“I Wasn’t There for the Weeds”: When Duty Becomes Devotion

When we make Christ the center of our lives, our thoughts and actions become motivated by devotion rather than duty. 

When we take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ at baptism, we promise to exemplify Christlike attributes and to share his teachings and love with all. However, our busy day-to-day lives may cause us to see our callings more as a duty to perform rather than a welcomed opportunity to serve. We need to remind ourselves that our service in the Church and to God’s children should reflect our devotion to the Savior.

President Henry B. Eyring shares a story about his father in “Waiting Upon the Lord” that demonstrates Christ-centered service. President Eyring’s father, Henry, had volunteered to help weed an onion patch on the Church’s welfare farm. For an entire day, Henry pulled weeds, and despite the pain he endured from his bone cancer, he laughed and smiled with those around him. When the job was done, someone approached him, shocked that he had pulled a certain section of weeds since they had been sprayed and would die anyway. Henry laughed about this realization. When he shared the story with his son, President Eyring asked his father why he took the news so positively. His father responded, “I wasn’t there for the weeds.”

President Eyring then reminds us, “You didn’t come for the weeds. You came for the Savior.” Like President Eyring’s father, when we are asked to serve in a calling or to help our neighbors, we must remember that our love for the Savior motivates our actions. Then, we must act upon that motivation by magnifying our callings not out of duty but out of devotion to the Savior. With the Savior as our focus, we will find joy in any circumstance, and the power of Heaven will rain down upon us.

Read “Waiting Upon the Lord: the Power of Heaven” by Henry B. Eyring to discover a deeper meaning behind waiting upon the Lord and the way our diligence can bring down the powers of Heaven.

Source: BYU Speeches 

—Haley Roper, Latter-day Saint Insights

FEATURE IMAGE BY GUSTAVO FRING

Find more insights

Take a look at “Pulling Life’s Weeds by Facing Trails” by Elizabeth Gallacher to discover what blessings we can gain from our trials.

Read “The Need for a Church” by President Dallin H. Oaks to learn the importance of actively participating in Church activities and responsibilities.