President James E. Faust
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"Selfishness and greed breed bitterness and contention; on the other hand, sacrifice and giving bring peace and contentment.
"Taking up one's cross and following the Savior means overcoming selfishness; it is a commitment to serve others. Selfishness is one of the baser human traits, which must be subdued and overcome. We torture our souls when we focus on getting rather than giving. (Children) have to be taught the joy of sharing. . . . Parents work hard and give up so much to shelter, feed, clothe, protect and educate their children.
"I have learned that selfishness has more to do with how we feel about our possessions than how much we have. A poor man can be selfish and a rich man generous, but a person obsessed only with getting will have a hard time finding peace in this life. . . ."
During the devastating attacks on the World Trade Center, Cyril "Rick" Rescorla refused to leave the doomed building in which he worked until he had guided hundreds of others out of harm's way. The delay cost him his life.
Most people do not have the opportunity to demonstrate unselfishness in dramatic ways, but "for each of us, unselfishness can mean being the right person at the right time in the right place to render service. Almost every day brings opportunities to perform unselfish acts for others. Such acts are unlimited and can be as simple as a kind word, a helping hand or a gracious smile."
