Speaking in Church is so Great

Spiritual Growth through Service

Sunday, June 15, 2014

            So I guess I should start out by introducing myself since I did not go to high school with all of you. My name is Quinn Beeson. If you’re a girl or you’re engaged, you can keep sleeping for a few minutes. The rest of you: taking notes is totally acceptable and even recommended.

1. the darker the chocolate, the better

2. don’t buy me flowers unless I can plant them; they’ll just end up in the garbage

3. ice cream, sorbet, frozen yogurt…always a YES!

4. except for Dr. Suess, poetry goes right over my head

5. unless you’re Michael Buble, Josh Groban, or Elliot Yamin, don’t worry about singing to me. It’s just awkward. For everybody.

6. going to the movies is the lamest. Date. EVER.

7. my skin tone is cool, so silver, not gold and I’ve never understood the fascination with wearing a clear rock on your finger, so ring shopping shouldn’t be too bad

8. and last but not least, I REALLY want my family to look like the Weasley’s. Unfortunately, red hair is a recessive trait, so if you aren’t a redhead, then make sure someone along your family line is.

(If I went too fast or you realized halfway through that you really should have been taking notes, don’t fret. Talk to me after and I can figure out some handouts. Or just give you my number. Or you could just propose now and skip all of that courting stuff.)

Okay, the rest of you can wake up now. On to the less important stuff.

1. I have 7 siblings, I’m the oldest. The youngest is 11 months

2. I attended SVU last year, but am transferring to BYU-I

3. History major, planning on doing an early master’s program at ISU

4. Come this January, I’ll be living in Kiev, Ukraine to teach English for a few months. So if anyone knows Russian, I’d love your help

And that’s everything I’m sure you all ever want to know about me.

            The topic given to me by Br. Peterson was “Spiritual Growth through Service.” And he said I could take it from absolutely any angle I wanted, so here we go. I kind of have a strange analogy for you, but maybe the weirdness will make it more memorable.

            This summer I’ve been spending a lot of time working outside, and along with good-looks and a sulfurous disposition, red heads are “blessed” with delicate skin. After about three weeks of summer, I was using about a hundred different kinds of lotion on my hands and arms to address the multitude of problems I was facing. Aloe vera for sunburn. Medicated stuff for my hives from being allergic to my sunscreen. Another kind of lotion for my damaged cuticles, and another to go on top of it all. It was ridiculous. So I got on my hand-dandy Pinterest and found a recipe for a lotion that would help with all of my skin ailments. This lotion has just a few simple ingredients, but is SUPER effective. I will be comparing this lotion to service.

            You can add more things, but the basic recipe calls for 4 ingredients. Although you can certainly argue that there is more involved, I have come up with a list of 4 things required for us to grow from service whether we are giving or receiving.

            First, it requires sacrifice. Maybe it’s just a little bit of your time, but you grow the most when serving someone isn’t easy. Spencer W. Kimball, in an Ensign article from 1974, said: “Not only do we “find” ourselves in terms of acknowledging guidance in our lives, but the more we serve our fellowmen in appropriate ways, the more substance there is to our souls. We become more significant individuals as we serve others. We become more substantive as we serve others—indeed, it is easier to “find” ourselves because there is so much more of us to find!” I have been part of my home ward’s choir since I was about 12 and this morning I went to sub for the pianist. As I was looking around at those who showed up, I was thinking about their sacrifices to be there. The women have children at home and dinners to prepare, and most of the men only started going because their wives made them. But they’re all happy to be there, and they bring such a spirit to the meetings.

            Second, we grow when service is given for the right reasons. Although I’m sure most of us were somewhat strengthened by attending that Mutual activity we didn’t want to go to, think about times when you wanted to help someone out. I bet you gained a lot more. In high school, I was given a calling that I didn’t want, that involved expectations that I didn’t want expected of me. Needless to say, I began that calling with a terrible attitude. I did my duties with as little effort as possible, and I’m sure I helped absolutely no one. Then, the others who were called to help me all decided that they had better things to do and I was left on my own to do the work of six people. Even though I didn’t want the calling to begin with, I firmly believe in finishing the task you’ve been given, and I realized I needed to fix some things. My attitude. It wasn’t overnight, but I did. Instead of fulfilling my duties because I was worried what people might think of me, I did my best, remembering that the Lord had asked me to do this. It wasn’t easy and it wasn’t fun. However, as soon as I started doing my calling willingly rather than grudgingly, life got so much happier. Not easier and not better, but happier. I grew immensely from that attitude change.

            Third, we grow most when we learn to love those we are serving just as much as those we love best. Basically, we need to follow the example of our Savior, and remember that EVERYONE is born with the light of Christ. President Monson, in the last General Conference, used a quote by President Kimball that I loved. “We must remember that those mortals we meet in parking lots, offices, elevators, and elsewhere are that portion of mankind God has given us to love and to serve. It will do us little good to speak of the general brotherhood of mankind if we cannot regard those who are all around us as our brothers and sisters.” When I was almost 17, I spent an evening with a friend’s family. At the end of the night, I was invited to join with them for their family prayer. Kneeling down in a circle as a family wasn’t odd to me, but when my family kneels down in prayer, we’re more like the perimeter of the room rather than an actual circle. This family had me scoot in closer and closer until we were in a knee hug. Someone, I don’t remember who – frankly it doesn’t matter – then proceeded to give a beautiful prayer, mostly giving thanks and praying for the safety of the oldest child, who was currently on their mission. The love I felt while in the home of that family was incredible. No matter what I have said or done, every time I see a member of this family, I feel their love for me as strongly as their love for that missionary. And it’s the same love whenever they’re with someone else, as well. Not just me. That night was a definite turning point in my life and I will forever be grateful for their simple act of charity.

            The last ingredient in our service lotion is the requirement of expressing our testimony or appreciation of the Savior. And really, that’s what service is. Spencer W. Kimball also said in that same article: “As the contrasts between the ways of the world and the ways of God become sharpened by circumstance, the faith of the members of the Church will be tried even more severely. One of the most vital things we can do is to express our testimonies through service, which will, in turn, produce spiritual growth, greater commitment, and a greater capacity to keep the commandments.” A couple weeks ago, Sister Purcell and I went to a Zone Conference in Pocatello and helped feed all the missionaries. Now, I’m probably just talking about an experience that you’ve all had multiple times, but I’ll tell it anyway. At the end of the meal, those of us in the kitchen were asked to come out and all of the missionaries sang to us. I’ve spent some time with missionaries and receive emails from a few, but it was such a beautiful, strong testimony to have over 100 missionaries sing.

            After we melt and blend these ingredients together, they enhance each other’s qualities, make them stronger. As we apply this lotion of service on ourselves, or others, the skin of either party will heal. Doctrine and Covenants 35:14 reads “….” Of this scripture, Elder Marion D. Hanks said, “The Lord said, speaking of His servants, ‘Their arm shall be my arm.’ Have you thought about this? To me this is one of the most sacred and significant and personal commissions I can read about in the holy records or elsewhere. The Lord says this arm of mine is His arm. This mind, this tongue, these hands, these feet, this purse – these are the only tools He has to work with so far as I am concerned…So far as you are concerned, your arm, your resources, your intelligence, your tongue, your energy, are the only tools the Lord has to work with.”

            I would like to echo these words of Elder Hanks and President Kimball. I know that as we serve others, our love for them will grow, and we can become more Christ-like. I know that the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ and that Joseph Smith really did see Heavenly Father and His Son as a young boy. I have a strong testimony that the Lord has a plan for each one of us, whether we like it or not, and that He is infinitely more patient than we are stubborn. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.