In these days of selfishness, what is the most important contribution we can make?
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.

Sometimes the solution is not to change our circumstance, but to change our attitude about that circumstance; difficulties are often opportunities for service. Someone has said that hell “is frozen in self-pity.”

God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs. Therefore, it is vital that we serve each other in the kingdom. The people of the Church need each other’s strength, support, and leadership in a community of believers as an enclave of disciples. In the Doctrine and Covenants we read about how important it is to “… succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.” (D&C 81:5.) So often, our acts of service consist of simple encouragement or of giving mundane help with mundane tasks, but what glorious consequences can flow from mundane acts and from small but deliberate deeds!

As the contrasts between the ways of the world and the ways of God become sharpened by circumstance, the faith of the members of the Church will be tried even more severely. One of the most vital things we can do is to express our testimonies through service, which will, in turn, produce spiritual growth, greater commitment, and a greater capacity to keep the commandments.

There is great security in spirituality, and we cannot have spirituality without service!

Click here to read the full message by President Spencer W. Kimball.

Parts of this message are included here to help motivate me to serve more.

Was I prepared for the marathon? Sure, I had trained for months. But at the race site, I found I needed help just to run.

The last thing my mom asked me before I left for St. George, Utah, was, “Do you have your shoes?”

As facetiously as she had asked the question, I answered, “Yes.” Who would forget to take running shoes to a race?

Now it was 5:00 a.m., just before the start of the St. George Marathon, and I realized I hadn’t told my mom the truth.

Humility came quickly. I found myself begging. As the other runners were loading on the buses that would take them to the starting line of the 26-mile race, I was approaching strangers.
“Do you have any extra shoes?”
I got a few laughs, some sympathy, no shoes.

One man heard my plea just as he was boarding the bus. He stepped out of line, walked several blocks to his parked car, and retrieved an extra pair of shoes.

“They’re good shoes, but I don’t use them anymore,” he said as he handed them to me. “You can keep them.”

My gratitude for this man didn’t take the pain out of my feet, protected during the race by shoes that were a half size too small. And, even though I don’t remember his name or where he was from, I will always remember the gift of his extra shoes that stretched my understanding of what service can be. He taught me that service isn’t always something we organize as an activity. Service is helping people who need assistance, whether it’s planned or not.

Although I didn’t have use for them after the race, it was years before I finally got rid of the snug-fitting shoes. To me they stood as a monument to a random act of service. The man didn’t have to give me his shoes. He could have boarded the bus to the starting line and never thought about me again. But he took the time to walk to his car and bring me his extra shoes. It was as though he had made the decision years ago to take advantage of every opportunity to serve.

I’ve been told not to judge a man until I’ve walked a mile in his shoes. After 26 miles of running that Saturday morning, I suppose I can judge the size 10 man who gave me his extra pair. He was willing to go out of his way to help me, without expecting anything in return. He didn’t want money. He didn’t even want his shoes back. He just didn’t want to pass up the opportunity to serve.

Story quoted here in order to help motivate me to serve in small ways and even be prepared to serve in the future by setting things aside for future service opps.

In 2004 I was assigned to visit teach Hazel with a companion who couldn’t always come. I didn’t know Hazel at all before the assignment she was a return missionary, so I automatically thought there was nothing I could teach her. What could I, one who doesn’t know the scriptures and gospel as well as she does, teach her. She was also super smart and had a college degree, which I do not. So, I already knew this assignment would be hard. I didn’t know how to be her friend and visiting with her was very of awkward for me, especially if I had to go alone.

Anyways, I prayed in order to be guided in finding a way for me to love her. Love someone I didn’t know. It was summer time and she told me in one of our visits that she had just gotten a lawn mower, the manual ones. What?! I’d never even seen a manual one before, it looked like the ones farmers used from at least 20 years ago. I felt this had to be my queue. I started to mow her lawn, she lived a couple blocks down so I would just walk my lawn mower down to her house and mow her small front yard, so that she didn’t have to worry about doing it with the manual one. There is no way that thing even cut grass.

Doing this service for her and thinking of how it would help her throughout her week, made me feel good. After doing it for a couple weeks I started to feel a love grow for her which I never thought I’d have for someone so different and who I didn’t even have anything in common with. We eventually moved from the ward but I ended up helping with her Baby Shower, doing crafts together and had much better visits after I grew to love her. Sometimes we have to find other ways to love people besides just going to their home and sharing the lesson with them.

If you ever feel like you just don’t care for someone enough…try to serve them. I’m not the best Visiting Teacher but I know that serving definately helped me to love someone I didn’t even know. There’s a scripture about that somewhere, but don’t know it by heart. Chime in if you know it. I just have to remember to serve the sisters I have now, more often.