"To Love is to Serve"

I'm not sure where I originally heard this saying. I searched it on lds.org but couldn't find the exact quote. There were, however, some re-wordings of it, so I will post links to some of those articles in a few minutes.

But what does it mean? The answer is simple. When my mother willingly serves someone, she does it because she loves them and is concerned about them. When the Relief Society president goes out and serves her sisters, she does it because she loves them and is concerned about them. When President Monson or any of the brethren who lead the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints serves a person, it is because they love them. They show their love for others by serving them. To love our fellowman is to serve our fellowman. Service=Love. Love=Service. 

But why do they love them? Because, as a certain familiar theme states, "We are [children] of our Heavenly Father, who loves us and we love Him." Our Eternal Father loves us so so so much! And the feeling is mutual. But how can we show our love for Him? After all, He's definitely got us beat! He shows us in the beautiful world around us, in His daily tender mercies, in miracles, in scriptures, in everyday things. 

Well, in Mosiah 2:17 it states that "ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God." Jesus expounded on this concept when He taught His followers the famous and familiar Matthew 25:35-40: 

"For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

"Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

"Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

 "When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

 "Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

 "And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

So yes, if we want to show our love to our Father above, we need to show it to His children below. To love our Father is to serve His Children. Service=Love. Love=Service. Btw--I've said that twice. You should understand it by now. :)

I hope you will go about your Sunday afternoon loving and serving your family, and look forward to a post sometime soon about some Personal Progress I've been working on! Don't forget to let me know in the comments your thoughts on loving and serving! 

I hope your Sabbath is a Delight!

Thank God for Sunshine!!!!!!

I am so grateful for sunshine!!! It brings so much happiness into my life and the lives of others. I have a missionary cousin, who, in every email she sends, tells us how wonderful the sunshine is! And it never gets old. No matter how many times she has, or will, let us know how much she loves the sunshine, I don't think I will get tired of it. I totally understand how she feels! The sun is one of the most wonderful gifts from our Heavenly Father! 

In Alma 30:44, Alma tells Korihor, the Anti-Christ, that "all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator." I think that the sun can be included in this context as a planet, even if it isn't actually one. It is a wonderful witness of God's unfailing creation. 

Sometimes the flowers aren't in bloom. Sometimes the leaves on the trees are not there. Sometimes it doesn't rain. "If the flowers, the leaves, and the rain are all creations of God," someone might ask, "then why are they not always here? Is God not 'the same, yesterday, today, and forever?" Yes, He is. The flowers will bloom again, the sky will eventually shed rain, and the leaves will grow back. "But they are not always the same; they are not always here." Look at the sun. It is always the same, it is always there. Without fail, every morning the sun will rise somewhere. It is a beautiful and constant reminder of God's mercy and love and gentleness.

There are several verses throughout the Standard Works that tell us of the glory and symbolism of the sun. I love D&C 88:7, which talks about the relationship and similarities of Jesus Christ and the sun. (Another missionary cousin of mine once told us of a church marquee she saw--'Today's weather forecast: God reigns and the Son shines!' It goes perfectly with this verse!)

A few other verses are D&C 76:70, which is about the symbolism of the sun in relation to the celestial kingdom, and 2 Samuel 23:4, once again talking about how Jesus Christ is like the sun. The sun is a wonderful way to teach people about the Savior!

Tell me your favorite things about the sun!

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On another, totally different note: In Sunday School today, my teacher showed us a neat video...I really recommend it for FHE or just for some uplifting media.

Scriptures Legacy

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