Are you being served? Better question, Are you helping serve others?

So one of the things I have observed and been so very impressed with since beginning to explore the mysteries of the Mormon Faith is the almost overwhelming dedication Mormons seem to have to the concept of Service to the Church and Service to the people around them. Many Religions, especially the various Christian Sects preach of helping those who need help and doing good deeds to further the word of God, but most of the members of those Churches seem to fall far short of the ideal. From what I have seen so far, Mormons not only talk the talk but walk the walk as well.

Some of this is seen in dramatic ways as Mormons go out of missions of service. Young and Old alike often journey to very distant lands where life is often very dangerous. They go willingly and from what I have seen eagerly not just to spread the word of the Mormon faith, but also help so many people that desperately need their help. Now as an aside here, some Missionaries get rather cushy jobs where they spread the word in developed lands that have air conditioning, but even these brave souls must leave their homes and families to go on their missions. Especially when you are as young as some of these people are, that is far from easy. So like I said, some of the instances of service are dramatic and impressive. Others are much less impressive and often more subtle.

I keep using my wife's best friend, Stephanie as an example of both an amazing Christian and a shining example of the Mormon faith. Her family epitomize what being a good person is all about.. When we first began our move to the Capital, my wife had to stay with her friend for several months. She slept in the guest room, played in the family area and ate their food. It had to have cost Stephanie a healthy amount of change for all of this. A lot of people would be concerned with being paid back for all of their expenses or wondering how long it would be before they got their spare room back. Stephanie has flatly refused any recompense for her expenses and actually seemed surprised that my wife wouldn't still be living with her even after we found a house and I moved up here.

When it looked like we were going to have to move our things ourselves, Stephanie assured us not to worry. She volunteered her entire family in our old town and the Church members there to get us packed up and moved. Her husband even offered to drive down the 700+ miles with us to help out. They did this without a second thought and certainly would not have accepted any sort of payment if they had done it.

When it turned out that the Government was indeed going to pack and move us, we were required to go to the old house to supervise. I was concerned about my menagerie of pets (2 dogs, 5 cats. Yes I said 5 cats.) So I asked the Elders who have been visiting us if they would mind stopping by the new house and keeping an eye on them. They happily said they would and not only did they feed the animals, they also scooped the litter boxes AND picked up all of Doggy Poo in the back yard. (Two 60+ Labradors, Three Days, Loads of Poo and hot sun. Talk about going above and beyond the call of duty.) I arrived home today to 7 healthy and happy animals.

People criticize the Mormon faith. They make fun of its tenets and its teachings. They call it q cult. All I can honestly say to these people is this. If a Church/Faith can instill such a sense of Love and Devotion to the world and its people, how can it be a bad thing?

Amen