“When We Lift Others, The Lord Lifts Us“

By: Eden Jones

I’ve been listening to this song on repeat the past week or so, and every time it brings tears to my face and it feels like a warm hug, as I marvel at the love that Jesus Christ has for me.

It’s called “Beloved” from the 2024 Youth Album of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. And if you haven’t heard it, I strongly encourage you to give it a listen. It is so powerful, and it fills me with the Spirit every single time.

“When We Lift Others, The Lord Lifts Us“

By: Evalani Aho

The youth and youth leaders recently had the opportunity to volunteer at Feed My Starving Children. As a group, we packed meals, basic food like rice, soy, and nutrients into bags that would be sent to children in countries where hunger is a daily struggle.

The work itself was repetitive and simple, but something about it felt meaningful. As we packed the food, I started thinking about the children who would receive it. I realized that what felt small to me might be life, changing to someone else. That thought stayed with me.

At the end of the activity, they told us how many meals we had packed and how many kids would be fed because of it. In that moment, I felt something deep and peaceful in my heart. I knew the Spirit was telling me that even small acts of service have eternal worth.

This reminded me of King Benjamin’s words in Mosiah 2:17: “When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.” I’ve come to know this is true. When we lift others, the Lord lifts us. When we forget ourselves and focus on someone else, we become more like the Savior.

Jesus Christ spent His life serving those around Him, feeding the hungry, healing the sick, and comforting the lonely. When we follow His example, we draw closer to Him and help others feel His love.

I testify that service invites the Spirit into our lives. It softens hearts, strengthens testimonies, and brings us closer to our Heavenly Father. I know that as we look outward instead of inward, the Lord magnifies our efforts and blesses us in ways we cannot fully understand.

Family’s Experience Cleaning Statues in Downtown Mesa with JustServe

By: Mike & Kathrine Terek

Our family had our congregation’s JustServe representative over for a family night. She showed us so many great ways that we can serve together as a family in our community. We chose a project with the City of Mesa to clean statues and invited other members of our congregation to join. It was a fun Saturday morning and we got to meet other members of the community and share our testimonies through service. So many people came up to us and asked us how we got involved in this project and we were able to share with them about JustServe. I am excited to look for more ways to serve together with JustServe.

-Kathrine Terek

We took the opportunity to explore the JustServe website with our congregation JustServe specialist and chose to serve as a family cleaning historic bronze statues in downtown Mesa. The experience was marvelous. The city was so excited for us to be there, and the nature of our service that day was quite public, as people walked, biked and drove by. We heard thank you from these kind residents, and were able to share that we took advantage of the opportunity to serve simply by exploring the JustServe website. I was able to give the website to several, though hI do wish there were JustServe cards we could’ve handed out. As our family and friends served together, we felt a love and closeness that was strong. We shared our experiences afterward in our congregation and look forward to this being a regular aspect of our family service.

-Mike Terek

Getting the Children Involved in Community Service

By: Anita Klieman

I have served with the female primary children as an activity leader for 3 years meeting each week. Each month we do a service activity from JustServe or a local need. The girls are always so enthusiastic about sharing their time and efforts to help others. They always want to see the smiles and stories of the recipients to help them connect more. We have shared pictures, thank you cards, and texts/emails received with THANKS given.

We have also joined with the male primary children at Midwest Foodbank, Feed My Starving Children, and United Foodbank. The children love serving any way they can.

Currently we are teaching sewing skills by sewing flannel tubes into “snakes” for preemie babies in hospitals. There are so many ways to teach skills to the children while at the same time doing service. This generation of youth are truly focused on helping others and they love doing it.

2025 Youth Theme: Look Unto Christ

By: Joseph Reed

Hey Stake Family! Just wanted to share a bit of my study of the 2025 Youth Theme: Look Unto Christ (D&C 6:36). My wife and I were asked to introduce it to our ward and here’s a small excerpt of my thoughts:

– I testify that He knows you. He’s been all alone so that you don’t have to be alone. He stained his garments and the grass of the garden with his blood, so that the stain of sin may be washed clean from your garments. He’s felt the effects and emotions of physical and spiritual death, so that he could pave a path for you to escape physical and spiritual death. I urge you, when trials and tribulations come your way, Look Unto Christ.

– Pres. Nelson, the Lord’s prophet in our day, has invited us to Look unto Christ when he said: “My dear brothers and sisters, in a coming day, Jesus Christ will return to the earth as the millennial Messiah. So today I call upon you to rededicate your lives to Jesus Christ.”

– The fruits and gifts of the Spirit are real, not AI-generated. In a world where many seek to deceive you so that you can’t fully trust what you see, Christ says: “Look unto me in every thought, doubt not, fear not. Behold the wounds which pierced my side; and prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet. Be faithful, keep my commandments, and ye shall inherit the kingdom of heaven.”

I’m looking forward to taking Pres. Nelson’s invitation and call seriously to rededicate my life to Christ. For our family, that may look like rededicating our home, planning out our temple attendance instead of when it is unexpectedly convenient, or looking for opportunities to share our testimonies of Christ more frequently. We will do our best to look to Christ in every thought and would love to hear how others plan to Look Unto Christ and implement the prophet’s call in the new year!