Helping Hands...

Yesterday, our ward, the Tokoroa "stake" ward, participated in Helping Hands in our neighbourly township of Putaruru at one of their local Kohanga Reo. Arriving at the chapel at 9am, it didn't look like there was going to be much of a turn out but as soon as we arrived it seemed like more and more of our ward began to turn up for the activity!  The day was truly awesome!

Just think to yourself, what does WORK mean to you? I think that when we think of WORK we often think of our daily lives and all the tasks we are involved in that we call "WORK"! We often look at WORK as a time when we are mentally and/or physically participating in our everyday lives, usually doing things that we have to in order to survive each day and often it can become burdonesome and tiresome! Yeah it serves an important purpose, because we all need to survive and although the world would be awesome if it ran on love and kindness, it does'nt, so for the most of us we have to WORK... well getting to my point... Helping Hands, there was plenty of work to be done at this Kohanga... and as I looked around and observed my fellow saints participating in a good cause, everyone working, I learnt something... When we WORK for the Lord with all our might, mind and strength... that work does not have to feel burdonsome and tiresome! If anything, feeling the love of all those around through the service they were giving, through the TIME they gave (I say gave and not sacraficed) what more could you feel but uplifted and edified! I saw people in a different light, I saw people using their talents, people offering their help, people WILLING to do what ever the task may have been, people working together as a team and it all just seemed to be "normal" and "natural"! Although this was'nt the first time I have been involved in a service project, it was probably the first time, the first service project where I have really learnt something! I felt the combined Spirit of all those involved and the power of how having an eye single to a task and in doing the WORK of the Lord! It was such an uplifting experience that it makes me wonder why we dont do more service projects!

I could go on and on... but I think my bottom line is when you serve others and serve the Lord and your purpose and intent is to whole heartedly to give what you can, be it time or money or help or whatever it may be, that it won't feel like "WORK"... when we do things without being compelled and out of our own willingness, there really are great blessings! For me, the blessings of being part of the Helping Hands service project was feeling the love of the saints, feeling the gratitude of those we helped, feeling the Spirit testify to me that when we are in the service of our fellow men, we are in the service of our Lord! I hope that the next time you have the opportunity to serve, that you think about how you serve, that you do it whole heartedly and I am sure you will feel all the blessings of your giving!