Sister Berry in Brazil and Beyond: December 2022

Here's my talk given on December 11, 2022 in the Phoenix north young single adult ward.

I want to give a huge shoutout to Beth and Kelley Wagher for helping me write and edit this talk. I wouldn't be this awesome without them ;)

Helping the Poor and Distressed

This Christmas season, I was asked to speak on the most recent General Conference talk from President Dallin H. Oaks, “Helping the Poor and Distressed.” In his talk, he outlines the Church’s efforts to serve worldwide, and provides details about what our church and others are doing to help the poor and distressed of the world.

President Oaks says, “Despite all that our Church does directly, most humanitarian service to the children of God worldwide is carried out by persons and organizations having no formal connection with our Church. As one of our Apostles observed: “God is using more than one people for the accomplishment of his great and marvelous work. … It is too vast, too arduous, for any one people. As members of the restored Church, we need to be more aware and more appreciative of the service of others.”

I love that I belong to a church that teaches the importance of service and I am grateful for the opportunities that I have to serve each day, both within and outside of the church. Sometimes “we need to be more aware and more appreciative of the service of others.” How can we be more aware and appreciative of service this Christmas season?

I come from an amazing family. I’m blessed with loving, hardworking parents who have taught me the importance of helping those in their time of need. My dad is known to have a “helium hand” at church. Whenever there is a need to serve others, my dad will be the first to raise his hand, as if it’s filled with helium. To help someone move, clean the church, or fix the plumbing. My mom is always so quick to recognize those on the outside of society, the homeless, loners and wanderers, and invite them in. I have so many memories of her giving assistance to the homeless in front of grocery stores, or inviting hungry strangers to eat with us during family picnics on the beach. I am grateful to come from a legacy of service.

My two wonderful aunts, Beth and Kelley are also unbelievable exemplars of Christlike ministering. I’ve often been asked to come along as they deliver various treats, flowers, or meals to all those they come in contact with at church or in their job as teachers. I’ve seen the effect their service has on those around them. Many people mention that these acts of service have come at the perfect time, and that they knew God was taking care of them. My aunt Kelley told me, “Cool things happen when we listen to the prompting to show love and kindness,” and that is so true. You can feel the Spirit when you enter my aunts’ home, and especially as we all go about doing good together. (Acts 10:38)

I know that serving others does not have to be a grand event, even something that needs to be recognized to make a difference. The greatest difference it makes will be in us as we share the love of God.

Elder Andersen spoke of the need to have the Spirit with us as we serve. In a devotional given in 2018, he says, “To minister in the Lord’s way, we need the help of the Holy Ghost. President Nelson spoke powerfully on this subject in general conference: “In coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.”

President Nelson added, “I urge you to stretch beyond your current spiritual ability to receive personal revelation. He counseled us to pray, to listen, to write down our thoughts, and to take action.”

Elder Andersen then asks, “Can we apply this to ministering in a holier way? Let us pray, listen, record our thoughts, and take action regarding those to whom we can minister.”

I loved my time at Brigham Young University. I loved the atmosphere of love and service that became a part of my everyday life. The weekly devotionals from inspired leaders, and the inclusion of gospel topics in seemingly secular studies was life changing. But from my 4 years spent there, one thing that I still continually think of is a motto, placed on a sign on the west side of campus, that reads “Enter to Learn--Go Forth to Serve.”

Elder L. Tom Perry gave a devotional about this sign. He said, “As you enter the BYU campus, prominently displayed is the challenge “Enter to Learn—Go Forth to Serve.” This challenge not only applies to BYU students but could apply to others as well. It would also be appropriate and correct to say this challenge represents the purpose of our mortal experience.

We have a duty as followers of Christ to go forth and serve. My life has been changed by service in more ways than one. A truly selfless act from another can make even the most dismal situation better.

When I was at BYU, I didn’t have a car and I used my bike to get around everywhere. I rented it from BYU every semester, which was helpful because I am very accident prone, so when I would inevitably crash into a curb and pop my tire, I could take it in and they would fix it up no problem and with no extra cost. The only problem was that the bike shop was on the far end of campus, a 15 minute bike ride away. It turned into a much longer walk across campus with my broken bike in tow.

One semester the bike handle kept getting loose and would wobble as I rode, making it pretty difficult to steer and eventually started hanging very crookedly when I would lock it up. It would be a really easy fix if I had any tools, but I didn’t, and I didn’t have the time to take it to the distant shop to get it fixed, so I decided to deal with it. This went on for a couple weeks. One day, I left my bike on campus overnight instead of riding it back to my apartment, thinking it would be easier to walk than try and steer the broken bike. When I went back to gather my bike the next day, to my astonishment, someone had fixed my bike! I hadn’t asked any of my friends to fix it or told anyone about it so I knew it couldn’t be anyone I had known. The only explanation was that some very prepared student, or possibly faculty member, had seen the bike handle lying sideways when it’s supposed to be straight, pulled out a screwdriver and had screwed it tight again, all for a complete stranger.

I was amazed, and I still think about that to this day. I have no idea who did it, it could have been anyone among thousands of people who passed by my bike on the busy walkway to class everyday. But it made a huge difference to me. It was such a small thing that I could have fixed myself, but someone served me anyway, expecting nothing in return.

Christmas time gives us an amazing opportunity to serve. This season more than any other the world is full of a giving spirit. And it is known as the most wonderful time of the year. Why? Because I believe service brings joy.

One of my new favorite Christmas movies is called Klaus. It basically tells an origin story of Santa Claus, but with a few twists. One line that really stood out to me was this, “One act of goodwill always sparks another.” This beautiful principle is also portrayed in a few movies, one being the 1960 film Pollyanna. In both movies, the main character moves into a new town after losing everything that they hold dear, to a place that doesn’t really want them, to live with people that are used to being sad, miserable and see no need to change. But as one person starts helping others, and looking for the good instead of the bad, everything changes rapidly. The whole town ends up happier and more unified in the end because of a simple act of kindness, that sparked another, and another. I hope and pray that we can do this in our own lives, in our families and communities.

I’ve thought about my past experiences with service, in the church and in my community. I served a mission in Brazil, in various callings, in the temple, and with various groups and service projects. But big service projects aren’t the only ways that we can change the world for the better. As members of the church, we are given so many opportunities to serve, but it is our job to act. It is our job to show up and find ways for ourselves.

I’m reminded of a talk given by Sister Bonnie Oscarson when she said, “…Sometimes it’s easy to miss some of the greatest opportunities to serve others because we are distracted or because we are looking for ambitious ways to change the world and we don’t see that some of the most significant needs we can meet are within our own families, among our friends, in our wards, and in our communities. We are touched when we see the suffering and great needs of those halfway around the world, but we may fail to see there is a person who needs our friendship sitting right next to us...”

I’ve seen this as I’ve served in my wards in the last year. I haven’t been able to participate in any big service projects recently, like I’ve done in the past, and I noticed a difference in my life. Earlier this year I recognized that I was having more pity parties for myself and I wanted to get up and do something. I knew that I needed more service. I tried looking for projects in the community, but then I realized that I can serve right where I am. I can serve my family, and I can serve in my ward. As I started being more active in my YSA ward an amazing thing happened. I got to know people better, I made friends, and found opportunities to serve while ministering. I became so much happier all because I decided to be involved. I know that when I take the time to serve others, in any way that I can, I am happier.

BYU President, Kevin J. Worthen, expands on this thought. He says, “Service is not just connected to joy in some amorphous, general way. Service is an essential part of the refining process that makes true joy possible.”

Marion G. Romney said this about service: “Service is not something we endure on this earth so we can earn the right to live in the celestial kingdom. Service is the very fiber of which an exalted life in the celestial kingdom is made.

Knowing that service is what gives our Father in Heaven fulfillment, and knowing that we want to be where He is and as He is, why must we be commanded to serve one another? Oh, for the glorious day when these things all come naturally because of the purity of our hearts. In that day there will be no need for a commandment because we will have experienced for ourselves that we are truly happy only when we are engaged in unselfish service.”

But what do we do when we don’t feel like serving? When serving feels more like a burden than a blessing? How can we make service a part of our lives so that we can feel the joy?

I love this quote from Bishop L. Todd Budge, “When our sacrifices on behalf of others are viewed from the perspective of “giving up,” we may see them as a burden and become discouraged when our sacrifices are not recognized or rewarded. However, when viewed from the perspective of “giving to” the Lord, our sacrifices on behalf of others become gifts, and the joy of generously giving becomes its own reward. Freed from the need for love, approval, or appreciation from others, our sacrifices become the purest and deepest expressions of our gratitude and love for the Savior and our fellow men. Any prideful sense of self-sacrifice gives way to feelings of gratitude, generosity, contentment, and joy.”

Rendering true Christlike service is often done anonymously, without fanfare. The person giving service gains their reward long before receiving any recognition or thanks. In this case of my anonymous bike repairing bandit - it probably only took a few minutes to tighten the screw on my bike, but they did it anonymously. They weren’t looking for any reward or recognition for that small act of service. They saw a need - and took action to fill it. Just like Christ did in countless situations, without seeking accolades. My bike repairer could have stood by my bike after fixing it, waiting for me to return so they could be properly thanked. They could have left a note with their name and number. I would have thanked them from the bottom of my heart. But they didn’t stay. Fixing the bike for a stranger was its own reward.

Bishop Budge said “Something is made holy—whether it be our lives, our possessions, our time, or our talents—not simply by giving it up but rather by consecrating it to the Lord. The humanitarian work of the Church is such a gift. It is the product of the collective, consecrated offerings of the Saints, a manifestation of our love for God and His children.” [See Matthew 22:36–40]”

In this busy season, I pray that we can emulate Thomas S. Monson in the way he lived when he said, “May we lift our eyes heavenward and look upward and outward into the lives of others. May we remember this Christmas season that “it is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).”

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said, “So go out there and light a candle. Be a ray of light. Be your best self and let your character shine. Cherish the gospel of Jesus Christ and live it. The world needs you, and surely your Father in Heaven needs you if His blessed purposes for His children are to prevail. You have entered to learn. Now go forth to serve and strengthen.”

I invite you all to seek the Lord’s direction into your life as you determine the ways that you can serve those around you right now, today. I am so grateful to be a part of a church that serves. I have a testimony that service brings unbelievable joy i
nto our lives. I know that as you find more ways to serve in the church and in community, you will be blessed and find happiness.

I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.