I Remember My Servant

In the first talk of the most recent general conference, Elder Bednar expressed his appreciation for members of the Church who serve so faithfully worldwide. He referenced a famous talk from President J. Reuben Clark entitled “They of the Last Wagon” in which he praised those anonymous faithful pioneers who “day after day, week after week, and month after month, choked on the dust stirred up by all of the wagons rolling in front of them—and who overcame the relentless obstacles they encountered along the way. President Clark declared, ‘They of the last wagon pressed forward, worn and tired, footsore, sometimes almost disheartened, borne up by their faith that God loved them, that the restored gospel was true, and that the Lord led and directed the Brethren out in front.’” Elder Bednar also quoted President Howard W. Hunter who commented on the fact that Helaman and his brethren were “no less serviceable” than Captain Moroni even though their service was less visible (see Alma 48:19). He said, “If you feel that much of what you do this year or in the years to come does not make you very famous, take heart. Most of the best people who ever lived weren’t very famous either. Serve and grow, faithfully and quietly.” Indeed, most of us will not be recognized for our acts outside our immediate entourage, most of us will not have our names recorded in the annals of history for our good deeds, most of us will never be granted conspicuous honors for our service to the world. And that’s okay—because God sees us, and that’s enough. I believe it is a sign of great spiritual maturity to recognize that we do not need positions of leadership or public recognition in our discipleship to find joy and fulfilment in our service in the gospel.

                President Boyd K. Packer gave a similar talk in the October 2004 general conference to that of Elder Bednar’s in which he highlighted this statement from the Lord: “I remember my servant Oliver Granger; behold, verily I say unto him that his name shall be had in sacred remembrance from generation to generation, forever and ever, saith the Lord” (Doctrine and Covenants 117:12). I have heard of criticisms from outside the Church saying that this prophecy wasn’t fulfilled because most members could not tell you who Oliver Granger is. His accomplishments were small and he is little spoken of now. But the revelation does not say that all of us will remember him; rather, it says that the Lord remembers him! And in the end that is all that matters. President Packer commented, “What did Oliver Granger do that his name should be held in sacred remembrance? Nothing much, really. It was not so much what he did as what he was. When we honor Oliver, much, perhaps even most, of the honor should go to Lydia Dibble Granger, his wife.” He then told this story, “Some years ago in the Philippines we arrived early for a conference. Sitting on the curb were a father and mother and four small children dressed in their Sunday best. They had come several hours on a bus and were having the first meal of the day. Each of them was eating a cob of cold, boiled corn. The cost of the bus to Manila probably came out of their food budget. As I watched that family, my heart overflowed with emotion. There is the Church. There is the power. There is the future. As with families in many lands, they pay their tithing, sustain their leaders, and do their best to serve.” That faithful family will never be known to the worldwide Church and will never be recognized by name for their service outside their small community. But the Lord sees their faith and loves them as much as any of His faithful servants. President Packer then expressed his feelings this way: “For more than 40 years, my wife and I have traveled over the earth. We know members of the Church in perhaps a hundred countries. We have felt the power in their simple faith. Their individual testimonies and their sacrifice have had a profound effect on us. I do not like to receive honors. Compliments always bother me, because the great work of moving the gospel forward has in the past, does now, and will in the future depend upon ordinary members.” We each have the opportunity to move the work of the Lord forward in our own sphere of influence, and we need not be troubled that we don’t receive great recognition or accolades for our service. We can be content to know that, like Oliver Granger, if we are trying then the Lord will say of each of us individually, “I remember my servant.” And if the Lord remembers us, it really doesn’t matter if anyone else does.