Vicky Drummond began the lesson with the story of the angel that wanted to know what the difference between heaven and hell. He was shown two doors. Through one he saw a group of people surrounding a delicious smelling stew. Each person had a long handled spoon strap to their arm. It was too long to reach their mouth and so they were sitting around food, but were emaciated and miserable. In the second room the scene was much the same. But in this room the people used their long handled spoons to feed each other. Thus they were plump and full and happy (Let's pretend it was chocolate instead of stew).
Joseph Fielding Smith said, "Our Savior came into the world to teach us love for each other, and as that great lesson was made manifest through his great suffering and death that we might live, should we not express our love for our fellowmen by service rendered in their behalf? Should we not show our appreciation for the infinite service he rendered us, by giving service in his cause?"
We need each other to build the kingdom of God. Misty Amendola told the story of a Relief Society President who stopped by to check on her mother while she was pregnant, with small children, and her dad was away. That white suit was not prepared for the needs she found when she entered that house. And she probably planned several other visits that day. But instead that RS president scrubbed floors, cooked meals, and did laundry in her white suit. And that was never forgotten.
Liz Shields shared they story of her friend in Houston who felt prompted to go to the house of a sister she visit teaches. She hesitated a couple of times, and then finally listened and went. When she arrived something has just happened and this woman needed to take one of her children to the emergency room. What would that sister have done if her visiting teacher had not listened?
From President Smith: "The man who does only those things in the Church which concern himself alone will never reach exaltation. For instance, the man who is willing to pray, to pay his tithes and offerings, and to attend to the ordinary duties which concern his own personal life, and nothing more, will never reach the goal of perfection."
Never refuse to serve. Willingness to serve is not the same thing as feeling qualified to serve. Who has never had a calling that intimidated them??
Susan Fisher told us about a neighbor who was sick with pregnancy. she off offhandedly offered to bring dinner over after her kids played at Susan house. The neighbor jumped at the offer. That began the cycle of many more children playing at Susan's house and many more dinners. But it was such a rewarding experience for Susan and she was so grateful!
Sometimes you don't ask if you can serve. You need to just jump in a do it. And you need to graciously accept help when offered. It doesn't do anyone any good to take the joy out of service when we can't accept the love offered to us.
" Never refuse to serve. When a presiding officer asks your help, be glad to accept and give the best you have to that labor. The Lord expects this of us, and we are under covenant to do so. This course brings joy and peace, and at the same time those who serve receive the greatest blessing. The teacher gains more than the one taught; the blessing returned to us when we accept a call to work in the Church is far greater than the blessing we can impart to others. He who refuses to perform any labor or shirks responsibility when it is given him in the Church is in grave danger of losing the guidance of the Spirit. Eventually he becomes lukewarm and indifferent to all duties, and, like the plant that is not cultivated and watered, he shrivels up and dies a spiritual death."
When we refuse to serve we begin to become insensitive to the needs of others. Patti Simon told us about an exchange student from Finland. In her family they don't do things for each other and so I just doesn't occur to her to help in this surrogate family. She has been learning a whole new way of being a family. She watches them do things together and for each other.
President Smith assures us that: "Your able service does not go unnoticed by that God whom you serve and in whose work you are engaged."
