Notice the Needs

Mosiah 4:26 "...I would that ye should impart of your substance to the poor, every man according to that which he hath, such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and administering to their relief, both spiritually and temporally, according to their wants."

In the October 2011 Priesthood Session, Dieter F. Uchtdorf gave a talk about serving and providing for the poor. He highlighted the strengths of the welfare program, and the duty that every member has to impart of their substances to the poor. "Too often we notice the needs around us, hoping that someone from far away will magically appear to meet those needs. Perhaps we wait for experts with specialized knowledge to solve specific problems. When we do this, we deprive our neighbor of the service we could render, and we deprive ourselves of the opportunity to serve."

My parents are an amazing example to me of service. They are always looking for ways to help someone in need. When we were younger, we had a jar that we kept in the closet in our hallway. Over the year, we would drop spare change into that jar. At the end of the year, we would count the money and use it in some way to help others. I love the sound of the coins cascading out of the jar onto the floor. I remember keeping a little notebook by my side to keep tally of how many nickels, dimes, pennies, and quarters I had counted. The gleam of those silver and copper coins was exciting and exhilarating. My little eyes always grew wide at the end of our count when I realized how much money was sitting on the floor. Then we would put that money to good use. Whether donating it to a local organization or buying presents for a needy neighbor, I always felt that thrill of joy that comes with service. I'm so grateful for parents who helped instill a love of service in me when I was very young.

(P.S., In case anyone is interested, I've listed a few websites of trustworthy causes that could use any and all help. I've either been personally involved with these organizations, or I've had close friends or family involved in these organizations.

http://amigosofhonduras.org/
http://guadalupeschoolslc.org/
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=256&sid=2218390 )