I am so excited to be here!
In the Book of Mormon, Ammon is a great example of lifting others through Christ. Christ tells him, “Ye shall be patient in long-suffering and afflictions, that ye may show forth good examples unto them in me, and I will make an instrument of thee in my hands unto the salvation of many souls.” [1]
Ammon blessed the lives of so many when he was alive, and his story and his experiences are still blessing the lives of many, many more. During his time on earth, I don’t think he realized the impact he would have on millions of people. He acted in a way that was pleasing to the Lord, and the Lord blessed him with meaningful experiences and opportunities to act as the Savior’s hands.
Think about yourself for a second. Are you living in a way that is pleasing to the Lord? Do you think He can trust you to be His hands?
President Thomas S. Monson said, “The sweetest experience I know in life is to feel a prompting and act upon it and later find out that it was the fulfillment of someone’s prayer or someone’s need. And I always want the Lord to know that if He needs an errand run, Tom Monson will run that errand for Him.” [2]
I too can testify that it is a very sweet experience to be an answer to someone’s prayer, and I too want the Lord to know that if He needs an errand run, Samantha Carey will run that errand.
President Spencer W. Kimball said, “God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs.” [3]
I think about this quote a lot. I know that He has sent many individuals to answer my prayers. I just hope I can do the same for others. This is a huge driving factor in my life. Someone once told me that she prays to be an answer to someone’s prayer every day, and her life has been so much better because of it. I started doing it too, and it has also been a huge blessing in my life. I invite you to do the same. Pay attention to promptings. Serve everyone—your roommates, classmates, family members, ward members.
Service is such a great thing. We have the opportunity to help each other on this mortal journey and be an answer to each other’s prayers. We also get to become better people as we serve. Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf said, “As we lose ourselves in the service of others, we discover our own lives and our own happiness.” [4]
It can be hard to comprehend the kind of influence we have on others, but if we are doing the Lord’s will, I have no doubt that He will use us to bless the lives of so many.
I know that I have had an influence on my peers, but it is not without the help of the Savior. As I have served in Relief Society and other callings, as well as in Student Support, I have been blessed immensely by the influence of friends, loved ones, coworkers, family, and leaders. My life has been changed for good because of the influence these wonderful people had on me. I just hope that I have been able to and will be able to affect others in a positive way like others have done for me. It can be difficult to look outside of yourself so much, especially when we have so much happening in our own lives, but I promise that the Lord will bless you for your efforts.
I am so grateful for the opportunities I have been given to be an answer to someone’s prayer and to be His hands. I know I have become a better person, and I hope to continue to improve and learn from others that have been sent to answer my prayers. I hope you all can realize the kind of influence you have on those around you and be the Lord’s hands to answer the prayers of His children.
I’m grateful for the opportunity I have had to speak today. I hope we can all learn from the Spirit and become better people and better followers of Jesus Christ.
I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
[1] Alma 17:11.
[2]On the Lord’s Errand, DVD, 2008.
[3] Spencer W. Kimball, “Small Acts of Service,” Ensign, Dec. 1974.
[4] Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Happiness, Your Heritage,” Ensign, Nov. 2008.