Ideal birthday gift for Pres. Monson
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Last year, on the occasion of his 81st birthday, President Thomas S. Monson was asked to describe the ideal birthday gift. Without hesitating, he said, "Do something for someone else on that day to make his or her life better. Find someone who is having a hard time or is ill or lonely, and do something for them. That's all I would ask."
This year, as the Church News planned a report about President Monson's birthday, we invited readers to tell us about their "birthday gifts for President Monson." Following are highlights of service members have performed in his honor. We're almost certain that more reports will be sent about service performed on the date of his 82nd birthday, which is Aug. 21.
A member who identified himself (or herself) as "a member of the Troy Alabama Branch" wrote: "There are so many I would love to share but one of my favorite gifts of service is our branch president's wife who goes to the library every two weeks and checks out books on CD for an elderly homebound sister."
A mother of three wrote that she works full time and receives service from others, and would like to do something for them in return but is limited financially and physically. "Knowing that President Monson's birthday is coming … I prayed to Heavenly Father to have the opportunity for the gift of service," she wrote. A few days later, her mother bought some clothes for her youngest child, but they didn't fit. "I thought of [a couple]... who have several children and gave that mother a call. She came right away and was so happy, as she and her husband have been suffering money wise also and had not been able to get clothes for the children to go back to school."
Youth from the tri-state area of Maryland, Pennsylvania and West Virginia participated in a three-day youth conference held at Potomac State College located in Keyser July 16 to 19. Part of the conference could be described as one big birthday gift to President Monson. On one day they participated in a service scavenger hunt. "Many kind and considerate homeowners allowed these youth great opportunities to serve and develop a skill or two," wrote Jane Dumont, public affairs director of the Martinsburg West Virginia Stake. "Some of the services rendered were washing cars, washing windows, walking dogs, painting porches, moving air conditioners and taking down curtains."
Primary children in the Natchitoches Ward, Alexandria Louisiana Stake, had a party on Saturday, Aug. 8, to celebrate the 131st birthday of the Primary and President Monson's birthday. In honor of President Monson's request for service, they made thank you cards for the full-time missionaries serving from their stake and also for those in the military serving overseas. They invited friends to the party.
Teresa Yetter, of the Herimosa Vista Ward, Mesa Arizona Stake, said she noticed a sheriff's vehicle behind her when she stopped at a fast-food restaurant's drive-through window. She remembered a story about someone who paid for the meal of someone behind him in line and decided to try it. "I told [the cashier] to just tell the officer, 'Thank you for your service to our community, and have a great evening.' I don't know 'the rest of the story' but it changed my heart for the rest of the day, which was a great pay-back!"
Annette Mier of the Millstream Ward, Salt Lake Grant Stake, said that a few Relief Society sisters threw a birthday party for a sister who has some disabilities. "She lives with her niece who works and she was going to be alone all day on her birthday," Sister Mier wrote. "Her favorite color is pink, so we bought pink gifts. Her speech is very hard to understand, but she (and we) had a great time and shared lots of laughter and hugs."
A student who was struggling financially couldn't afford a college textbook. The professor let her borrow an older edition, and then, on the first day of class, announced that the student would serve as class secretary and her "pay" would be free copies of other books required for the course. "Little did she know what a tender mercy that was in my life — money had been tight, and I was planning on just getting the books from the library. ... By allowing me to 'pay' her back through service, I was able to take the class with dignity and joy."
Tanya Johnston wrote that the Primary children in the Leonora Ward, Mesa Arizona Hermosa Vista Stake, perform a service for someone each week. Leaders made a large "poster-board cake" for President Monson's birthday. Each week, the children write on a paper candle the service they provided and then add the "candle" to the "cake."
Bishop Kevin Thompson of Queensland Ward, Calgary Alberta South Stake, said that his ward adopted as a theme "gifts of service" for President Monson's birthday.
"Little did I know that I would end up as the one in need of this service," he wrote. "During the year I was required to undergo painful back surgery which, after unforeseen complications, left me feeling somewhat helpless as to how I could get done all that I needed to do as a father, bishop and employee. While recuperating I was the recipient of many kind acts and gifts of service from the wonderful saints of my ward. For example, one day while undergoing designated bed rest at my home due to leaking spinal fluid, all the youth of my ward gathered around my window in my backyard and sang to me a hymn of Zion and wished me well. This lifted my flagging spirits at low point for me. Another day I awakened to the sound of a lawn mower in my back yard to find my neighbour — a member of our ward — mowing my lawn, which he continued throughout the year. One of the most poignant experiences was having my priests quorum come and administer the sacrament to me in my home one Sabbath day when I was unable to attend meetings due to health. They came and blessed the sacrament for me and then held a quorum testimony meeting in my home that lifted my spirits considerably. My personal testimony of service and my empathy for those to whom it has been rendered has been uniquely deepened thanks to the kind and unselfish acts of those faithful saints in my ward who took up President Monson's 2008 birthday request and made it their motto this year."
