Quote 1:

Elder Marion D. Hanks talked about the kind of tools Heavenly Father has to work with.

"The Lord said, speaking of His servants, 'Their arm shall be my arm.' [D&C 35:14] Have you thought about this? To me this is one of the most sacred and significant and personal commissions I can read about in the holy records or elsewhere. The Lord says this arm of mine is His arm. This mind, this tongue, these hands, these feet, this purse-these are the only tools He has to work with so far as I am concerned. ... So far as you are concerned, your arm, your resources, your intelligence, your tongue, your energy, are the only tools the Lord has to work with" (Service, Brigham Young University Speeches of the Year [Provo, 15 Oct. 1958], p. 3).

Quote 2

We can follow the example set by the prophets in being of service to others. President Spencer W. Kimball said: "God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs. Therefore, it is vital that we serve each other. ... In the Doctrine and Covenants we read about how important it is to 'succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.' (D&C 81:5.)

Quote 3

" 'It makes me feel good to know that I have helped somebody. ... I didn't think Karen would ever be able to walk when we first started. I used to put myself in her position and tried to imagine what it was like for her. I think that made me more determined to help her learn how to walk.' "

"One of [another young woman's] biggest rewards is seeing Karen get excited about learning something new. 'I think the time was well spent,' she said" ("Young Women's Loving Service," p. 13).

Quote 4

President Spencer W. Kimball's statement, "So often our acts of service consist of simple encouragement or of giving mundane help with mundane tasks-but what glorious consequences can flow from mundane acts and from small but deliberate deeds."

Story 1

Joseph Smith

Mercy R. Thompson, a woman who knew the Prophet Joseph, wrote, "I can never forget the tender sympathy and brotherly kindness he ever showed toward me and my fatherless child. When riding with him and his wife Emma in their carriage I have known him to alight and gather prairie flowers for my little girl" ("Recollections of the Prophet Joseph Smith," Juvenile Instructor, 1 July 1892, p. 399).

Story 2

George Albert Smith

"On a train between Salt Lake City and San Francisco, President [George Albert] Smith met a [man] from Napa, California." The two men enjoyed a pleasant conversation and, after parting, began to correspond.

"Some time later President Smith realized that he was not hearing from his friend, John Delaney." On inquiring, President Smith learned that Mr. Delaney was in the hospital. "President Smith sent messages of cheer and encouragement and suggested that ... Mr. Delaney ... might enjoy listening to the Tabernacle Choir broadcast each Sunday morning." Mr. Delaney did listen, and his spirits were lifted. He wrote to thank President Smith and mentioned that "he hoped sometime he could hear the choir sing one of his favorite selections, 'The Lord's Prayer.' ... To his surprise and great pleasure he heard the choir sing it the very next Sunday morning. Imagine Mr. Delaney's delight when he heard the great Tabernacle organ ringing out the introduction" of the hymn his friend had taken the time to arrange. (See Edith Smith Elliott, "The Joy of Serving Humanity," Instructor, Nov. 1966, p. 427.)

Story 3

Joseph Fielding Smith

When Joseph Fielding Smith was thirty-four years old, he was called as a member of the Council of the Twelve Apostles. In his work, he traveled throughout the world and was known by members everywhere. But his wife gave a more personal view of this great man:

"The man I know is a kind, loving husband and father whose greatest ambition in life is to make his family happy, entirely forgetful of self in his efforts to do this. He is the man that lulls to sleep the fretful child, who tells bedtime stories to the little ones, who is never too tired or too busy to sit up late at night or to get up early in the morning to help the older children solve perplexing school problems. When illness comes the man I know watches tenderly over the afflicted one and waits upon him" (Ethel Smith, quoted in Bryant S. Hinckley, "Joseph Fielding Smith," Improvement Era, June 1932, p. 459).

Story 4

Spencer W. Kimball

Elder Boyd K. Packer tells the following story about President Spencer W. Kimball:

"The family and the friends and associates of President Kimball know that he is never still. There has always been a restlessness about him to be getting things done. ...

"I passed [President and Sister Kimball] on the highway once, up near the Idaho border. They were heading north to [a] conference. Sister Kimball was driving, with Brother Kimball in the back seat, his little typewriter in its accustomed place on his lap, papers on either side of him, for this was an opportunity to work, to do more to help others" ("President Spencer W. Kimball: No Ordinary Man," Ensign, Mar. 1974, p. 6).

Story 5

Karen was born with brain damage, but the outlook for her to live a meaningful life was good, partly because of the help of several young women. During the first few months of life, Karen seemed like any other child. Then, slowly, her parents began to realize that she was not making the same progress her older brothers and sisters had made when they were small. When Karen's parents learned that she had brain damage, they were heartbroken. However, the doctors encouraged them. Karen could learn to do many things if someone would take the time to work with her.

Karen's parents tried to give her the love and attention she needed, but the other children in the family also needed the time of their parents. Learning of Karen's problem, the young women in her ward offered to help. During the summer, a rotating schedule was set up so that the girls spent one hour each morning and afternoon. When the young women began to help, Karen had no muscles to support her body. The mother explained, " 'The girls helped build the muscles she has now. She began to crawl some; when they had worked with her for some time, she began crawling more. She needed constant stimulation and encouragement.

" 'The doctor suggested that she spend two hours a day in a jump swing to help build her leg muscles. During this time, Karen had to be entertained to keep her happy enough to spend an hour each morning and afternoon jumping up and down. The girls played games with her to keep her moving.' "

When school started in the fall, five of the young women, one Laurel and four Mia Maids, continued to visit Karen. Each girl chose one day a week after school to spend an hour with Karen. Because of the service given by the young women, Karen learned to do things that she might never have learned or which would have taken much longer for her to master.

Karen's mother said, " 'The girls have been so dedicated. They took her for walks, read books to her, let her play in the leaves and just became good friends. Karen looked forward to seeing them come every day. She was walking by the time she was 2 1/2, just a year after the girls began their service project with her.' "

Karen's mother also feels that after all the attention the girls have given Karen by playing with her, talking to her, holding her, and exercising her, the most important factor is that they love and care for her. (See "Young Women's Loving Service," Church News, 27 Nov. 1976, pp. 8, 13).

(D&C 35:14)

14 And their arm shall be my arm, and I will be their shield and their buckler; and I will gird up their loins, and they shall fight manfully for me; and their enemies shall be under their feet; and I will let fall the sword in their behalf, and by the fire of mine indignation will I preserve them

(D&C 81:5)

5 Wherefore, be faithful; stand in the office which I have appointed unto you; succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.

(Gal. 5:13)

13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

(2 Cor. 9:7)