Main Hoon Na
When I began my job in India, I was fortunate enough to have
a personal admin who would help me with the many things that needed to be done.
Not only was there a lot to do for my work, but there were also a lot of
personal things that I needed to accomplish in preparation for my family to
come out from the U.S. This admin, Mohammad Niyaz was a big
help. One time, when I asked him to take
care of something that was particularly important, he said, “Main Hoon Na.” When I asked him what that meant he explained
that it means “I am there for you.” I
thought this was a great phrase and over time, I have found that this matches
very nicely with the gospel of Jesus Christ. For example, “..love one another,
and … serve one another.”[1]
And in Leviticus: “thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself…”[2]
Serving one another can be done in a variety of ways. As we
work to serve each other, we become one in our goals, our efforts and our love
for each other.
A quote from Sathya Sai Baba says, "Hands that help are
holier than lips that pray." (A holy man in the Hindu religion, like a
saint to the Roman Catholics)
Christ taught us how we must become united and to serve
everyone as a child of God. In Romans it says, “So we, being many, are one body
in Christ. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but
condescend to men of low estate.”[3] In the eternal scheme of things, everyone on
the earth is the same. There are none
that are any greater or any lesser than you or me. The highest president, or the simple worker –
are of the same worth to our Heavenly Father and we should treat them the
same.
While in India,
we had a young man who was our driver.
He was with us every day, taking me to work, taking the girls to the
store, etc. After being with us for a
year or more, he made a comment to my admin that he found it interesting that
we treated all people the same. We
treated him with the same respect that we treated a member or our branch, or a
shop owner or the president of a company.
This was foreign to him, because in the Indian society, there is still
quite a difference in the way people treat different classes of people.
Christ taught that we should serve all people regardless of
their station in life. “Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto
one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”[4]
“Main Hoon Na” is exemplified by Mother Teresa. In an
address to a group of sisters at Notre Dame, she talked about the hungry ones
in today's society--not just those who hunger for bread, but those who are
literally hungering for understanding love, for being wanted, for being
important to somebody. “This kind of poverty,” said Sister Teresa, “is all over
the world”. She talked about the homeless ones, “not people who are homeless
because they have no houses of bricks or stone, but homeless, again, for
understanding love--helpless, hopeless people who have forgotten how to smile.”
"There is so much suffering," she said, "and we seem to have so
little time for each other and for works of love.”
On of the purposes of this life is to help other
people. We help them by leading and also
by serving. Many years ago, Jo had a severe infection in her leg that got
progressively worse and worse. The
doctors were unable to diagnose the problem and Jo was eventually bed ridden
because of the pain. It was a difficult
time for us. I was working a lot of
hours and you children were all young. The house hold chores seemed to pile up
quickly.
One afternoon, Jo was visited by a wonderful sister in our
Ward named Maryann Hamm. MaryAnn came to
the door wearing a fairy costume, and carrying a “magic wand.” She told us that she was the “cleaning fairy”
and was here to grant three cleaning wishes.
She then proceeded to do some of the things that needed to be done. She cleaned the house, did dishes, and
generally did what ever Jo needed help with.
When she finished, Jo, with tears in her eyes expressed her love and
gratitude for this sister and her willingness to help and serve. Maryann Hamm was a sister who truly
understood the meaning of charity.
Gandhi, speaking about service said “.. every one of us does
render some service or other. If we cultivate the habit of doing this service
deliberately, our desire for service will steadily grow stronger, and will
make, not only our own happiness, but that of the world at large.”
Ivana is a good example of service. There have been many times when I have been
sick in bed and Ivana would be there to look after me and to bring me drinks or
anything else that I needed. Ivana
unselfishly serves others, to get recognition, but because she truly loves
other people. I have often observed her
as she helps her mother, or when she takes care of her little sister
Victoria. She seems to have a heart that
truly loves other people and causes her to put aside her own needs and lovingly
exemplify the characteristic of serving others.
When they first arrived in India, Tori willingly washed our
clothes day after day for many days. She
loves to help out and to work side by side with her mother. I find that she is also a good example of
service.
Jo is one of the best examples of service I know. The service to you, our children is freely
and unselfishly given. You all know of
the many times when Mom has come to your aid and rescue. She gives to lots of people, helping them,
looking after them, or their children.
She calls on sick friends, or those who are in need of comfort. She is a strength and rock to her Mother and
siblings. She is also my best friend and
sacrifices constantly to serve me and make me happy.
One of my favorite scripture stories is the account of Ammon
who traveled into the land of the Lamanites to do missionary work. When he got into the land he was captured and
brought before King Lamoni, who would decide what was to be done with him,
perhaps even to put him to death. King
Lamoni asked Ammon what he was doing in this land. Here we get an interesting insight into
Ammon’s character. He said simply, “And
Ammon said unto him: Yea, I desire to dwell among this people for a time; yea,
and perhaps until the day I die.”[5] Something in his words or his character must
have impressed King Lamoni, because he offered him one of his daughters to be
his wife. Think about that for a
minute. One minute Ammon was a foreign
Nephite who were not liked by the Lamanites, the next minute, the King wanted
him for a son-in-law. Ammon knew that
this was not what the Lord wanted, so he politely declined and then offered to
be the king’s servant. After Ammon saved
the king’s flocks and cut of the arms of the attackers, Kim Lamoni sent for
him. Let me share with you a segment of one of my favorite articles written
just before I went on my mission. I would encourage you to read the whole
article. Brother Roger Merrill
writes: “Because of Ammon’s great
ability as a follower, with the Spirit in the lead, he gained the confidence of
the king. The king sent for Ammon and wanted to know about the source of his
power and what made Ammon so unusual. It is here that Ammon’s ability to influence by service is clearly
focused.
“Now Ammon being wise, yet harmless, he said unto Lamoni:
“Wilt thou hearken unto my words, if I tell thee by what power I do these
things? … And the king answered him, and said: Yea, I will believe all thy
words.” (Alma
18:22–23. Italics added.) That is one of
my favorite scriptures “wise, yet harmless” meaning that he had power and
wisdom, but would do no harm. He would not do anything that Heavenly Father
didn’t want him to do.
Now Ammon was able to really influence. He had gained the
confidence of the king, and the king would listen to him as he counseled and
explained the gospel.”[i]
Later, King Lamoni and Ammon were traveling, and they met
King Lamoni’s father. This father became
very angry with his son and with Ammon and pulled his sword to kill them, but
Ammon stopped him. In his state of fear,
King Lamoni’s father offered Ammon half of his kingdom. Again, Ammon declined.
“Now when Ammon saw that he had wrought upon the old king
according to his desire, he said unto him: If thou wilt grant that my brethren
may be cast out of prison, and also that Lamoni may retain his kingdom, and
that ye be not displeased with him, but grant that he may do according to his own
desires in whatsoever thing he thinketh, then will I spare thee; otherwise I
will smite thee to the earth. Now when Ammon had said these words, the king
began to rejoice because of his life. And when he saw that Ammon had no desire
to destroy him, and when he also saw the
great love he had for his son Lamoni, he was astonished exceedingly, and
said: Because this is all that thou hast desired, that I would release thy
brethren, and suffer that my son Lamoni should retain his kingdom, behold, I
will grant unto you that my son may retain his kingdom from this time and
forever; and I will govern him no more—and said that he wanted only that his
brethren were released from prison and the King Lamoni and his father were
reconciled.”[6]
From this we learn that the greatest rewards come not from
status, reward or recognition but from service and having true love in our
hearts.
Pray that love will guide your actions. The true love of
Christ must become the guiding principle in every aspect of our lives. Pray that this love will be with you when you
talk to your children, when you counsel with your husband or wife, when you do
your church calling. Pray that love will guide all of your actions “Pray
always, and I will pour out my Spirit upon you, and great shall be your
blessing.”[7] Listen
to the Spirit and do what the Lord directs. Listen. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and
lean not unto thine own understanding.”[8] Keep
trying. Heavenly Father does not expect
us to be perfect. He expects us to
endure, to keep trying. “…continue in patience until ye are perfected.”[9] Look for opportunities to serve others. Be happy when an opportunity comes along to
serve.
During my career, when I was traveling so much – back and
forth to India, I found that it was less stressful for me, if I isolated myself
with ear phones on and my nose in a book.
As soon as I got through security, I would turn on my music, and start
reading. I became pretty oblivious to
everything around me except just getting on the plane, etc. Then one day, I decided to change that a
little, and I tried to do just the opposite.
I would look for opportunities to reach out and help people. If someone was struggling in line with a bag,
I offered to help. When we got on the
plane, I would put my things down and then stand ready to help other put their
bags up and get settled. I found plenty
of opportunity and it was a lot of fun.
I particularly remember one woman who was astonished and how friendly I
was and how quickly I was ready to help her.
As I would prepare at home for the flight, I would pray for
opportunities to help people. It was fun
to see how many of those opportunities came up.
Once, at the Paris airport, I was on the shuttle which takes
people from wing to wing all around the airport. It is very confusing and time consuming. If
you don’t pay attention, it would be easy to miss your stop and perhaps your
flight. On one particular bus ride, I
was standing near to a man that kept looking out of the window in obvious
distress and then down at the papers in his hand. I overheard him speak to the bus driver, in
Russian. Of course, the bus driver didn’t respond. As you know, Mom and I learned a little
Russian, so I spoke up to him. I told
him my name, and gestured to look at his papers. I could see where he needed to go, and so, in
my limited and broken Russian, I explained that it was in three more stops –
one, two, three - B, C, then D. He thanked me and was so grateful that I
could help. Imagine me, an American, who
happens to know a little Russian, meeting this guy in Paris, who only spoke
Russian, and needed help. Clearly,
service brings joy.
Now, my dear children, remember that there is very little in
life that is more important than the interpersonal relationships we develop. Work isn’t of eternal value, neither are
homes or cars or any of the millions of things that we are told are important
in an earthly sense. The things that are
of most value are our families, our friends and helping them and others when
ever we can. It is through this process
that we grow develop and learn to be more perfect like our savior Jesus Christ.
Love one another.
Serve one another.
[1] Book of
Mormon, Mosiah 4:5
[2] Old
Testament, Leviticus 19:18
[3] New
Testament, Romans 12:5,16
[4] New
Testament, Matthew 25:40
[5] Book or
Mormon, Alma, 17,23
[6] Book of
Mormon, Alma,
20, 27, (italics added)
[7] Doctrine
and Covenants, 19: 38
[8] Old
Testament, Proverbs. 3:5
[9] Doctrine
and Covenants, 67:13