Service

By Rebecca Talley

Saturday was a super-service day in our ward. We cleaned the highway (7 miles, both sides). It never ceases to amaze me what people will throw out the window of their vehicles. I don't understand why motorists won't keep their trash a few more miles and throw it in a dumpster. We pick up plenty of beer cans and beer bottles. Do you think these people are drinking and driving? You bet they are. They finish their brew and out the window the can or the bottle goes.

The scariest thing my husband ever found was a hypodermic needle. Thankfully, he was wearing gloves so it didn't stick him.

After the highway clean-up, we had a blood drive. Donating blood is a great service to those who need it and they constantly need more blood donations (if you can pass all those embarrassing questions). My husband, one of my daughters, and I all donated. I even have a big bruise to prove it.

We also had some humanitarian projects like tying quilts and assembling school kits.

Our high school (located in a city 25 miles away) has adopted a service component for graduation. Students may not graduate unless they've completed 20 hours of service. I think this oversteps the bounds of the school, but illustrates how little service is done in some areas. In my small rural community, we are constantly involved in large and small service projects from moving people to making meals for those in need to donating blood. I'm blessed to not only live in a community that values service, but to be part of a church that provides service opportunities for its members. We are all better people when we look outside of ourselves and serve others.

Spontaneous Acts of Service

By Sidne O'Reilly - The Twelve Week Challenge

Spontaneous Acts of Service are part of the 12 Week Challenge. Saturday I had a lovely demonstration of that in my own family.

I am blessed to have 4 of my 6 children living in the same city I live in. We all moved to Utah within a year of each other. Some of us moved from Arizona and Nevada. One daughter joined us from New Mexico. What a delight to have so many loved ones nearby. Since we all moved here we started a tradition of gathering to celebrate birthdays once a month. We thought for sure that by this time of year we could easily meet in the park and it would be fine. (There are 30+ of us altogether which makes quit a houseful.) The sun was shining overhead. It looked like it might be a perfect day. I had worn a long-sleeved sweatshirt, (my favorite with an embroidered message of “Grand kids, pieces of the heart.”), thinking that it turned a little cool I would be fine. What I didn’t factor in was the wind-chill. It was freezing! Even as I sat there cuddled up with a sweet Grandbaby swaddled in blankets, I froze. One of my daughters in law, Denise, saw my predicament and despite my protests had her daughter get another baby blanket out of the car to put around my shoulders. How grateful I was. The blanket didn’t just warm me on the outside, but warmed my heart as well. She is such a great example of spontaneous service.

Young mothers are sometimes a little overwhelmed with family responsibilities. Lessons at church on serving others can seem overwhelming it’s true. But what we don’t want to loose sight of are the small opportunities to serve another. They are all around us. A spontaneous act of service can be as small as a smile. All we have to do is be conscious of those around us as Denise was. The funny thing about service is that I’ll bet in some way Denise’s consideration for me warmed her too.
What small act of service can you do today? I’m cheering for you, Sidne