The Season of Service

Exactly one year ago today, a giant storm with hurricane force winds struck my home in Northern Utah. Within minutes, a beautiful evergreen tree that had stood for over four decades in my front yard was uprooted, and toppled into the street. I wept to lose our gentle giant, but thanked God for sparing our home and allowing the wind to push the tree into the street instead of into our living room!

After Withstanding The [Mighty] Wind, and assessing the mighty damage to our property and neighborhood, the mighty miracles began. People rallied together like never before, and the spirit of human kindness knew no bounds! Neighbors didn’t wait for the city workers or national guard to arrive, they simply came out en mass and started cleaning, repairing, chopping, hauling, hugging and helping. Forty-eight days later all of the churches and congregations up and down the Wasatch Front suspended their worship services and declared a Sabbath of Service. We forewent our suits and skirts for our blue jeans and flannel shirts. We rolled up our sleeves and poured out our hearts in ‘community communion’. We were reminded that perhaps the holiest form of worship of all is an offering of selfless, Christ-like love.

This year, the skies are clear and the wind is still. The final remains of our big old tree – the 6 foot wide stump and its giant unearthed root ball – have finally been removed and cleared away from our front yard thanks to yet another selfless service performed by our local LDS Boy Scouts and their valiant leaders!

Christmas came early this year for us! Thank you, so much!

Last year’s storm, and it’s aftermath, has become just another dramatic moment in Utah history. But, for me and my family, the first day of December will always hold some extra significance. Today not only marks the first day of “The Most Wonderful Time of The Year“, but also the first day of The Season of Service.

May this year’s Season of Service be especially merry and bright as we each seek ways to honor the Great Creator of Earth and Sky, He who became the Babe of Bethlehem. – MoSop

“He who gives money gives some, he who gives time gives more, and he who gives of himself gives all.” – Thomas S. Monson

♥

Remembering The Winds of 2011 (desnews.com)
Withstanding The Wind (mormonsoprano.com)
Sabbath of Service In Bountiful (mormonsoprano.com)

2 Comments

I love hearing Pres. Monson speak. He always inspires me. I used to work at a retirement home. One building had people who needed more help than others, and some of them had very few visitors or family members who came to see them. It broke my heart. I was inspired to write the following poem about it:

Send Me Lord

There are hurting people everywhere,
you only have to stray,
Outside your comfy little nest,
to see them every day,
They live their lives in silent pain,
for deep within their souls,
They’re carrying an awful weight,
and cannot be consoled,
They live in fear of loneliness,
or fear that no one cares,
They try to hide it from the world,
to tell it, no one dares,
For if you tell your neighbor,
there is a chance you take,
That you could be rejected,
so don’t make that mistake,
They pray for God to help them,
to take away the pain,
To send someone to comfort,
and love them once again,
But who will go and do this,
I’m busy as can be,
We all want God to send someone,
just please, dear Lord, not me,
But in your heart you know the truth,
resist it as you may,
God wants to show His love through you,
He wants to hear you say,
I will be your hands and feet,
help me, Lord, to see,
Where you want me, I will go,
here am I, send me.