Monday, March 23, 2009

When I'm Helping, I'm Happy

Another of the principles of the gospel that is important in helping us jettison the unnecessary pain in our lives is service. It can also help us through the necessary pain. Many years ago an article appeared in the Church News about a woman in a nursing home who was suffering from cancer. The woman, in her 80s, lived in constant debilitating pain despite the medication she was on. A ward Relief Society leader brought her two dolls to fix up so they could be given to needy children for Christmas. When the Relief Society leader returned the dolls were ready and, in addition, the woman had made 11 baby quilts to be given to the poor. Subsequently seven more dolls were taken to the woman who made beautiful bonnets, dresses and coats for six of them before she died.

After her death her family found her diary and read the following entry, “3 a.m., couldn’t sleep, the pain was intense. Decided to work on the dolls, and the pain went away.” The following pages were filled with the same report, “Decided to work on the dolls and the pain went away.” (Church News, April 21, 1985, p. 16.)

As King Benjamin so aptly put it, “When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God” (Mosiah 2:17). And when you are serving God, you forget about yourself and open yourself up to the gifts and joys He is trying to give you.

6 comments:

Wendi said...

I had a great talk with my brother and his fiance today. We talked a lot about her goal to eventually be baptized and how she feels about the church. I appreciated being able to talk with them openly about that. And I also enjoyed my bedtime story last night. Thanks for your insight--even from way back then! :)

Sherrie Mills Johnson said...

Wendi, I'm glad you enjoyed your bedtime story! Ouch! Way back then!!!. . . I am getting old!

Connie said...

Thanks for a timely reminder. I do serve however not as much as I have in the past...time to step it back up a notch...like my mom always said, I hurt whether I do something or not so I might as well do something.

Sherrie Mills Johnson said...

Oh, Connie, I love your mother's advice. I will remember that forever. Thanks for sharing it!

Chrystal said...

There are tears in my eyes. I love this truth!

Sherrie Mills Johnson said...

Cbracken, Thank you so much for stopping by. I'm glad you enjoyed this. I hope you'll stop by some more!