Serving
Yesterday I had an opportunity to serve the Lord by performing a small service for my fellowman. Every year our stake sets aside two days, called Days of Thanksgiving, wherein we concentrate on temple work. Everyone who can goes to the temple as often as they can to participate in ordinance work. Needless to say, the temple workers are very busy.
What we do, because our temple is small and has no cafeteria, is prepare and serve meals to the temple workers as they have time to eat. We set up in the waiting room. Caterers who are members of the church donate the wonderfully prepared food and others of us serve the meals and clean up. This gives the temple workers the opportunity to refresh themselves without having to leave the temple, which often they really would not have the time to do. I helped with this last night.
I really appreciate the service the temple workers provide and so to be able to help in a small way with providing them with a needed service makes me feel good. Ultimately, we are all serving the Lord and it's a wonderful feeling to participate in this.
After last night's dinner was finished, we packed up all the leftover food and sent it to a local charity called The Jesus House, which feeds the homeless. That was another way to serve the Lord by serving our fellowman. I was happy to be sending so much nutritious food to them--soups and salad from last night plus an assortment of other good things--as they are feeding those who often don't have much opportunity for healthy eating, or any eating. As I helped pack the food, I thought of those who would be eating it and hoped that it would brighten their spirits as well as help them physically.
There are many ways to serve and many people to serve. Whether it is someone in our family or a neighbor or a stranger, any little thing we can do can help in some way. If we will take opportunities for service as they arise, whatever they might be, we will have a chance to cheer others along their way and brighten their lives a bit. I am sure this pleases the Lord more than we can imagine.
What we do, because our temple is small and has no cafeteria, is prepare and serve meals to the temple workers as they have time to eat. We set up in the waiting room. Caterers who are members of the church donate the wonderfully prepared food and others of us serve the meals and clean up. This gives the temple workers the opportunity to refresh themselves without having to leave the temple, which often they really would not have the time to do. I helped with this last night.
I really appreciate the service the temple workers provide and so to be able to help in a small way with providing them with a needed service makes me feel good. Ultimately, we are all serving the Lord and it's a wonderful feeling to participate in this.
After last night's dinner was finished, we packed up all the leftover food and sent it to a local charity called The Jesus House, which feeds the homeless. That was another way to serve the Lord by serving our fellowman. I was happy to be sending so much nutritious food to them--soups and salad from last night plus an assortment of other good things--as they are feeding those who often don't have much opportunity for healthy eating, or any eating. As I helped pack the food, I thought of those who would be eating it and hoped that it would brighten their spirits as well as help them physically.
There are many ways to serve and many people to serve. Whether it is someone in our family or a neighbor or a stranger, any little thing we can do can help in some way. If we will take opportunities for service as they arise, whatever they might be, we will have a chance to cheer others along their way and brighten their lives a bit. I am sure this pleases the Lord more than we can imagine.
posted by Mary A | 1:43 PM
6 Comments:
You could do this again in Houston, say on the Wednsday evening shift. Just a thought.
:D T.F., I'm guessing that you are working the Wednesday evening shift. I would do it again in Houston if I could. :)
I think it is wonderful that the food was there for the Temple Workers. I am glad that they were thoughtful to give leftovers to those in need. In my area, they donate the Gingerbread Houses on Display at the Visitor Center to places such as nursing homes where they will enjoy them.
I read a post some months ago at Millennial Star about how service is most effective close to home such as the money we spend doing the most good the less distance it has to go. I think it has to do with the additional cost of transport. Yes, it is important to help those in other lands. We need to remember those closest to us as well and serve as we are able. I do believe that we can make a difference in small and large ways. I feel it is important to do whatever we do with hope that some good will come from our actions whether it is immediate or later. Sometimes it takes the culmination of much service to make an impact as we do not always receive immediate gratification. So often doing good feels so good though!
Barb, I thought it was a good thing. I agree that service close to home is a good thing. We're more familiar with what a local charity does and what they need. One of our departments at work is collecting food for the City Rescue Mission, for Thanksgiving. I like that the Church and other large organizations make it possible to help around the world, too. There are many ways to give and serve. I think that it sets a good example plus, who knows how many that are helped go on to be able to help others at a later time when their own lives are better?
This is such a great idea! Both going to the temple in marathon fashion and serving those who work in same! Can I steal it? teehee! I would love it if our temple folk did this! WHoot! I am getting excited just thinking about it!
Hi, s'mee! Sure--take the idea and run with it! We've been having these Days of Thanksgiving at the temple for several years now in our stake. I haven't heard this year's figures yet, but the number of ordinances done is usually in the 14,000 to 16,000 range for those two days. But it isn't so much the numbers as it is the people served. It's a wonderful thing for everyone.
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