We’ll Carry You!

By President Thomas S. Monson

From an October 2006 general conference address.

While driving to the office one morning, I passed a sign. It read, “It’s the Service That Counts.” That message simply would not leave my mind. In actual fact it is the service that counts—the Lord’s service.

Many years ago it was my privilege to provide a blessing to a beautiful 12-year-old young lady, Jami Palmer. She had just been diagnosed with cancer. She learned that her leg where the cancer was would require multiple surgeries. A long-planned hike with her Young Women class up a rugged trail was out of the question, she thought.

Jami told her friends they would have to hike without her. I’m confident there was disappointment in her heart.

But then the other young women responded emphatically, “No, Jami, you are going with us!”

“But I can’t walk,” came the reply.

“Then we’ll carry you to the top!” And they did.

None of those precious young women will ever forget that memorable day when a loving Heavenly Father looked down with a smile of approval and was well pleased.

In the Book of Mormon we read of noble King Benjamin. He declared, “And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God” (Mosiah 2:17).

This is the service that counts, the service to which all of us have been called: the service of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We Served Too

See how these children have stepped up to serve others.

Serving with Sewing

When Sarah, age 9, from Oklahoma heard about last year’s earthquake in Haiti, she thought about girls who had lost their homes. She had just gotten a sewing machine for her birthday, and she decided to make simple skirts for the girls. It took patience when Sarah had to pick out stitches to correct mistakes. But soon she had made 18 new skirts. She sent them to the Church Humanitarian Center for the girls in Haiti.

Backpack Service

Alex, age 9, and Noah, age 6, from Oregon put together 15 backpacks full of school supplies for children who needed them. They collected donations from friends and family members who wanted to help. “Doing the backpack drive made me feel good inside,” Alex says.

Willing Hands

Rikki’s branch in California needed someone to play the piano. She was only nine years old, but Rikki had willing hands. She had been taking piano lessons for five years, yet some of the hymns were hard to play. Now each week she chooses and plays the hymns for sacrament meeting. “Even though I was nervous, I knew it was important to serve my branch,” she says. “I get a peaceful feeling when I play the hymns.”

Cookies for Soap

Eliana, age 7, heard that her stake in Utah needed 300 bars of soap for hygiene kits for earthquake victims. She and her mom decided to make lots of cookies and trade them or sell them for soap. Each of their neighbors ordered at least a dozen. Using a coupon, they were able to buy 172 bars of soap. “I know Heavenly Father blessed me and my family for wanting to do our part,” Eliana says.

Play a Matching Game

Illustrations by Taia Morley

Find the item or items below that illustrate each of the children’s stories.

Illustrations by Taia Morley

What do you do to serve?