Dallin Oaks

Mormons are unique in their selfless service through missions. Aren't we special. Older couples go to serve strangers, young men and women delay work and education to serve. This is unselfish service, and so is temple work. The same unselfish service is given in our stakes and wards and branches. ALL are uncompensated.

It's not easy to give up our personal desires. A young missionary wrote home, saying he was wasting his time. His father said, "forget yourself, and go to work." Lose yourself in the lord's service. He who serves others grows and blossoms. BYU student days should include service to others. Jesus was characterized by service. How many people have you helped. You can't love the lord until you serve him by serving his people.

Another way of serving is the sacrifice that parents make for children. Fathers and mothers adjust their lives to serve. In today's world, this gap is widening. Some people chose pets instead of children. We are glad that LDS couples can serve the lord by bearing and rearing children. We don't ask "what's in it for me?" Unselfish service. We don't want to give into worldly ways.

Latter day saints are uniquely committed to service. We sacrifice and consecrate our time and talents for others. Mormons are also renowned for their ability to work with others. We have unselfish cooperation for the common good: helping hands.

In recent elections, LDS has defended marriage by INFRINGING ON THE RIGHTS OF OTHERS. Isn't it wonderful? Isn't it marvelous. Latter day saints are in great demand for high skills and unselfish sacrifice.

Members are willing to sacrifice because of our effective church organization or what outsiders MISTAKENLY call blind obedience, but that is not the reason. Our skills come from our faith in the lord jesus christ and our covenants. Unfortunately some latter day saints fix their priorities on the standards and values of the lord. Satan wants to sift us like wheat. We who follow Jesus should be precious and different. We shouldn't fear man more than god. We shouldn't want praise of the world. We establish the lord's standards, not to follow the world's. We have a different destiny and obligation, and must fit ourselves to it.

Immodest dress, you can't be a life saver if you look like all the other swimmers on the beach. When we seek praise of world we are rejecting saviors teaching. Fall of man had to do with BEING LIKE GODS which is exactly what the mormon church teaches. Arrogance is suffering. There is nothing other than god which will make us happy.

A selfish person is more interested than pleasing man, esp himself, than pleasing god. Such a person is disconnected from covenant promises from god. In contrast, if we love and serve, we remain connected to covenants. Sacrifice is now out of fashion. This is the ME generation; what's in it for me? Entitlement is WRONG, feeling like you are owed something. Entitlement is selfish. We shouldn't seek to elevate ourselves because it separates us. Blessings are contingent upon obedience.

Greed is evident in multimillion bonus of corporations. It also caused widespread borrowing and consumerism. Gambling too is ruining the world.

Values of the world teach it's all about me, which is contrary to eternal progress, contrary to Jesus' plan. We should be all about what we can become: gods! Mother Teresa was selfless. Lose our lives in service to others.

We should apply this in our attitude of attending church. All the excuses for not attending service are selfish and retards spiritual growth. Not going to church is SELFISH. We should go to church each week to make a positive difference in people's life. Any lack of commitment in going to church, or thinking the church does not fulfill our needs, or that we do not like the people at church is selfish and wrong and evil and all your fault.

Amen