Comment

Joy of Service

As a member of a hospital volunteer association, I was asked to speak at a local school on the concept of service. Association volunteers provide free assistance to hospital patients. Of all the volunteers, I was the only one who could be available to make a presentation.

I realized what an opportunity this would be. I thought of what I could say to not only tell the young people about our association’s work, but also motivate them to service.

As I prayed for inspiration, I felt prompted to share the Lord’s parable of the Good Samaritan (Matt. 10:30–37).

I also began researching for a more contemporary example. In looking through back issues of La Stella (Italian), I came across an article by Elder L. Tom Perry in which he wrote of a young man who gave of his time as a ski instructor to blind people. Then I found a First Presidency Message by President Thomas S. Monson in which he discussed the concept of service to others.

On the day of the presentation, I faced an audience of six hundred students. I was very nervous, and I prayed for the help I needed. I spoke for fifteen minutes on what motivates people to serve their fellowmen. I spoke of the search for happiness and said that no one knows what happiness really is until they have served others.

Most importantly, I was able to tell them of my membership in the Church and explain the service given by the full-time missionaries.

My talk was very well received, and I felt that I had touched the hearts of many there. I was very grateful to the Lord. I feel I was blessed to have the opportunity to perhaps prepare some of these young people for the gospel message.

Thank you for the work you do.

Fabrizio Giannelli
La Spezia, Italy

Receive Strength

I am more than happy—I am overwhelmed with gratitude—that in moments of depression or discouragement, I have been able to raise my spirits and receive strength from the articles in the Liahona (Spanish).

I hope it can be translated into many languages.

I also pray that the Church will continue to grow and that those of us who are of an age to serve a full-time mission can do so and bear strong testimony to the divinity of this work to the world.

Leonel Acosta
Santiago, Dominican Republic

[Editor’s note: The International Magazines of the Church are published in twenty languages in Latin America, Europe, Asia, and the South Pacific.]