Service helps the receiver and the giver -

 Dear Family

Happy Birthday this week to Brian (Jan 24) in just two days.  News!!!  Tanner, Haley & Claire Dougall are moving back to Portland this week.  Taylor and Kelsy are expecting little boy number 3.  (It is interesting when I think back to how old I was and and when I had my 3 little ones.  Brad was 4 1/2, Brian was 2 1/2 when Amy was born.  I had my hands full.  So I really know what my grandchildren are going through with their little families.  Brad had 3 surgeries by the time he was 6.  Brian had surgery at 6 weeks.  Kenlee and Jake have lots lots trauma since Thanksgiving.  We all have had our traumas or we will have.  That's they way Heavenly Father planned it.

Today the thoughts that have been on my mind are service.  These photos remind me of the great amount of service we all give to our families.

• Service to family

To mom's and dad's serving our families seems to come naturally.  I think we get a tiny inkling of Heavenly Father and Jesus' love for all of us because of the love we have for our little families.  

I have seen this service to family in all 3 of my children and their spouses.  I watched them become parents and I watched as they worked hard to be the best parents, teachers, caregivers and examples in their work ethic, their personal habits, the way they took care of their homes, their church responsibilities and providing for their families. I've watched my grandchildren do the same.  I am in awe of you all, because I know it isn't easy.  It is hard, hard work.  It requires consistency and sometimes that is the hardest of all.  

I used to worry during the years that I was raising my family.  I worried that besides taking care of their everyday needs, was I teaching them to be contributing members of society?  Was I teaching them to have a strong work ethic, to be honest, to have integrity, to care about other people, to have a good moral code, to be prepared to be parents, to love their heritage, to have faith, to love the Lord? My grandchildren;  I think you can all be grateful for the great job your parents did and continue to do.  I've watched my children serve their children and show great Christlike love for them. I must take a moment here to mention Megan.  I have watched her devotion to her children, her sister and her sister's family, her husband and his family......and many years of serving her mother.  To me Megan is the example of Christlike love and devotion to family and her mom.  Having gone through my mother's last years and those problems; Judy and Glennda could tell you it isn't easy.  It is discouraging.  It tries the patience.  It tests your faith and inner reserves. But we love them.   It is what Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ want us to do.  Megan is my hero.  I also need to mention Kenlee and Kelsy.  I watched them along with Brad serve Joelle with all their strength in her last days. 

 

Brad was consoling Amy.  She was crying because her parents left 

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• -Service to friends

Serving our friends is easy compared to serving people we have differences with or people we don't know.  

Mosiah 4:15  "Teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness...teach them to love one another and serve one another.

President Hinckley:  "The antidote for selfishness is service, a reaching out to those about us - those in the home and those beyond the walls of the home.....a child who sees his father and mother forgo comforts for themselves as they reach out to those in distress, will likely follow the same pattern when he or she grows to maturity."

It just plain feels good to be of service.  I have devloped many lasting friendships while serving as a visiting teacher-now ministering sister.  Latest friend is Norma.  She can't stand very long, can't walk very far, is in constant pain, and needed help getting to doctor/physical therapy appointments. Last week I took her to the beauty shop. I can tell you now, we are dear friends.  It makes me feel good to help her.  One thing I also remember is that my sister Judy was a great visiting teacher.  Many of the people at her Celebration of Life, and through cards mentioned what a great visiting teacher she was.   I remember my sister Glennda tell me about her sisters that she served.  Some of them were great stories.  Thanks for the example Judy and Glennda.

• Service to associates at work, church, those in our lives

This is one of the great things about participating in our church.  We learn from an early age in Primary to give talks, to sing, to be kind to others, to try to be like Jesus. Later we participate in discussions, programs, activities all the while learning to interact and serve others.  Participating in a Roadshow or a Dance Festival is not only fun for the participant, but it give them experience in what it takes to create something worthwhile....serving together...learning to get along with others....learning what it takes to produce something as a group.  Later as they accept mission calls or accept callings in church they learn more lessons in service.  None of those responsibilities produce financial income, but they produce self esteem, experience in serving.  Those experiences in serving transfer so very well into vocations.  

THE ONE THINGS WE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND IS:  Mosiah 4:27

"See that all these things are done in wisdom and order, for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength....."

That was one thing that I learned the hard way.  All mom's put pressure on themselves to do, save, work, fix.  I have enjoyed the posts where Jake is helping the girls, and helping Kenlee.  I've watched Taylor help Kelsy.  I watched Corbin help Riley with Cole at Thanksgiving. This is good stuff!

Thank you for looking at my memory photos.  I didn't have a cell phone or FaceBook.  I love watching the posts from you my family.  Please keep it up.

Have a great week.  

Love, Mom, Grandma, Great Grandma, Sister and Aunt Suzanne

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