Marci Robison: I will delight to serve Him

"You can make the pathway bright, fill the soul with heaven's light, if there's sunshine in your heart; turning darkness into day as the shadows fly away, if there's sunshine in your heart today." This is one of my favorite songs because it reminds me to enjoy serving others and making them happy. I enjoy singing in general. Doctrine and Covenants 25:12 says, "For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads." My husband participated in the BYU Men's Chorus a few years and has a wonderful tenor voice. He has the talent to hear when others are flat, sharp, or whatever. I notice that when he hears something amiss in a song, his face certainly shows it. I am of the opinion that it doesn't matter how well we sing, as long as we sing with all that we have because as this verse of scripture illustrates, songs are a form a prayer, and we should always have a prayer in our hearts. I love to sing, and even though I don't always sing well, I know that my Father in Heaven is listening just as intently as if I were praying to Him by my bed side every night and morning.

When I was a seminary student, seemingly so long ago, I had a difficult time trying to read and study my scriptures everyday. We were urged and encouraged to read at least ten minutes for 200 days. It took me several months to get into the habit of reading the scriptures every night, but now, I rarely miss a day. "For my soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them, and writeth them for the learning and the profit of my children." (2 Nephi 4:15) I feel that I delight in the scriptures daily. Unfortunately, I cannot always set aside ten minutes for my scripture study, but I make sure that I read something each day. Sometimes, it is only a verse, other times it is a chapter or two. I also like to read and study my patriarchal blessing, which is personal scripture and revelation for me. I delight in reading it, for it gives me comfort, courage and strength to endure the trials that have been placed upon me to make me a stronger person.

I just saw BYU's performance of Don Giovanni it was a wonderful performance. At the end, I noticed that Don Giovanni's character was called to repent, but he would not. This reminded me of the verse in Proverbs 1:22 "How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?" The sinners delight in sin also. I have pondered this application and I wonder if there are things that I have done in my life that I have justified myself in doing, that maybe I shouldn't have been doing. Am I delighting in sin, even for a moment, even for a fleeting moment of pleasure? Have I been called to repentance, but have I, like Don Giovanni, refused to do so? I fear that these kinds of actions are part of our human nature. We must try with all of our might to put off the natural man, and not delight in scorn or sin any longer, but delight in righteousness.

In 2 Nephi 9:49 it says," Behold, my soul abhorreth sin, and my heart delighteth in righteousness; and I will praise the holy name of my God." My mother has told me that my sisters and I gave her righteous gifts when we were born. She has told me of these gifts a couple times, and her delight for each of us was a great blessing in her life. I would like to share my mother's experience with you. She claims that when my sisters and I were born that we each gave her a gift. First, my sister, Jenelle. After she was born, my mother was looking in the mirror one day and she wanted to read anything other than children stories. Through this, she says that she wanted to learn. Then after my sister, Kristy was born, she looked in the mirror and she wanted to make others laugh and bring joy into their lives. Then there was me. My mother told me that when I was born, she wanted to serve others more than she had before I was born. In further conversation with my mother, I found that she has observed those very traits in each one of her daughters. Jenelle loves to learn. Kristy loves to make others happy and laugh. Finally, I love to serve others whenever, I can, and sometimes when I can't. My mother claims that we are a delight to her because of the "gifts" that we gave to her and how we have blessed her life. I feel that because my sisters and I have the traits that we inspired in my mother, that each of us also "delighteth in righteousness."

I have always been surrounded by people who delighted in serving others so I thought it was common for everyone to want to help in various service activities, whether planned or spontaneous. When my mother mentioned that I had given her the gift of service, I doubted her. I could not see my mother as someone who did not want to serve her neighbors and her family. When my mother told me that I carried that trait inside myself, I had to ponder it for a while. I had never noticed how willingly I would attend mutual activities that involved service. To me, it was a natural reaction. My friends would never complain when we were told that we had to do a service project, so why should I complain? Sister Tanner was the General Young Women President when I was in the Young Women program. Sister Tanner said, "When we delight to serve Him, our Father in Heaven delights to bless us. 'I, the Lord, … delight to honor those who serve me in righteousness and in truth unto the end' I want to be worthy always of His delight." I have always looked up to Sister Tanner. She has always given talks that have helped me through various times and trials in my life. I want to delight to serve Him too, so that He can delight in me.


Sources:

2 Nephi 9:49
D&C 25:12
Proverbs 1:22
2 Nephi 4:15
Sister Susan W. Tanner