Love Thy Neighbor

The scriptures teach us about the importance of loving our neighbors. Well, Anna had two wonderful opportunities to love (or actually serve) our neighbor. Dr. Murphy (Adrienne Murphy), lives on the side street behind our house. She has lived there ever since we have lived in our home. Her children are grown and out of the house. She lives alone.

On Sunday, February 5th, we returned home from church at 12:25pm. About 5 minutes upon our return, someone knocked on our door. We opened the door and found our neighbor, Dr. Murphy, standing in front of us. She began to explain quickly and with much sadness, holding back her tears, that she was heading to Cicero to stay until Wednesday. Her father was not doing well and she needed to stay with him during the nights.

Dr. Murphy is a retired school teacher and has substituted at the kids' school many times. She has frequently filled in for Anna's teachers. There was a 6 week period that our Principal, Mrs. Innes, was on leave due to surgery, so the Assistant Principal, also Anna's Literacy Enrichment Specialist, Mrs. Neylon filled in for her. While Mrs. Neylon filled in for the principal, Dr. Murphy filled in for her. Since Anna and Dr. Murphy already had a friendship, she felt comfortable to ask Anna if she would pick up her paper daily and collect her mail if her mailbox was full.

Anna was very eager about doing this. She loves to help and I think she felt special about doing it. Anna excitedly gathered her things each day. She did a great job. When Dr. Murphy returned home, Anna made sure she received her items. That following Saturday while we were gone cleaning the church, Dr. Murphy left a message asking if Anna could collect her paper and mail again. She would be gone for a few more days.

Quickly, Anna ran over to her house to pick up the mail, but it hadn't arrived yet that day. The rest of the day was crazy with a baptism and picking up, sorting, and delivering Girl Scout cookies. The thought didn't cross Anna's mind to go back and check. It was unfortunate that we didn't think of it again. On Tuesday, I saw her pull into her driveway and I realized that we failed to gather the mail. Although I would normally remind Anna of her commitment to do this, I forgot, but felt that it wasn't my fault entirely. She should have remembered, too.

Serving is important, needed, enjoyable, and rewarding. We can feel a sense of usefulness, accomplishment, joy, happiness, and love. Though we shouldn't serve with the expectation of someone giving us something, Dr. Murphy did give Anna the cute shawl, shirt, and pants that you see on her from a store called, "Justice." She delivered the box to us today and Anna was able to open it up before bed. I feel that Anna did a small act of service for someone who asked for it and needed it. I would not of thought she needed anything in return. That was thoughtful and kind of her to do. Anna will definitely be hand-delivering a thank you card along with some sort of treat and offering to help any time she needs it. Although it may be a little last minute, we could give her an invitation to our ward Chili Cook Off Saturday night.

This opportunity is just one of many that Anna will have to serve neighbors, I hope. In the Matthew 22:36-40 it says,

"Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

"This is the first and great commandment.

"And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

"On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

Also, in Mosiah 2:17 it mentions who we are really serving when we are serving our fellowman. It reads,

"And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God".