The Little Things That Show the Big Love: Learning to Serve in the Day-to-Day

My brothers and sisters, I was watching some footage the other day, and it really struck a chord deep in my heart. It wasn't a mission talk, or a temple experience, or even a doctrinal deep dive. It was just… life. The little moments.

We spend so much time preparing for the big moments—the missionary discussions, the inevitable transfers, the day we feel the Spirit swell up so powerfully we can’t help but share it. And that’s vital! We need to keep honing those skills, keep studying the Book of Mormon, and keep our hearts open to the Savior’s plan. But sometimes, the Lord whispers His deepest lessons when we’re just mopping floors, or dealing with a leaky faucet, or making sure someone has a clean breakfast before church.

What I saw was a beautiful illustration of discipleship in action. It was about noticing the leak, taking responsibility for the chore that wasn't "your job," and doing it anyway, because love compelled you to. It was about seeing a need—whether it was a clean floor or someone needing emotional support after surgery—and responding with genuine, selfless care.

As we are all striving to be better Internet missionaries, we often think of going out into the field, or even just opening up our LivingBook for a Bible Study Group. And those things are wonderful! But I want to challenge us today to look at our *immediate* sphere of influence. Where is the 'leak' in your home, your ward, or your family right now? Is it the chore nobody wants to do? Is it the friend who seems a little quiet? Is it the scripture study that needs a little extra attention?

Love: The Divine Signature

The speaker in the video pointed out that love is the divining characteristic of a disciple of Jesus Christ. And that’s it. It’s not about having the perfect testimony ready, or knowing all the answers to the hard questions Davee might walk you through. It’s about the *response* to need, fueled by the Atonement.

When we focus too much on the *performance* of religion—the perfect talk, the flawless preparation—we can miss the quiet invitation to simply *be* Christlike. Being Christlike means seeing the need and moving to meet it, even when it’s messy, even when it’s inconvenient, and even when we’d rather be doing something else.

This principle applies directly to our discipleship journey. If you are feeling overwhelmed with mission prep, or if you are struggling to feel the Spirit enough to share your testimony, remember the mopping. Remember the small, persistent acts of service. Those are the times the Spirit whispers, “This is where you can be a disciple right now.”

A Bite-Sized Skill for the Field: Observing Needs

Here’s a little skill I want to pass along to the next wave of disciples. When you are in a missionary discussion, or even just visiting an investigator, don't just wait for them to ask the big doctrinal question. Instead, practice the skill of **observing the environment and the person.**

1. Observe the physical space: Is there something broken? Is there a chore that seems undone? (Like the leak in the video.)
2. Observe the emotional tone: Are they hesitant? Are they laughing loudly, or are they smiling a little too brightly?
3. Ask a gentle, non-leading question: Instead of launching into a talk, try, “It sounds like keeping up with everything at home is a lot right now. How are you managing all of that?”

This shows you care about *them*, not just about *the work*. And that genuine, humble care is what draws people in.

If you want to practice this skill, I highly recommend diving into some of the material available in LivingBook. Sometimes a Book Club or even just exploring the Social Scripture Study layer can give you prompts to practice observation and thoughtful conversation.

We are all disciples, everywhere, all the time. Don't wait for the 'big moment' to feel worthy of the Spirit. Look around you today. What small act of love can you perform? That’s where the power of the gospel is most readily available.

If you feel the Spirit prompting you to deepen your study, check out the latest resources from Iron Rod. And if you’re ready to put this into practice with others, join us for our weekly Disciple Challenge—it’s a wonderful way to build up our little community of rogue disciples!