Have I done any good in the world today?

     Today in Relief Society, we had a wonderful lesson on service. We started by viewing this message from President Monson. 

     We next talked about a women in the ward who has a little daughter who has suffered from a pediatric stroke which has left her with a lot of health problems. She has just undergone surgery to help repair some of her nerves.  

     At the Super Saturday activity yesterday, we made a quilt for Lexi (the little girl). We also wrote notes to her mom. To read more about her story or to donate, click here. 

    After talking about Lexi, we talked about examples in our lives when people have served us and what it has done for us. It reminded me of a story that happened to my family that I won't ever forget.

     As a child, my family had some family friends that were struggling financially. For years, at Christmas time, each of us kids would spend some or our allowance to buy a gift for one of their children. As a child, I sometimes resented this because I really wanted to keep my own money. I didn't understand why I needed to give up of my money to help someone else. 

     I learned why a couple years later. When Scott was five or six, my family was struggling. Our Christmas was going to be quite small. Scott really wanted a giant stuffed elephant that he had seen at the store. My parents had told him he probably wouldn't get the elephant because our budget was tight. Scott was sad and wished he could have it. 

    On Christmas morning when I woke,  I went to look at the tree. Wrapped next to the tree was a giant box with Scott's name on it. When Scott opened the box, there was the elephant that he had wanted. He pulled it out, and hugged it, almost crying with happiness. The family that gave that elephant to Scott will never know how much joy they brought to not only Scott that Christmas, but to the rest of my family as well. I don't remember very much about that Christmas, but I will always remember the happiness that service brought to our lives that day. 

      I am so grateful for those people who helped us that Christmas and for the joy they brought to our life that day.  I just hope that someday I can make someone's Christmas, just like someone made mine.

This music video is so good!