Service

When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.

Mosiah 2:17


I believe serving each other is an important part of life. While donating money to charities helps, it is not the only way to serve. Here is a list of ideas to get you thinking of what you can do to help others:

• Rake leaves or shovel snow for neighbors
• Chop or stack wood for elderly neighbors
• Read with children at a literacy center
• Visit with the elderly at a rest home
• Walk dogs at a animal shelter
• Make blankets for various organizations such as the local police or women's shelters
• Donate and gather food for a food bank 
• Donate and gather supplies for hygiene kits for women's shelters or needed areas throughout the world
• Donate your hair- 8-10 inch minimum, depending on the charity.  The three organizations I know of are: Locks of Love, Pantene Beautiful Lengths, and Wigs for Kids.
• Habitat for Humanity- under the direction of a certified contractor, help build homes for lower income residences who also are doing a large portion of the work.
• Volunteer at soup kitchen or homeless shelter
• Mother's Milk Bank- donate human milk for premature babies. I am familiar with the Rocky Mountain Children's Health Foundation Milk Bank, although there are other organizations out there, both profit (research) and non profit based.
• Cuddle/Hold babies in the hospital
• Donate blood- okay, not a favorite, but still good to do.
• Donate Plasma (some organizations pay for this)
• Bring dinner to a family who just had a baby, major illness, etc
• Donate stuff for charity yard sales, or the like
• Free babysitting for a friend
• Tutor at local school
• Clear weeds and debris from a park/garden
• Help plant city flowers
• Pick up trash in parks
• Make wooden toys for children in 3rd world countries- or oil them as our family did after our grandpa and grandma made them.
• Help repaint someone's home, shed, cabin, etc
• Give excess garden produce away to others 
• Help someone move
• Listen when someone needs to talk
• Refrain from saying something unkind
• Offer words of encouragement
• Share your talents with others
• Maintain a positive attitude

The list of ways to serve could go on and on, this certainly is not a comprehensive list. I am convinced the possibilities to make life better for our fellowmen are endless.

What have been some of your favorite ways to serve?