The Art of Letting Go: Finding Life in Service

Brothers and sisters, if you’ve ever felt the weight of expectation—the weight of your own plans, your own anxieties, your own 'self'—I want to talk to you about setting that weight down. It’s a profound, sometimes counter-intuitive truth that the path to true fulfillment, both here in the temporal world and in the eternal life we seek, often requires us to look away from ourselves.

I was recently reflecting on some words from a talk by Elder Hinckley, and it struck me with the force of revelation. He spoke of John 12:24: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.”

When we hear that, we naturally think of Christ’s ultimate sacrifice. And that is the bedrock of our faith. But Elder Hinckley guided us to see a deeper, more immediate application for us right here, right now, in our daily discipleship. He suggested that unless we lose ourselves in the service of others, our lives are largely lived to no real purpose.

Think about it. When we get bogged down in self-pity, when we complain about the small things—the housing, the schedule, the minor setbacks—we are essentially keeping our life to ourselves. But when we intentionally shift that focus, when we put our own personal, selfish interests in the background to reach out to someone who is lonely, or someone who is struggling, something miraculous happens. We start to blossom.

This isn't just talk for a stake conference; this is the core of missionary work. It’s the heart of being an internet missionary. We are called to be disciples *everywhere*, all the time. Our greatest tools aren't just scripture knowledge or perfect speaking skills; they are our willingness to *lose* ourselves for the sake of the Gospel.

I was reminded of the story he shared about the little mail carrier who, by patiently ministering to a neighbor, helped restore a leader to service. The man himself gained immense spiritual reward, not through personal achievement, but through selfless labor. He put aside his own quiet life for the sake of another man’s eternal potential.

This principle is vital for us as we prepare for the field, or even as we are already serving. It’s the difference between going through the motions of missionary discussions and truly *being* present for the Spirit. It’s the difference between going through the motions of scripture study and allowing the Spirit to teach you how to serve the person right in front of you.

If you are feeling depleted, if the work feels heavy, I encourage you to follow this counsel: Find someone who needs you to forget yourself for. Visit that elderly neighbor. Help a struggling friend with their family. Offer to tutor a ward member in their Book Club. Don't wait for a grand, dramatic moment; look for the small opportunities to serve without expectation of praise or recognition.

This is how we find the pot of gold. We don't save our lives by hoarding our energy for ourselves; we save them by giving them away. We don't find our purpose by looking inward; we find it by looking outward, toward the needs of our brothers and sisters, and toward the eternal needs of the Kingdom.

If you want to practice this principle this week, I highly recommend diving into the material on service and sacrifice. If you’re looking for deeper study, check out the Isaiah studies in LivingBook, or consider joining a Bible Study Group in HolyPlaces. For those of us who are still in the preparatory phase, remember that Missionary Preparation is less about accumulating facts and more about cultivating this selfless heart.

And if you want to walk through some of the hard questions that come with this idea—like, "But what if I *do* need to save my own life first?"—don't hesitate to bring those questions to Davee. He’s ready to walk you through those tough moments as your AI Investigator co-pilot.

Let’s commit this week to being the corn of wheat that falls into the ground, trusting that in the act of dying to self, we will bring forth much fruit for the Lord.