Service

I do not often Post or Blog this close together. But today I have a topic that I feel needs to be addressed, especially for me. Service.

This week we are having a service activity, where the R.S will be prepping and serving dinner to the Men in our ward. The deeper into planning and executing, the more questions have come up. One of these questions being- What is service? How does this pertain to service? Why?

So I started to do some research on the topic. There are a few different views and meanings of service-

There is Service that which is done to upkeep. Such as servicing a vehicle.

There is Service that which is done by a person within the Military, Having the occupation of serving.

There is Service wherein providing a product, doing something such as a restaurant a food service, or a repair service- fixing and repairing.

Then there is the service which I am specifically referring too. The exact definition upon google being- " The Action of Helping or doing work for someone." Synonyms that are listed, come such as- favor, good turn, kindness, assistance, help, aid, etc.

If we take all 4 types of "Service" We can clearly see that they all meet with the same goal. Doing something for someone else. When we service a car- it is to keep the car running so the person using it can continue to use it. When someone serves in the Military or anytime of special forces- they are serving for their country, their state, their city, their home, their family and their friends. When there is a service offered- a restaurant, serving their customers, a repair shop- fixing something broken for someone who needs it.

All of these equal- helping or doing work for someone. What was the focus in all of these scenarios?
-Person in need of a repair, The person in need of defending and security, the person in need of kindness, the person in need of adequate and functioning items.-

We can see the focus of service is on a person or people. Service is a focus on doing something for someone else. Service is not about me. I primarily find service to be something you don't have to do. Sometimes you need to. But often I find it to be something that needs to be done, that you don't have to do.

The Savior He gave His life for me. For you and for everyone. This was essential for our salvation. It was something that needed to be done. But it was not something that He HAD to do. He did it because He loves us.

In the Gospel Service is rendered in many ways- In a talk I was going through, Elder Steven E. Snow said this- "Service is to be given unselfishly, we give it when needed not when convenient, We need to and have an obligation to serve in callings, and then we need to serve in communities" - "Service requires unselfishness, sharing and giving."

Aren't these all things our Savior did? Is that not what service is?

To me- Service is not just helping someone- it's EVERYTHING. It's looking at someone else besides ourselves. Putting their needs above our own. It's taking time to think about those around us.

So when i look at our activity this week, What is service? It's a matter of taking time to think about and do something for someone else. How does this pertain to service? When the sisters prepare dinner and set up a place for fun and take time to spend there, how is that not service? Focusing on someone else? The brethen, how is that not service? And finally Why? Well the best answer i can give to that is, Why not? Are we not ALL Children of God? Are we not ALL in need of mercy of our Savior? And have we not all got a moment to think about those around us, even if it is something small such as bringing a bowl of Salad so a young man can enjoy some?

Life is challenging. This I know. But Service is Crucial in our Salvation. So when you wonder what service is, or how something is service. I ask you to pray about it, find a way to serve another and look outside yourself. Do as the Savior would do.

Love one another. And Make your focus about them.

Alyssa