“The nearer we get to our Heavenly Father, the more we are disposed to look with compassion on perishing souls.”
Service
LDS Quotes on Service
“Every person is different and has a different contribution to make. No one is destined to fail. As you seek revelation to see gifts God sees in those you lead in the priesthood—particularly the young—you will be blessed to lift their sights to the service they can perform.”
| Help Them Aim High, Conference October 2012
“Christ wants to lift us to where He is. Do we desire to do the same for others?”
“The Lord and His Church have always encouraged education to increase our ability to serve Him and our Heavenly Father’s children. For each of us, whatever our talents, He has service for us to give. And to do it well always involves learning, not once or for a limited time, but continually.
“It is also clear that spiritual learning would not replace our drive for secular learning. The Lord clearly values what you will find in that history book. And He favors not only Spanish verbs but also the study of geography. His educational charter requires that we have “a knowledge also of countries and of kingdoms” (D&C 88:79). There is also an endorsement for questions we study in the sciences. It is clear that putting spiritual learning first does not relieve us from learning secular things. On the contrary, it gives our secular learning purpose and motivates us to work harder at it…Remember, you are interested in education, not just for moral life but for eternal life.
“Part of the tragedy you must avoid is to discover too late that you missed an opportunity to prepare for a future only God could see for you.”
“Your priesthood quorums provide opportunities for friendship, service, and learning. But the responsibility to develop power in the priesthood is personal. Only as an individual can you develop a firm faith in God and a passion for personal prayer.”
| Personal Priesthood Responsibility, Conference October 2003
“Let me emphasize that the noblest aim in life is to strive to live to make lives better and happier. The most worthy calling in life is that in which man can serve best his fellowman.”
| Conference Report, April 1961, p. 131
“[When we do temple work] for those who have gone beyond the veil…we expect no thanks, nor do we have the assurance that they will accept that which we offer. However, we serve, and in that process we attain that which comes of no other effort: we literally become Saviors on mount Zion. As our Savior gave His life as a vicarious sacrifice for us, so we, in some small measure do the same when we perform proxy work in the temple for those who have no means of moving forward unless something is done for them by those of us here on the earth”
“Berdyaev wrote that ‘one must help others and do good works, not for saving one’s own soul, but for love, for the union of men, for the bringing of their souls together in the kingdom of God. Love for men is a value in itself, the quality of goodness is imminent in it.'”
You may feel that there are others who are more capable or more experienced who could fulfill your callings and assignments better than you can, but the Lord gave you your responsibilities for a reason. There may be people and hearts only you can reach and touch. Perhaps no one else could do it in quite the same way.
“Our opportunities to give of ourselves are indeed limitless, but they are also perishable. There are hearts to gladden. There are kind words to say. There are gifts to be given. There are deeds to be done. There are souls to be saved.”
| The Gifts of Christmas, First Presidency Message, December 2003