His Hands

Last Sunday members of The Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints met around the world via satellite broadcast for our Semi-Annual General Conference. Several sessions of conference include talks from our church leaders that are incredibly inspiring and uplifting. One such talk, by President Dieter Uchtdorf I am quoting belong.

"A story is told that during the bombing of a city in World War II, a large statue of Jesus Christ was severely damaged. When the townspeople found the statue among the rubble, they mourned because it had been a beloved symbol of their faith and of God’s presence in their lives.

Experts were able to repair most of the statue, but its hands had been damaged so severely that they could not be restored. Some suggested that they hire a sculptor to make new hands, but others wanted to leave it as it was—a permanent reminder of the tragedy of war. Ultimately, the statue remained without hands. However, the people of the city added on the base of the statue of Jesus Christ a sign with these words: “You Are My Hands.”

I just love this story and it has really stuck with me this week. I started to think about how many times each day we actually do serve others by the small acts of kindness and good deeds we all do. I have heard people say sometimes that they feel guilty because they don't serve others very often. I think sometimes we put too many labels on what we think service really is. It is not just the big things like helping with a big project or bringing in meals for someone that has been ill but I believe service is everything that helps to uplift and edify another person.

Service comes in all colors, shapes and sizes, all equally pleasing to God!

One of my good friends is the mother of five and the grandmother to many and feels she doesn't serve others that much. Are you kidding me? She is constantly doing for one of them. When you have 20 something family member living nearby it is OK if you are not doing a lot of big service outside the family. There are only so many hours in the day! Charity and service really do begin at home...ask any mother or father...!

Some people just serve constantly with their kind words, their affirmations of another's worth and their love. They show love and compassion and understanding that makes a big difference for others. They listen, they embrace, they pay attention, they care. These attributes are service in every sense of the word. It is not just bringing a casserole to someone~think outside the box.

So today I was thinking we could all just pay attention to how much service we give and receive. I think we will all be pleasantly surprised. I believe that all good people act as His Hands, day in and day out, without even realizing they are doing it sometimes. When you are filled with a testimony of Christ~you just do it! You do it because that is just who you become when you choose to follow Him. I am grateful to each and every one of you for the service you give to me and my family all the time!