"When ye are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are only in the servce of your God."

People say that serving others will change your life. I remember the skepticism in the back of my mind each time there was a Sunday school lesson about it. Service? I'm too busy. Service? What about me?! Hello! I sure could use some service over here! And honestly out of the few Service Projects I've attended with my youth group I haven't felt so much as a tingle of pleasure. Well ladies and gentleman, I am publicly announcing that I was soooo wrong. Why it took me this long to figure out, I'm not sure. It may have had to do with me being a selfish teenager and just trying to find my place in life. I haven't performed any great deeds. I haven't really even done much good in the community. I've come to realize that service isn't just going to clean some one's home or pulling weeds at church. It can be as little as a smile, a hug, a conversation. There are so many souls, myself included, that get so lonely. We want to be acknowledged. Loved. Needed. Being in the tiny church branch that I am in, for the first time in my life I felt needed at church. I know I will not always be in a tiny branch, but it has helped me to come out of my shell. I sought to Give love instead of waiting for it to be given to me. And you know something? I think it blessed my life more than anyone else's. I don't know if my hugs make a difference. I'm not sure if my phone calls matter at all. But I do know, my love for people has grown. My confidence has increased. And the spiritual blessings are numberless.

I know what it's like to be on the other end. It wasn't that long ago that I sat by myself in church wanting to crawl into a shell. I didn't know anybody or at least didn't feel like I had any friends. Nobody cares is the message that screamed at me repeatedly in my mind. I just wanted someone to come talk to me. I'm not a mean person! I'm actually quite fun sometimes! Nobody heard that voice. Few people reached out to me. I do not blame anyone for this. They were all wonderful people, but I got lost in the crowd. I eventually stopped going to church for a time because I couldn't overcome my discomfort. Again, I want to make it clear that the decisions I made are completely mine. It is no one's fault that I became inactive. After all, a testimony of the true gospel should not be based on friends. I had alot of insecurities and issues that steered me in the direction of separating myself from church. Then Daniel and I moved to Gallipolis. It was my opportunity for a "do over". I forced myself to over come my shyness. I made myself talk to people that I really had nothing to talk about with. It has made all the difference. I am a different person than I was a year ago. I guess what I'm trying to say is that the best service you can offer someone is friendship. It will bless your life and theirs.