President Thomas S. Monson observed his 82nd birthday on Friday, Aug.

21, which was the first day for dedicating the Oquirrh Mountain Utah

Temple.

Last year, the LDS Church News asked him to describe the ideal birthday

gift. He said, "Do something for someone else on that day to make his or

her life better. Find someone who is having a hard time or is ill or lonely

and do something for them. That's all I would ask."

In response to that request, the LDS Church News asked readers to give

President Monson the gift of service to another and then report it to us.

In the issue of Aug. 15, we published some of the service church members

have given during the past year. Following are highlights of more service

members have performed, many on President Monson's birthday.

One man asked his children to think of ways to

serve their neighbors for President Monson's birthday. After some

consideration, one of his daughters thought it would be fun to bake cookies

for some families in the neighborhood. "The week leading to the day we were

planning on making the delivery of the cookies had been particularly busy

at my work," he wrote. "I was getting home late and was unable to take care

of some of the basic home needs including mowing my lawn that was getting

quite tall. As I arrived home on the day we were planning on delivering the

cookies, the kitchen was busy with all four of my children and my wife

baking. Upon completion, we delivered the goodies to all 10 families, which

took two hours as we had short visits with each neighbor. We had a great

time.

"The next day was Saturday and I had to work. When I got home that

evening, my neglected lawn had been mowed and cared for. I knew that my

wife, who was pregnant, was gone that day and would not have been able to

do it. I then realized that I was the recipient of the service that was

rendered on behalf of President Monson. I had never thought that I would be

on the other end of the giving that was done for his birthday. It is a day

I will never forget.

"Thank you President Monson, your gift did more than I had planned

for."

Jaimee and Scott Sims and their children, Alex,

8, Analeigh, 5, (they also have a 10-month-old baby, Abigail) of the

Rivanna Ward, Waynesboro Virginia Stake, made Amish Friendship Bread and

delivered it to their elderly neighbors. "They seemed truly grateful," said

Sister Sims. "My kids delivered the loaves all by themselves and the widow

next door kept them for quite a while, chatting with them and showing them

things. We loved this idea."

The Primary children in the Coquille Ward, Coos

Bay Oregon Stake, sang for the seniors at the Community Building in

Coquille, Ore. "The Valiant girls made rose buds out of candy kisses for

the children to give each senior after they sang," wrote Primary President

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Linda Davis. "The seniors were very pleased and one of them said: 'Those

sweet children give us hope.' This was a great experience for the primary

children. Thank you President Monson."See the full story on LDSChurchNews.com.


This story is provided by the LDS Church News, an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is produced weekly by the Deseret News.

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