Serving others; apart of self-reliance.

Continuing with this month's theme of self-reliance I was thinking of an experience related by a friend with regards to self-reliance. She related that there was a family in her ward that were not world wealthy, they had very little. Their children needed a tutor to assist them in their studies they couldn't afford one. She committed to tutor the children. It was a quite a commitment of time and effort but she did so willingly. However this family whenever she was leaving the last lesson of the week would give her some eggs laid by their hens as a token of appreciation. This family relied on the foods they grew to meet their weekly family needs and this was a sacrifice for them. She tried to refuse the eggs but she was told that in giving service she also needed to accept service from others and those receiving service needed for their self-respect to be able to give back no matter how humble the token of appreciation might be. It made me think about when I give service, do I allow others to give of their own gifts and talents to me or my family? Do I always insist on being the giver and not allow others to serve and qualify for those blessings; or am I the receiver who doesn't give a service I can provide no matter how big or small because I don't believe I have anything to give or am so overwhelmed by my own needs that I miss an opportunity to serve. In all this I think of the saviour and his example, of the woman who washed his feet and his example in washing his disciple's feet.

Gordon B Hinckley shared some thoughts on service;

My plea is—if we want joy in our hearts, if we want the Spirit of the Lord in our lives, let us forget ourselves and reach out. Let us put in the background our own personal, selfish interests and reach out in service to others. In so doing, we will find the truth of the Master’s great promise of glad tidings: “Whosoever will save his life shall lose it; or “Whosoever Will Save His Life, ”shall be willing to lay it down for my sake; and if he is not willing to lay it down for my sake, he shall lose it.

“But whosoever shall be willing to lose his life for my sake, and the gospel, the same shall save it.” (JST, Mark 8:37–38.)

I testify that these words are as true today as when He first spoke them. I testify that God, our Eternal Father, lives. I testify that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior of this world. And I testify that as each of you reach out to help others, you will find your true selves and bless greatly the world in which you live.