammon exulted:
I do not
boast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; but behold, my joy is full,
yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God. Yea, I know that
I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of
myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things;
yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we
will praise his name forever.[24]
Like Ammon and Nephi, when we are
on the Lord’s errand, we are entitled to the Lord’s help[25].
My remarks to this point have
focused on the significance of service. I’ve felt impressed to highlight its
necessity in our lives, focusing particularly upon the fact that the Lord asks
us to serve so that he can bless us with the greatest of blessings. I should
add that serving others is a part of what Nephi referred to as living ‘…after
the manner of happiness’[26].
Service will increase your capacity for love, happiness, peace, confidence, and
joy. It will starve the shadow of selfishness, and bring light to your own life
as well as those whom you serve. Service is indivisibly identified with
charity. The commandment to ‘let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all
men, and to the household of faith’ carries with its completion this promise: ‘…then
shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God’[27].
To benefit from all that the Father has, take upon you the yoke of Christ[28],
and go out and serve with all your heart, might, mind and strength[29].
Lose your life in the service of God and man; you will be blessed with a new
heart and life everlasting[30].
In my first example of service in
these remarks, we noted how Rebekah chose to serve a total stranger. You will
recall that the task of drawing water was difficult, and she volunteered,
without being asked, to extend that task not only to replace the water she
willingly gave to the servant of Abraham, but also to draw water for the
servant’s camels. This was a remarkably generous gift to the weary servant, and
an answer to a prayer for direction in finding a woman of quality to be Isaac’s
wife. I particularly want to draw your attention to the fact that Rebekah
offered this service. She was not asked. She took the initiative. The words of
a favourite hymn come to mind: ‘There are chances for work all around just now;
opportunities right in our way. Do not let them pass by, saying “Sometime I’ll
try,” but go and do something today’[31].
Rebekah saw an opportunity to serve, and she did not let it pass by.
In our own lives, the
opportunities to serve will come daily, hourly, frequently. The types of
service are manifold. Some service is incidental, like the warm clasp of a
hand, or a bright smile, to lift a friend or stranger’s day. Some service is
repetitive, like providing a taxi service to your children, or leading the
family in scripture reading each day. Some service is challenging, like comforting
those who are in the depths of despair, or showing love to those who despise
us. But there is never a lack of it. We can even be of service when we are
alone, or to those whom we will never meet. Moroni, on the run from Lamanites
who desired his death, provided immeasurable service to us today, providing us with
the last few chapters of Mormon, an abridgement of the record of Ether with priceless
commentary on such things as faith, and then, when he had supposed that he
would not be able to write any more, he provided us with the jewel that is the
Book of Moroni. Meanwhile, it was said of Abraham that in every place he
camped, he dug wells and planted trees, providing refuge and relief for travellers
that would follow after.
While our opportunities to serve
are endless, I wish to draw attention to just a few in the time we have left
today. For most of them, I will merely mention the type of service, and allow
you to consider it for yourself. I encourage you to write down any impressions
that come to you during this process. Later, don’t let the opportunity to do
something about that impression pass you by. Go, and do something today.
We serve as:
- · Friends
- · Supporters
- · Students
- · Employees
- · Home and Visiting Teachers
- · Citizens
- · Teachers and leaders at church
- · Temple patrons
- · Missionaries
- · Member custodians
- · Sacrament participants
- · Followers of our church leaders
- · Neighbours
Finally, I wish to focus on an
area of particular importance and need for service. The home.
The family is the fundamental
unit of society. It is also the fundamental unit of eternity. Our service in
the home prepares us for service in our heavenly home. We have been taught that
‘[no] other success can compensate for failure in the home’[32].
Take note that this is a general statement. It applies to children as well as
parents. Note that failure in the home does not mean anything less than
perfect; rather, it means less than our best. Thus we are speaking not of a
collective, but rather an individual failure. Failure in the home can only come
for us if we fail to play our part in righteous family living.
Fathers, your role is a vital one.
You are to preside, provide, and protect[33].
These three key responsibilities will provide you with clear clues as to where
your opportunities to serve are. To preside requires that you sit in council with
your family. Your service in this area requires you to be involved with each
member of the family in a listening, empathizing, understanding, encouraging,
counselling, and teaching role. Yours is the responsibility to ensure that the
basic building blocks of a spiritual life are regularly repeated: personal and
family prayers, scripture study, gospel discussions, testimony, and so forth.
As a provider, you look out for the physical needs of the family members, working
many hours to provide the necessities of life. As a protector, you ensure that
the home is a safe haven from the world. Success requires your best efforts in
all three areas. Spend time serving regularly in each. If you find that you are
better at serving in a particular area than others, remember the purpose for
which God has given you weaknesses, and go to Him for the grace which is
sufficient to make you strong. Don’t let the opportunities that are there to be
a true patriarch to pass you by. Your children will rise up and call you
blessed[34],
and your service will bless you eternally. Go, and do something today.
Mothers, your role is equally
important. We have been taught:
Motherhood
is near to Divinity. It is the highest, holiest service to be assumed by
mankind. It places her who honors its holy calling and service next to the
angels. To you mothers in Israel we say, God bless and protect you, and give
you the strength and courage, the faith and knowledge, the holy love and
consecration to duty, that shall enable you to fill to the fullest measure the
sacred calling which is yours.[35]
Your service is primarily in
nurturing[36].
To nurture is to nourish and develop. Your clear clues for service lie in
understanding what is to grow and develop in your children, for they must grow
up in light and truth[37].
You must model correct behaviours, love unconditionally, demonstrate patience, and
forever be a soft place for any family member to fall on. Your role is made
easier by a husband who steps up to his role as father, just as his role is
made easier by your willingness to support his righteous leadership. ‘…[Neither]
is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord’[38].
The significance of your partnership with each other is further underscored by the
Lord’s warning: ‘I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine’[39].
Children, honour your parents by
doing all you can to choose the right. A unified home can rightly be called
Zion – a place of one heart, of one mind, where all are looked after, where the
pure in heart can be found, and where the Lord’s Spirit can dwell constantly in
your midst. Pattern your service, therefore, on promoting love, unity, and
trust.
Service is the great antidote to
selfishness. It is the endless opportunity for happiness and joy. It is
intended to be a work that we do in imitation of, and with the help and
strength of the Lord. I bear you my witness that a life without service is
empty, hollow, and fruitless. Contrariwise, a life filled with service is a
life filled with joy and peace with God. There are indeed chances for work all
around just now. What is the best that you can do? Don’t let it pass by. Go, and
do that today. I promise you that you will be blessed.
[1]
Genesis 24.
[2]
Alma 17, 18.
[3]
Abraham 3:25.
[4]
D&C 84:44.
[5]
Moses 1:15.
[6]
Alma 42:15.
[7]
Mosiah 2:17.
[8]
Mosiah 18:26.
[9]
Moses 1:39.
[10]
John 17:3.
[11]
Mosiah 5:13.
[12]
Alma 5:14.
[13]
Alma 5:14.
[14]
Moroni 7:48.
[15]
D&C 4:2.
[16]
Luke 16:13.
[17]
Moroni 7:20-22.
[18] 2
Nephi 2:27; c.f. 2 Nephi 9:9.
[19]
John 16:15, Romans 8:17.
[20]
Mosiah 2:21.
[21]
Ether 12:27.
[22] 1
Nephi 3:7.
[23]
Neal A Maxwell.
[24]
Alma 26:11-12.
[25]
Thomas S Monson (2007), “The Priesthood-A Sacred Gift”, General Conference
April 2007.
[26] 2
Nephi 5:27.
[27]
D&C 121:45.
[28]
Matthew 11:29.
[29]
D&C 4:2.
[30]
John 12:25, Ezekiel 36:26.
[31] “Have
I Done Any Good?”, Hymns of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
no. 223.
[32] Quoted
from J. E. McCullough, Home: The Savior of Civilization [1924], 42; Conference
Report, Apr. 1935, 116.
[33] The
First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints, “The Family: A Proclamation to the World”, 1995.
[34]
D&C 107:54.
[35] “Message
of the First Presidency,” Deseret News Weekly Church Edition, October
1942, p. 5.
[36] The
First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints, “The Family: A Proclamation to the World”, 1995.
[37]
D&C 93:40.
[38] 1
Corinthians 11:11.
[39]
D&C 38:27.
