I wrote the following for a speech given at my Sunday Service. It probably sounded better than it reads, but it turned out well enough to post:

What is Service?

Today we have discussed characteristics of Christ that we, as disciples of Him, are trying to emulate. “Service to others is one of the most important characteristics of a disciple of Jesus Christ. (1)” It allows us to think of others and do for others the way the Savior would if he were in our place. If done correctly, service literally allows us to act on behalf of Jesus Christ; as we give help to those in need.

Why do we serve?

President Thomas S. Monson has said that it is “the service that counts (2).” But why, why is it the service that counts above all other actions we may take in our daily life. For matters of this discussion, I would like to discuss three reasons.

It is a test of a true disciple

Those who are baptized covenant to take the name of Jesus Christ upon themselves. The prophet Alma explained this covenant to a group of new converts who wanted to be baptized. He observed that their desire to "come into the fold of God" included a willingness to give meaningful service—to "bear one another's burdens, that they may be light," to "mourn with those that mourn," and to "comfort those that stand in need of comfort (3).”
The Savior is the best example of service. Even though He came to earth as the Son of God, He humbly served all those around Him. He declared, "I am among you as he that serveth (4).”
The Savior used a parable to teach the importance of service. In the parable, He told of His return to the earth in His glory and of separating the righteous from the wicked. To the righteous in this parable He says: "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me (5).”
The righteous, who are puzzled by this declaration, ask: "Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? (6).”
Then the Lord answers, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me (7).”
Christ knows His sheep and can recognize His true disciples by the service the render to others. If we are to follow Him, and be counted worthy at the last day; we must recognize the importance of giving meaningful service to those in need.

It allows us to save ourselves

President Spencer W. Kimball observed this about service:
I have learned that it is by serving that we learn how to serve. When we are engaged in the service of our fellowmen, not only do our deeds assist them, but we put our own problems in a fresher perspective. When we concern ourselves more with others, there is less time to be concerned with ourselves. In the midst of the miracle of serving, there is the promise of Jesus, that by losing ourselves, we find ourselves. (See Matt. 10:39.)
Not only do we “find” ourselves in terms of acknowledging guidance in our lives, but the more we serve our fellowmen in appropriate ways, the more substance there is to our souls. We become more significant individuals as we serve others. We become more substantive as we serve others—indeed, it is easier to “find” ourselves because there is so much more of us to find!
George MacDonald observed that “it is by loving and not by being loved that one can come nearest to the soul of another.” (George MacDonald Anthology, Geoffrey Bles, London, 1970.) Of course, we all need to be loved, but we must be giving and not always receiving if we want to have wholeness in our lives and a reinforced sense of purpose (8).
It seems as though President Kimball is on to something. It seems to me that we are incomplete without service – that we were programmed to operate this way; and without serving others we do not feel whole. And what’s more, we cannot be whole.
Before I discuss the final reason to serve, I wish to touch on instances when no service is given and those who choose to serve.

Those who do not serve.

Unfortunately, some Latter-day Saints seem to forego unselfish service to others, choosing instead to fix their priorities on the standards and values of the world. Jesus cautioned that Satan desires to sift us like wheat (see Luke 22:31; 3 Nephi 18:18), which means to make us common like all those around us. But Jesus taught that we who follow Him should be precious and unique, “the salt of the earth (9)” and “the light of the world,” to shine forth to all men (10).”
We do not serve our Savior well if we fear man more than God. He rebuked some leaders in His restored Church for seeking the praise of the world and for having their minds on the things of the earth more than on the things of the Lord (see D&C 30:2; 58:39). Those chastisements remind us that we are called to establish the Lord’s standards, not to follow the world’s. Elder John A. Widtsoe declared, “We cannot walk as other men, or talk as other men, or do as other men, for we have a different destiny, obligation, and responsibility placed upon us, and we must fit ourselves [to it] (11).”

Those who are caught up in trying to save their lives by seeking the praise of the world are actually rejecting the Savior’s teaching that the only way to save our eternal life is to love one another and lose our lives in service (12).
C. S. Lewis explained this teaching of the Savior: “The moment you have a self at all, there is a possibility of putting yourself first—wanting to be the centre—wanting to be God, in fact. That was the sin of Satan: and that was the sin he taught the human race. Some people think the fall of man had something to do with sex, but that is a mistake. … What Satan put into the heads of our remote ancestors was the idea that they could ‘be like gods’—could set up on their own as if they had created themselves—be their own masters—invent some sort of happiness for themselves outside God, apart from God. And out of that hopeless attempt has come … the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy (13).”

A selfish person is more interested in pleasing man—especially himself—than in pleasing God. He looks only to his own needs and desires. He walks “in his own way, and after the image of his own god, whose image is in the likeness of the world (14).” Such a person becomes disconnected from the covenant promises of God (see D&C 1:15) and from the mortal friendship and assistance we all need in these tumultuous times.

Who is my neighbor?

In Paul’s day he spoke of people who had lost their way and become corrupted by Satan’s buffetings. He spoke of these people as “Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful.
In 1974 President Kimball spoke of a society that “in the last days would display…the social symptoms that existed in the time of Noah. We have very few adjectives that describe Noah’s contemporaries, but his neighbors were apparently very “disobedient” to the commandments of God, and the earth was “corrupt” and, significantly, society was then “filled with violence.” (See Gen. 6:11.)
Today all one has to do is to turn on the news to see that these words have and will continue to be fulfilled in our generation. Our neighbors, our friends, our ward lives in a world that is becoming more selfish, more prideful, more corrupt. It is said that in the last days men’s hearts will fail them and wax cold; and it is my belief that nothing can reverse the effects of that condition accept the spirit of God that comes with unselfish service. We must go to our neighbors and give freely of our time and talents-we must take the time to give to them unselfishly-for it might be that very act that saves them.
A group of individuals who once received very similar counsel asked the question, “Who then is my neighbor?” Rather than recite the parable that was prompted by that question, I wish to offer something different while also touching on my last point:
As I share these thoughts with you, think of whom your neighbors are; think of your friends and your family, look at the people around you

It saves others

1 in 8 people are statistically poor (15).
1 in 5 children are born into poverty (15).
44 Million People currently don’t have health insurance (16).
1 in 4 women will experience domestic abuse in her lifetime (17).
1.8 Million Children are current users of cocaine (18).
5 Million Adults are drug addicts (16).
3 Million Are behind bars (16).
3.5 million Kids go to schools that are literally falling apart which would cost 27 Billion to be rebuilt (16).
To say nothing of the thousands who are homeless, helpless and are most certainly feeling hopless and lost.

The hearts of men are waxing cold and failing them, there are Millions, Millions of people in need of selfless, earnest, Christ-like service; people in this city, people in this room. This is a time for men to stand up, place aside the thoughts, ideals and prejudices that keep them from helping, roll up their sleeves and say “what can I do for you today?” I testify that this world will be a better place for it, and we all will be better people.


Works Cited
1. Presidency, The First. For Strength of Youth. Salt Lake City : The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2000.
2. Monson, Thomas S. How Firm a Foundation. Ensign. November, 2006, pp. 62, 67–68.
3. Mosiah 18:8-9.
4. Luke 22:27.
5. Matthew 25: 34-36.
6. Matthew 25:37-39.
7. Matthew 25:40.
8. Kimball, Spencer W. Small Acts of Service. Ensign. December, 1974, p. 2.
9. Mattew 5:13.
10. Matthew 5:14.
11. Widtsoe, John A. Conference Report. Salt Lake City : The Church of Jesus Christ of latter-Day Saints, April 1940. p. 36.
12. Oaks, Dallin H. Unselfish Service. Ensign. May, 2009, pp. 93-96.
13. Lewis, C.S. Mere Christianity. 1980. p. 49. Emphasis Added.
14. D&C 1:16.
15. Poverty. US Census Bureau. [Online] US Government. http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/poverty.html.
16. Schlamme, Thomas. The West Wing - Two Cathedrals. [writ.] Aaron Sorkin.[perf.] Martin Sheen. [prod.] John Wells. Warner Brothers; NBC, 2001.
17. Domestic Violence Facts. National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. [Online] http://www.ncadv.org/files/DomesticViolenceFactSheet%28National%29.pdf.
18. Teen Drug Abuse Statistics. Teen Drug Abuse. [Online] http://www.teendrugabuse.us/teen_drug_use.html.