Something to Work on

My home teachers came today. I haven't had any for a year and it was nice to have them stop by.

The lesson they shared was about service during the Christmas season. We seem to get so caught up in the materialism of the holidays that we forget what it's really about.

They challenged me to find better and more frequent ways to serve to ensure a better feeling during the holidays. He even committed me to do so. I've never had a home teacher use the commitment pattern on me before. I almost giggled out loud. But I was still thinking about it when I was studying later in the day.

I was reading in 4th Nephi. In verse 5 it mentions that the miracles that were worked were "in the name of Jesus". In reading commentary on that specific verse, I read something that really struck me. "We are the servants of the Lord, who is our Master, and he has commanded us to labor in his fields - plowing, sowing, cultivating, and harvesting. That is, we are the agents of the Lord, who is our eternal principal, and he has empowered us to represent him and do the things he would do if he were personally present. When we do all things in his name in righteousness, it means that we put ourselves in his place and stead, that we think and speak and act as he would in the same situation. It means we live our lives as though we were the one whose blessed name we bear. Our acts become his acts - they are done in his name." (Robert L. Millet and Joseph Fielding McConkie, In His Holy Name, p.36)

I don't think I am a very good agent of the Lord sometimes. I'm full of excuses as to why I can't serve, especially during this time of the year. I become wrapped up in myself and my needs, and tend to forget about others.

If I remembered that I was an agent of the Lord, my prayers would be better, my conduct at work would improve, and I would find joy in serving. I really need to work on this.