Excerpt
Autumn reminds me that service is like the seasons—quiet, constant renewal. Even when we’re tired or uncertain, giving of ourselves brings color back to the soul.
Intro
This week felt like an uphill climb. Long nights, long thoughts. I could barely rest, yet something inside me refused to quit. I realized once again that when you love what you do—when your work serves a purpose beyond yourself—fatigue fades behind fulfillment.
Years ago, in another IT assignment, I worked through the night restoring a critical system. No one saw the hours or the quiet prayers between reboots, but the satisfaction came from knowing others could keep working because I did not stop. That same quiet joy has followed me ever since. It’s the joy of standing up, of helping, of serving—whether the task is big or small.
Notes from President Monson
“Unless we lose ourselves in service to others, there is little purpose to our own lives.”
“Man’s greatest happiness comes from losing himself for the good of others.”
“At baptism we covenanted to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light.”
“How many times has your heart been touched as you have witnessed the need of another? How often have you intended to be the one to help—and yet life’s busyness interfered?”
Perspective
President Monson’s words reached deep this week. I saw how easy it is to get lost in endless to-dos, alerts, and deadlines—the “thick of thin things.” Service, however, brings focus. When I choose to help, I find peace. When I act, I feel alive again. The Savior’s example is the ultimate model of losing oneself in love and lifting others quietly, consistently, and completely.
Practice
Today, not someday, I can serve—by listening more, forgiving faster, and stepping forward even when tired. True discipleship isn’t about grand gestures; it’s in the small, unseen moments where compassion overrides convenience.
Final Reflection
Each time I walk past the temple, I’m reminded: service sanctifies. The light that falls upon its walls is the same light that can fill our hearts when we give of ourselves freely. The world doesn’t need our perfection—it needs our presence.
Pocket I’m Keeping
When I help someone quietly, heaven notices loudly.
What I Hear Now
“We become so caught up in the busyness of our lives… too often we spend most of our time taking care of the things which do not really matter much at all in the grand scheme of things.”
Link to the Talk
What Have I Done for Someone Today — President Thomas S. Monson (October 2009 General Conference)
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