Service opportunities not obvious, must be sought
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Unselfish service, given to others with no thought of personal gain or reward, is at the heart of the gospel of Jesus Christ, said Elder Steven E. Snow of the Presidency of the Seventy, speaking Sunday afternoon.
He told of his mother, exemplary in her service to others who, a few days before she died, said her greatest regret was that she had not given more service.
"What is service and why is it so important in the gospel of Jesus Christ?" Elder Snow asked.
He said that members keep the commandment to love their neighbors as themselves as they help and serve each other.
"Opportunity to serve may not always seem obvious, as it is human nature to worry about our own wants and needs," he said. "We must resist such tendencies and look for opportunities to serve. When we visit with those who are suffering from sickness, loss of loved ones or other heartbreak, it is not enough to simply say, 'Call me if there is anything I can do."'
Rather, look for ways to bless the lives of others through seemingly simple acts of service, he continued. "It is better to do even things of little consequence than to do nothing at all."
He said that as members serve in Church callings, they bless the lives of others. Missionary and temple work also change the lives of others.
He quoted President Spencer W. Kimball, who said, "None of us should become so busy in our formal Church assignments that there is no room left for quiet Christian service to our neighbors."
He encouraged working to improve neighborhoods, schools, cities and towns, and serving in charitable causes. Unselfishness requires sharing and giving, he noted.
He told of a young Ugandan boy who shared a piece of butterscotch candy with his friends, one lick at a time. "One can argue the lack of sanitation with this gesture of sharing, but no one can dispute the example set by this young boy," said Elder Snow.
"If we fail to serve, we fail to receive the fulness of the privileges and blessings of the restored gospel."
