Gospel Topic # 10: Service

What kind of service does heaven require? “The Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind; and the willing and obedient shall eat the good of the land of Zion in these last days.”

I pause when I think of the words of President John Taylor (1808–87): “If you do not magnify your callings, God will hold you responsible for those whom you might have saved had you done your duty.”

Like a glowing searchlight of goodness is the life of Jesus as He ministered among men. “I am among you as he that serveth,” Jesus declared as He brought strength to the limbs of the cripple, sight to the eyes of the blind, hearing to the ears of the deaf, and life to the body of the dead.

President Thomas S. Monson, "The Savior's Call to Serve", Liahona August 2012

. . . the Prophet Joseph Smith’s mother, Lucy Mack Smith, described in these words: “We must cherish one another, watch over one another, comfort one another and gain instruction, that we may all sit down in heaven together.”

There are three parts to that remarkable description of the qualifications to associate in a state of happiness with God. One is to care for each other. Another is to teach each other and be taught. And the third is to sit down together with God.

President Henry B. Eyring, "The Caregiver", Broadcasts

. . . I see the compassionate and caring Son of God purposefully living each day. When He interacted with those around Him, they felt important and loved. He knew the infinite value of the people He met. He blessed them, ministered to them. He lifted them up, healed them. He gave them the precious gift of His time.

“In our day it is easy to merely pretend to spend time with others. With the click of a mouse, we can ‘connect’ with thousands of ‘friends’ without ever having to face a single one of them. . . I believe that we are not headed in the right direction, individually and as a society, when we connect with family or friends mostly by reposting humorous pictures, forwarding trivial things, or linking our loved ones to sites on the Internet. I suppose there is a place for this kind of activity, but how much time are we willing to spend on it? If we fail to give our best personal self and undivided time to those who are truly important to us, one day we will regret it.

“Let us resolve to cherish those we love by spending meaningful time with them, doing things together, and cultivating treasured memories.”

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "To Give of Ourselves", New Era November 2012

We must be an integral part of a community of Saints, serving and receiving service from our brothers and sisters in the gospel. With baptism we become part of the body of Christ (see 1 Corinthians 12:11–13); each of us has a role to play, each of us is important, but in order to succeed we must be unified in our Savior.

Elder L. Tom Perry, "How to Endure to the End", New Era June 2012

Our highest priorities in life are to love God and to love our neighbors. That broadly includes neighbors in our own family, our community, our nation, and our world. Obedience to the second commandment facilitates obedience to the first commandment. “When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God” (Mosiah 2:17).

Elder Russell M. Nelson, "What Is Tolerance?", Liahona March 2011

Our Savior teaches us to follow Him by making the sacrifices necessary to lose ourselves in unselfish service to others. If we do, He promises us eternal life, “the greatest of all the gifts of God” (D&C 14:7), the glory and joy of living in the presence of God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks, "Unselfish Service", General Conference April 2009

Remember that Relief Society service is not limited to serving members of the Church. We all try to take care of our own, but the great sisterhood of Relief Society—and specifically compassionate service—knows no borders. That helps us engage with the family next door who are not of our faith or join in an activity to help an inner-city school or assist in maintaining the clean, safe environment of our neighborhoods and communities.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, "Charity Never Faileth: A Discussion on Relief Society" Ensign March 2011

Grace is the divine assistance or heavenly help each of us desperately needs to qualify for the celestial kingdom. Thus, the enabling power of the Atonement strengthens us to do and be good and to serve beyond our own individual desire and natural capacity.

Elder David A. Bednar, "The Atonement and the Journey of Mortality", Ensign April 2012

I found that while I was sincerely serving others, God forged my personal character. He engendered a growing capacity to recognize the direction of the Spirit. The genius of the gospel plan is that by doing those things the Lord counsels us to do, we are given every understanding and every capacity necessary to provide peace and rich fulfillment in this life. Likewise, we gain the preparation necessary for eternal happiness in the presence of the Lord.

Elder Richard G. Scott, "The Transforming Power of Faith and Character", General Conference October 2010

“Ours is the responsibility to care for the flock, for the precious sheep, these tender lambs, are everywhere to be found—at home in our families, in the homes of our extended families, and waiting for us in our Church callings. Jesus is our Exemplar. Said He, ‘I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep’ (John 10:14). We have a shepherding responsibility. May we each step up to serve.”

President Thomas S. Monson, "Heavenly Homes, Forever Families", Liahona, June 2006, pg 70

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My Position Statement:

I have a strong love for service. I know from personal experience that when we are serving others, it is so much harder to be unhappy about anything in our own lives. When we serve others, we are instilled with an ever growing love for them. You can't but start to love those you serve. So if you are angry at somebody, or unhappy with the way you have been treated by somebody, serve them, and see what happens. It has the power to work miracles in people's lives. 

We should be constantly looking around for ways to serve others. It does not have to be big, and it does not have to be fancy. But it should definitely be a regular thing in our lives. And it should start with those that are closest to us. 

Don't give absolutely everything away to charity. You still need to support yourself. But realize what you can and can't give, and do what you can for others. That is what we are here for on this earth.