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Serve the Lord with Love - Ensign Feb. 2014 - ensign

FI RS T P RE S I DE NCY M E S S A G E

Serve the Lord with Love

By President Thomas S. Monson

The Lord Jesus Christ taught, Whosoev er will sav e his life shall lose it: but whosoev er will lose his life for my sake, the same shall sav e it (Luke 9:24). I believ e, said President Thomas S. Monson, the Sav ior is telling us that unless we lose ourselv es in serv ice to others, there is little purpose to our own liv es. Those who liv e only for themselv es ev entually shriv el up and figurativ ely lose their liv es, while those who lose themselv es in serv ice to others grow and flourishand in effect sav e their liv es. 1 In the following ex cerpts from President Monsons ministry , he reminds Latter-day Saints that they are the Lords hands and that the blessings of eternity await those who faithfully serv e others.

Service in the Temple

Great serv ice is giv en when we perform v icarious ordinances for those who hav e gone bey ond the v eil. In many cases we do not know those for whom we perform the work. We ex pect no thanks, nor do we hav e the assurance that they will accept that which we offer. Howev er, we serv e, and in that process we attain that which comes of no other effort: we literally become sav iors on Mount Zion. As our Sav ior gav e His life as a v icarious sacrifice for us, so we, in some small measure, do the same when we perform prox y work in the temple for those who hav e no means of mov ing forward unless something is done for them by those of us here on the earth. 2

We Are the Lords Hands

My brothers and sisters, we are surrounded by those in need of our attention, our encouragement, our support, our comfort, our kindnessbe they family members, friends, acquaintances, or strangers. We are the Lords hands here upon the earth, with the mandate to serv e and to lift His children. He is dependent upon each of us. That serv ice to which all of us hav e been called is the serv ice of the Lord Jesus Christ. 3

Serving in the Saviors Shadow

In the New World, the resurrected Lord declared, Y e know the things that y e must do in my church; for the works which y e hav e seen me do that shall y e also do; for that which y e hav e seen me do ev en that shall y e do [3 Nephi 27 :21 ].
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Serve the Lord with Love - Ensign Feb. 2014 - ensign

We bless others as we serv e in the shadow of Jesus of Nazareth who went about doing good [Acts 1 0:38]. God bless us to find joy in serv ing our Father in Heav en as we serv e His children on earth. 4

The Need to Serve

We need to be giv en a chance to serv e. For those members who hav e slipped from activ ity or who hold back and remain noncommittal, we can pray erfully seek for some way to reach them. Asking them to serv e in some capacity may just be the incentiv e they need to return to full activ ity . But those leaders who could help in this regard are sometimes reluctant to do so. We need to bear in mind that people can change. They can put behind them bad habits. They can repent from transgressions. They can bear the priesthood worthily . And they can serv e the Lord diligently . 5

Are We Doing All We Should?

The world is in need of our help. Are we doing all we should? Do we remember the words of President John Tay lor: If y ou do not magnify y our callings, God will hold y ou responsible for those whom y ou might hav e sav ed had y ou done y our duty ? [Teachings of Presidents of the Church: John Taylor (2001 ), 1 64]. There are feet to steady , hands to grasp, minds to encourage, hearts to inspire, and souls to sav e. The blessings of eternity await y ou. Y ours is the priv ilege to be not spectators but participants on the stage of serv ice. 6

Teaching from This Message

If y ou hav e Christlike lov e, y ou will be better prepared to teach the gospel. Y ou will be inspired to help others know the Sav ior and follow Him. 7 Consider pray ing for increased charity for those y ou v isit. As y ou dev elop Christlike lov e for them, y ou will be better able to serv e in meaningful way s both the Lord and those y ou teach.

Youth

Summer of Service
By Elizabeth Blight One summer I spent time in a foreign country working with children with special needs. When I first met the children, I was incredibly nerv ous. I did not speak their language, but I trusted that the Spirit would guide me in my interactions. As I got to know each child, I realized that language is not a barrier to lov e. I play ed, laughed, and did crafts with the children and could not help but feel complete lov e for them. I glimpsed the lov e that Heav enly Father has for His children, and the joy that filled my heart defied description. Whenev er I serv e others, I feel lov e not only for those that I serv e but also for Heav enly Father. I truly hav e come to know that when y e are in the serv ice of y our fellow beings y e are only in the serv ice of y our God (Mosiah 2:1 7 ). The purpose of my serv ice, whether in big serv ice projects or through small acts of kindness, has been to glorify God (see Matthew 5:1 6). I hope that as I serv e others, people will recognize my lov e for Heav enly Father and the Light of Christ that burns within me. The author liv es in V irginia, USA.

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Children

Links of Love
Hav e an adult help y ou cut out 28 thin strips of paper, each about 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide and about 8 inches (20 cm) long. Each day this month, perform an act of serv ice to show y our lov e for someone. Y ou might help y our parents clean y our home or write a kind note to a neighbor. Write down how y ou serv ed each day on one of y our paper strips, and then tape or glue the ends of the strip together to make a circle. Y ou can connect y our circles by sliding one end of a new paper strip through the circle from the prev ious day before y ou tape or glue the ends of the new strip together. Watch y our links of lov e grow! Y ou could ev en continue adding to y our serv ice chain after February is ov er.
Notes

1 . What Hav e I Done for Som eone Today ? Ensign, Nov . 2 009 , 85. 2. Until We Meet Again, Ensign, May 2 009 , 1 1 3 1 4 . 3. What Hav e I Done for Som eone Today ? 86 , 87 . 4. The Sav iors Call to Serv e, Ensign, Aug. 2 01 2 , 5. 5. See Others as They May Becom e, Ensign, Nov . 2 01 2 , 6 8. 6. Willing and Worthy to Serv e, Ensign, May 2 01 2 , 6 9 . 7 . Teaching, No Greater Call: A Resource Guide for Gospel Teaching (1 9 9 9 ), 1 2 .

Officia l W eb sit e of T h e Ch u r ch of Jesu s Ch r ist of La t t er -da y Sa in t s 2 0 1 4 In t ellect u a l Reser v e, In c. A ll Rig h t s Reser v ed

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