WENDY: "Service... I think when you serve others you learn to find yourself and who you really are. I like the scripture in the Book of Mormon in Mosiah 2:17 that tells us, "When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God".
That is so true and if we look at service that way it can become easier to serve others! I haven't been involved in organizations for service, but I have found that there are opportunities all around us to serve, we just need to look. I did help my son with his Eagle project this summer doing a food drive for the Family Connection Center for pets, we collected donations and food for animals. I was amazed at the love and the big hearts of people around us, we had collected over 1800 lbs of pet food. It was so humbling to go with my son to the Family Connection Center and drop it off, people were waiting for food so they could feed their pets. That was rewarding to know that we made a difference in someone's life!
I have had many opportunities to serve others and to have others serve me. It is always hard to accept help from others because we think we can do it on our own, but by turning people away and not accepting their service we are denying them blessings.
One thing I have tried to do, and have made it a goal, is to always look for ways to serve others when I am out and about, they are everywhere!! By taking yourself out of your comfort zone and reaching out to complete strangers you will be surprised how people react.
For instance, smile and look at people in the face,say hello to the Wal-mart greeter, help someone shorter than you reach to get something off the shelf, someone drops something - help them pick it up, compliment someone, help a mother with a child and the list goes on and on! Don't be shy, do it in front of your kids because I have and that is setting the perfect example of how to treat people. I try to stop and give a dollar or two to the homeless person in the parking lot and if I've just bought groceries, I have gotten out of my car and have given them food. One day I saw a lady and a grandma with a small child pushing a cart full of groceries down the road and it was cold so I stopped and offered them help. We loaded everything in the back and I took them home. I expect nothing in return, just blessings.
One day at Wal-Mart I saw a couple who had bought some furniture and was trying to load it in their car and I knew it would not fit so I offered my van. My son Casey was with me and asked,"Do you know them?" I said, "No, but they need help." We loaded the van up and I followed them to their apartment and had my son help the guy carry the item up to where they lived. Wal-Mart is a perfect place to find service. Another time I overheard a couple talking in McDonalds, not knowing what to do next because their car broke down and they needed to get to Salt Lake. They wanted to get to the nearest train station and did not know where one was. I went up to them and told them that I could take them there. They were relieved and turned to my son Colby who was with me and said, "You have a good mom". They talked to my son in the car the whole way there and thanked us over and over.
You never know the impact you will make on someone by serving them, what a shame if we always pass by on helping someone in need.
A thought to remember
You are the piece to the puzzle of someone's life.
You may never know where you fit, but others
will fill the holes of their lives with pieces of you!
KARA: "One other service that Wendy probably doesn't even consider one - her sister, Tina, told me that she made a book about her breast cancer experience, and I think she left it in the Dr.'s office for others to look at. Apparently, it was hilarious - that is SO Wendy. Believe me when I say, she can make you laugh at anything. I'm sure that other patients pick that up, and after laughing their heads off, feel a little bit better about what they have to go through!"
KARA: "Will you tell us your beauty secrets? What do you do to stay healthy and happy? If you had one day to do anything you wanted, what would you do?"
WENDY: "My beauty secrets? Ha ha, very funny! Lets just say Nice and Easy color in a box! I have been coloring my hair for over twenty years, I guess you can say I take after my mom who went gray very early too. I think going to bed early and rising early has helped me and has created good habits for myself and my children. I love to eat salads and I haven't been a big meat eater. Seeing like the Carl's Jr. commercials really gross me out with the dripping hamburgers. I like chicken dishes the best. I could do better exercising, if I was to exercise it would be walking or Tae Bo exercise video. I also do not miss any check ups when it comes to my health, When things don't feel right, they probably are not right, we need to listen to our bodies. God did not give us pain for no reason, our body feels pain to tell us something is wrong, so we should not ignore the signs it gives us.
What keeps me happy is when I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing. I have found when I let things slip on taking care of myself spiritually I'm not happy. We try to take care of our physical bodies, but I feel we need to take care of our spiritual body too. Praying, reading the scriptures and going to church each week, just keeping the commandments which God has given us can keep us happy.
If I had one day to do anything I wanted? I would take some time out for me, because I give to everyone else and never take time for myself. If I had no limit with money I would get a make over head to toe, get a massage and then attempt, if I'm brave enough, to go skydiving.(I've always wanted to try that)."
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