RS Lesson October 2009

Unselfish Service by Elder Dallin H. Oaks
prepared by Alison Jaehne
Service to God- ie: service to others ie: service for eternal gain
Elder Oaks tells us the story of a discouraged, young missionary many years ago, Elder Gordon B. Hinckley, who felt he was wasting his time in England. His father wrote back and said, "Forget yourself and go to work." It is interesting to me that Elder Oaks used this experience because he had a very similar experience himself. I read about it on my mission. When I was on my mission, I had a companion who wouldn't work and I had some time to read a book by Elder Oaks that someone had left behind in our apartment. He told the story of when he was a new general authority, he felt inadequate and anxious about it. An older apostle, I think it was Elder Faust, told him, "Work for a condition where you will not be preoccupied with yourself and can give your ENTIRE CONCERN to the work of the Lord." That principle changed my life! I wrote it down and hung it on my wall. For the rest of my mission I knew that it was not humble of me, but actually selfish of me to get caught up in how inadequate I felt. My focus was on me, me, me and my problems and my struggles. It was an effective tool of the advesary to keep me from working effectively. When I focused on 'me' and my problems there was no way I could give my full concern to serving others and the holy work of the Lord. That quote shifted my whole way of thinking. I was able to catch myself when I started to complain and think, "Ok, maybe I can't do much, and this situation is bad, but what CAN I do to help?" When I asked Him what I could do, the Lord was able to inspire me to help in little ways that I was capable of. Even though I still had inadequacies, and situations were still really difficult, I began to notice little improvements in the areas where I focused my attention, which gave me great joy. My prayers were being answered!! I became a happier and a more effective missionary when I remembered to follow that quote. This principle works to improve my effectiveness as a wife and mother, an employee, in social settings, in my calling as a teacher and in everything I do.

Service to Self- ie: service for worldly conditions, ie: service to Mammon, ie: service to the Advesary. There are only two options: God and Mammon. Service to Self is actually service to Satan
Quoting C.S. Lewis, Elder Oaks says, "What Satan put into the heads of our remote ancestors was the idea that they could 'be like gods' --[meaning they] could set up on their own as if they had created themselves--be their own masters--invent some sort of happiness for themselves outside of God, apart from god. And out of that hopeless attempt has come...the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy." I love this part: Elder Oaks says, "A selfish person is more interested in pleasing man--especially himself--than in pleasing God. He looks only to his own needs and desires. He walks "in his own way, and after the image of his own God, [himself] whose image is in the likeness of the world. [earlier he mentions trendy actions including immodest dress as being in the likeness of the world.] Such a person becomes disconnected from the covenant promises of God...and from the friendships and assistance we all need in these tumultous times. In contrast, if we love and serve one another as the Savior taught, we remain connected to our covenants and to our associates."

Elder Oaks reminds us that we need to follow the Lord's standards and not to follow the world's standards. Let's look at how Elder Oaks compares them:

The World's Standards in this "me" generation ie: this is the likeness of the world
* What is in it for me?
* Entitlement thinking. I am entitled to________ because I am___________!
* [Be like everyone else who is selfishly trying to be like an idol for everyone else]
* Demand much, give little
* Something for Nothing: exorbitant CEO bonuses, gambling, widespread borrowing and consumerism. To his examples I add more examples of Something for Nothing: high-rolling money-making schemes, infidelity and pornography (which Shondell told me she sees in her practise as the two biggest causes of marital failure), premarital promiscuity, diet fads and pills, having the benefits of perfect parenting and having perfect kids without the pain of hard work and time and effort, having the benefits of a happy marriage without the needed service and sacrifice, having the benefits of the programs of the church without contributing or contributing only criticism

The Lord's Standards in all generations ie: this is the likeness of the Lord
* The Gospel Law of the Harvest: "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also also reap." (Gal 6:7)
* It is by obedience to the law that blessings are predicated. (D&C 130:21)
* Jesus cautioned that Satan desires to sift us like wheat, (Luke 22:31) which means to make us common like all those around us. But Jesus taught that we who follow Him ought to be precious and unique: "the salt of the earth" and "the light of the world" (Matt 5:13-14)
* Forget yourself and go to work (President Hinckley's father)
* We can do no great things, only small things with great love (Mother Teresa)
* The eternal principle: we are happier and more fulfilled when we act and serve for what we give, not for what we get.
* "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it." (Matt 16:24)
* You can never love the Lord until you serve Him by serving his people. (President Thomas B. Monson)

I think one of the Savior's greatest examples of compassionate service is when He visited the Nephites. He called apostles and showed them how to baptize and organize His church. He gave them a sermon almost exactly like the Sermon on the Mount. He told them that He had to leave because He had an assignment from Heavenly Father to visit some other people. He told them to go home and pray and prepare themselves for when He would come back the next day. He looked at them and saw that they wanted Him to stay longer. That is when He called for all the sick to be brought and He healed them. That is when He called for all the children to be brought and that is when He prayed for them. Angels came and everyone saw and heard things so miraculous that It could not be written down. Jesus didn't just stay a couple of minutes longer when they wanted Him to, He stayed a long time and prayed for them and showed them incredible miracles. I hope that when our needy loved ones ask for a little more, we can treat them with love like the Savior did. I say this in the name of Jesus Christ amen.