Loose yourself...Serving Others

I've read many, many times that in order for one to forget their own troubles, trials, adversity...what have you...that one needs to loose their self in the service of others. In Luke 9:24 the Savior taught His disciples, “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.” Thomas S. Monson goes on to say this: "I believe the Savior is telling us that unless we lose ourselves in service to others, there is little purpose to our own lives. Those who live only for themselves eventually shrivel up and figuratively lose their lives, while those who lose themselves in service to others grow and flourish—and in effect save their lives."...
and...
...We become so caught up in the busyness of our lives. Were we to step back, however, and take a good look at what we’re doing, we may find that we have immersed ourselves in the “thick of thin things.” In other words, too often we spend most of our time taking care of the things which do not really matter much at all in the grand scheme of things, neglecting those more important causes."
"...My brothers and sisters, we are surrounded by those in need of our attention, our encouragement, our support, our comfort, our kindness—be they family members, friends, acquaintances, or strangers. We are the Lord’s hands here upon the earth, with the mandate to serve and to lift His children. He is dependent upon each of us."

So...that is my new goal...to loose myself...and my worries, by serving those around me. To actually consciously pray for Heavenly Father to guide me to those in need. I've been taught that by serving others, I will forget my own problems, that by loosing myself in order to help relieve someone else's pain or discomfort...that I will strengthen myself. I'm prayerful that in so doing this, I will not only be strengthened, but that I will be a positive example for good to my children, and that I will learn a few things in the process :)

I found this quote that I absolutely LOVE:

“I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails. I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp. I want to be there with grass stains on my shoes from mowing Sister Schenk's lawn. I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbor's children. I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed some one's garden. I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder. I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived."

~Marjorie Hinckley

Anyway, just thought I'd share!