Aloha !
It is indeed a pleasure for me to be among you this morning to share a topic that has impacted me throughout my life as a receiver and a giver. Not surprisingly, many blessings have been realized because of the acts of service for those who give and those who receive. My topic is: Service; it is a calling and a blessing.
We all believe that life is eternal. Yet, everywhere I go I see people moving about purposefully and quickly, sometimes hastily and aimlessly. All of us interact daily with computers and other intelligent electronic devices. We have trained ourselves to be very impatient because we are spoiled by these inventions. These marvelous electronic devices that we use daily seem to always respond instantly with what we want at the push of a button, or a simple voice command. Are we becoming binary thinkers only? Are we interested or even capable of interacting with a real person without going through something electrical or mechanical? Are we willing to invest emotionally with our family members or friends?
Each time I come to your campus, I notice the words “Enter to learn; go forth to serve” prominently etched in stone at the entrance of your campus. I feel a close connection with these words because the school motto for the university that I attended is in Latin “Ut Prosim,” meaning, “That I May Serve.” These phrases are so spiritual and full of energy and emotion. They challenge us to look deep into our conscience, to make choices and decisions beyond just a binary selection of “yes” or “no.” The intellectual and emotional process of learning and serving affect all of us and has eternal consequences.
I was first introduced to our church some 51 years ago in Hong Kong by two faithful missionaries, one from Hawaii and one from Arizona. Their concise presentation of Joseph Smith’s First Vision inspired me. As a 14 years old boy, I had no doubt that there is a living God. I soon wanted to join the church and be part of this wonderful organization, but my parents refused to give their permission. The Relief Society president of this small branch took upon herself the responsibility of providing me constant support and encouragement. She took me to church for Mutual Improvement Activities, presently known as Mutual Activities, and Sunday services. Could she have just assumed that teaching the gospel to an investigator was the missionary’s responsibility? Was a 14-year old boy really serious or interested in religion? Was the effort really worth the time spent with such strong opposition from his parents? After all, she had a demanding calling and several children to nurture. Not so for this good sister. She took Pres. David O. McKay’s counsel to heart. She knew what it meant of the phrase “every member a missionary.” She magnified her calling. Through her persistent effort, I received permission from my parents to be baptized a year later. The service of this sister not only brought about my conversion and baptism but of other members of my family. In the decades that followed, many others have also accepted the gospel.
Shortly after joining the church, our family immigrated to the United States. We first settled in Washington D.C. We belonged to a ward whose members were primarily married professional couples or retirees. There were not many young men or young women in the ward. My siblings and I felt totally out of place. We simply did not fit in. Adapting to a new country with a language handicap and cultural differences made it extremely difficult to put church attendance on the top of my priority list. I had a paper route that required me to get up at 3 am in the morning to deliver the Sunday newspaper to 200 homes. Excuses for not attending church on Sunday piled up very quickly, yet our home teacher and his wife would come to our home to pick us up for church every Sunday. I recall more times than I can count on two hands that I didn’t even wake up to answer the door bell on some Sundays. My behavior never deterred him. He was a dedicated Melchizedek Priesthood holder who understood his priesthood responsibilities. He faithfully served and magnified his calling as directed by his Quorum president. He shepherded his semi-lost sheep without any hesitation or murmurs. I do not remember his name but I have never forgotten the images of him and his wife’s smiling faces when they came to our home on Sunday mornings. They understood the true meaning of our Savior’s instruction to Peter, that is, “Feed my sheep.”
A few years later, I attended college in a small college town in Virginia. In the 1960’s, there were not many LDS members or church meeting houses in the rural part of Virginia. The closest branch to my campus was 60 miles away. Most of you are too young to know what the 60’s was like. As a nineteen-year old, I had plenty of opportunities to become part of the drug, anti -war, anti-establishment and anti-government culture. I was again watched over by a few LDS students who would encourage me and arrange rides for me to attend church on Sundays. Through the kind acts of these young members, I was able to stay on the strait and narrow path in times of great turmoil and trepidation.
In spite of living in the U.S. for over 50 years, my parents do not speak much English. Their lack of communication skills though has not isolated them from the church. For as long as I can remember, they have always been visited by home teachers and visiting teachers on a regular basis. Their examples have taught me to do likewise serving those in need. True service requires personal sacrifice of time, making frequent and temporary stops in our worldly pursuit.
Mosiah 18: 21
21 And he commanded them that there should be no contention one with another, but that they should look forward with bone eye, having one faith and one baptism, having their hearts knit together in unity and in love one towards another.
Romans 15: 1-7
1 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
2 Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification.
3 For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.
4 For whatsoever things were written foretime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7 Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.
For the past 17 years, I have had the privilege of spending the majority of my time living and traveling throughout China. I see numerous members participate in monthly temple excursions to Hong Kong to do temple ordinances for those who have departed this world. Many are involved in genealogical projects where long lost ancestral records are found and temple ordinances can be done for them. In 2008, a deadly earthquake occurred in Sichuan Province where tens of thousands of inhabitants perished. Hundreds of church members responded instantly. Many travelled to the areas of destruction to offer lifesaving services. I am proud to say, some of them are among you in the audience. Some recipients were touched by those charitable acts and subsequently accepted the gospel of Jesus Christ. Another young sister was in college at the time of the earthquake. She did not hesitate to make the extreme personal sacrifice. She left school altogether to join the rescue effort to save lives that lasted several months. This remarkable sister from Sichuan, China will arrive here to further her education this coming September.
Since 2007, I have been serving the native Chinese members in China. It is a calling that truly helps me realize the love that Heavenly Father has for all His children and the great blessings that I receive in serving others. To me there is no greater happiness than being able to labor in the Lord’s vineyard or feed His sheep. My faith and testimonies have grown and strengthened because of the transformation that I witness in the lives of so many through the acceptance of the gospel. The humble testimonies that I often hear from members reinforce our knowledge that while
Satan is powerful and relentless, we do have the guidance and protection of our mighty God. The various internet technologies have enable us to implement programs where members who have access to the internet can participate in the studies of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Youths can now enroll in seminary program while adults can freely participate in weekly scripture discussion groups. Outgoing missionaries are better prepared to share the gospel. Prospective BYU students are now more qualified to receive an education in a foreign language. These modern day tools and resources enable us to march boldly forward to achieve both joy and happiness here on earth and our eventual triumphant return to the presence of our Heavenly Father.
We respect and abide by the laws of the Chinese government. We do not proselytize in China. Yet more than a hundred humble and faithful young members have gone forth to other parts of the world to share the gospel. The number of these willing young men and women continue to grow. These acts of service have and continue to bring joy and hope to many inside and outside of China.
Our mortal probation is but a short journey here upon the earth. Heavenly Father has given us the tools and technology, to not only improve our standard of living but also to provide the means to accelerate His works forward. We must not be influenced to believe that faster is always better. In the eternal scheme of things, no matter how fast we run, we will never reach the end. We live in a time where many people are running so fast in search of happiness and chasing rainbows that they end up missing many spiritual experiences including God’s blessings right in front of them. By being so, some have left their friends, others have left their families, and some have even given up their testimonies.
In the personal examples which I shared earlier, those individuals who rendered service to me and my family were not driven by the demands of their lives nor the limitations of their precious spare time. They slowed down to think, to ponder, to prayerfully make righteous choices, not to seek instant personal gratification but render their valuable time to serve those in need. Their faithful services brought a simple young man such as me into the gospel of Jesus Christ. Indirectly, countless others have been blessed because of their humble services.
Luke 9: 24
24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall find it.
All of you are very blessed to be able to receive a college education in an environment that provides both spiritual and temporal nourishment. Everyone who is willing and able to work or provide meaningful services has the opportunity to do so right here on site.
Many of you are returned missionaries who have sacrificed precious years of your life preaching the gospel throughout the world. Honorable services were rendered and many souls were saved. Many of you are planning or contemplating similar acts of personal sacrifice. I commend all of you for your service which bring blessings to so many.
As you complete your education at this marvelous institution, you will have many opportunities to make great choices and decisions. Often times the decisions are very difficult and many of them may appear to be good, but not right. The ethics and morals of the world tend to make everything very blurry and difficult for us to differentiate right from wrong. But if each of you adhere to the motto, “Enter to learn, go forth to serve” as your life long focus, you will bless many and find lasting joy and happiness in your life.
To conclude, I like to share with you part of King Benjamin’s address to his people in
Mosiah 2: 14 - 22
14 And even I, myself, have labored with mine own hands that I might serve you, and that ye should not be laden with taxes, and that there should nothing come upon you which was grievous to be borne—and of all these things which I have spoken, ye yourselves are witnesses this day.
15 Yet, my brethren, I have not done these things that I might boast, neither do I tell these things that thereby I might accuse you; but I tell you these things that ye may know that I can answer a clear conscience before God this day.
16 Behold, I say unto you that because I said unto you that I had spent my days in your service, I do not desire to boast, for I have only been in the service of God.
17 And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.
18 Behold, ye have called me your king; and if I, whom ye call your king, do labor to serve you, then ought not ye to labor to serve one another?
19 And behold also, if I, whom ye call your king, who has spent his days in your service, and yet has been in the service of God, do merit any thanks from you, O how you ought to thank your heavenly King!
20 I say unto you, my brethren, that if you should render all the thanks and praise which your whole soul has power to possess, to that God who has created you, and has kept and preserved you, and has caused that ye should rejoice, and has granted that ye should live in peace one with another—
21 I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another—I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants.
22 And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments; and he has promised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you.
I bear you my testimony that I know the gospel is true and Jesus is the Christ. May the Spirit guide you and direct you in your pursuit of knowledge and truth. I humbly do so in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.