"When we serve others we are not motivated by selfishness, but by charity." Please describe an experience where you have had the opportunity to be motivated by charity in your leadership experience.
I am so grateful for Dean Kau's emphasis on this topic. I really do want to have good motive while serving. I try to be consistently motivated by charity, but it is really hard to keep that kind of love on the forefront of my mind. Sometimes I just get too busy with the little things and lose my focus.
Every Tuesday, I attend Clubs Night in the wilk. I love Clubs Night! This past Tuesday, I was able to get to know a team member a little better. I was showing Garrett Yentes around Clubs Night so he could become familiar with the clubs and understand more of what they do. I had such a good time showing him around because I was able to introduce him to all of the club presidents. I think this really helped Garrett out, as well as helping the club presidents to understand the level of really responsibility that they have. I had so much fun! This experience helped me to better understand that when we are serving with the proper motive, we will be blessed even more than those we are serving. I don't know if Garrett will remember Tuesday night, but I don't think I will forget the feelings I felt.
Why is it important for you to serve and lead now?
It is crucial for me to serve and lead now. One of my favorite talks is "Lift Where You Stand" by Elder Uchtdorf. I love this talk because it really encourages us to be a leader in every situation we find. Sometimes a leader is the one who takes command of a situation, but other times the leader is the one who is willing to listen. I feel like I would be ungrateful for the experiences I have had if I were unwilling to be a leader. I am so grateful for the examples I have had and the family who has supported me to better understand this principle.
I have noticed that there is a definite relationship between what you are able to do and the knowledge that you gain. The more I do, the more knowledge I will gain. The more knowledge I gain, the more I will be able to do. I want to be caught in this cycle of continual progression. It must apply to leadership as well! The more I am willing to lead and take opportunities to lead, the more I will understand about being a leader. Christ was the perfect leader. He led all the time, even when hundreds of people were filled with hatred because of his leadership. If Christ can lead now against all odds, I sure am going to try.
How will you prepare yourself to be ready for those unexpected opportunities to lead and serve, like the college students who saved the truck driver who had fallen off of the causeway?
In order to prepare myself for those unexpected opportunities to lead and serve, I first need to commit to lead now in all unexpected opportunities. As a child, I was told to make the difficult decisions (marriage in the temple, no drugs etc.) early on, so they would be easy to follow later on in life. This principle seems to apply to leadership as well. If I can choose now to not let opportunities to lead pass me by, I will be more prepared to lead now.
I also want to take advantage of the expected leadership opportunities now, so I can become a better leader. Being a better leader will help me during those unexpected opportunities to lead. I can do this by continually working to have the right motive while serving in BYUSA. If love is my primary motive now, I will not hesitate when called upon with a moment's notice.
