Elder Yates: Service with a smile :)

This week was really awesome! But, let me first tell you about something the Spirit helped me to learn in the scriptures. I was reading in the Book of Mormon this week, and came across this verse that really stood out to me. It was Moroni 10:21. Placed into the Book of Mormon just before it ends. It says, "And except ye have charity ye can in nowise be saved in the kingdom of God; neither can ye be saved in the kingdom of God if ye have not faith; neither can ye if ye have no hope."

I have been studying Charity a lot this last week, and found this verse. Charity truly is the pure love of Christ. Without it, we cannot enter the kingdom of God. But, I also love how faith, hope, and charity are so interconnected. Having these 3 Christlike attributes helps us to become the disciple that God, Christ, and we desire to be.

Throughout this week, we have been striving to find as much service as we can. We know that as we serve people, we are really serving God (Mosiah 2:17). We helped somebody move this week, we helped organize folders, and then we went and helped at the Hermann Park Gardens. It was so much fun to be able to go and help make someone's day. Member or non-member alike.

When we were helping the member move, it wasn't far at all, it was in the same building in their complex, we didn't have to go outside, and it was just up one floor. Just as we were about to be done with moving everything, we had to move this absolute unit of a couch. Sadly, it didn't fit in the elevator, so the stairs were our only option. Elder Hanchett and I were brave enough to take on this task alone, and so we did. Let me tell y'all something, all those years of playing video games,mainly tetris, and building good grips because of rock climbing, we successfully made it! It was scary, but rewarding. We got Papa John's afterwards! Plus, on top of that, I got to pet their super nice dog named Coco! She was so cute!

If I did not have faith, hope, and charity while moving that couch, I probably would've dropped it and not cared. But, I love to follow the example of my Savior, and so I did my best to be like Him. :)

I invite each of you this week to go out into the community and do some service for someone. :) This could be a family member, friend, coworker, neighbor, etc. Give someone service, and do it with a smile! I can promise that as you do so, the Spirit of Christ will fill the air, and everyone will be able to feel closer to Him.

I love all y'all, and hope that you have a great week, because I know that I will!

-Elder J.T.Yates