When ye are in the service of your fellow beings...

.... ye are only in the service of your God (Mosiah 2:17).

This is the scripture that came to mind yesterday at Winco. Let me explain.

When I grocery shop I wear Lauren in the front pack and Kaylin rides in the front of the cart. It's just faster and easier for me that way. For now :-). By the time I get to the check out, I'm worn out. It takes me a long time to put all of my groceries on the belt because I'm always holding Lauren with one arm to make sure she doesn't hit something or fall out of the pack (not that that would actually happen). By the time I'm done putting my groceries on the belt, it's pretty much time to pay. I pay, then I take the cart to the end of the next belt to start bagging my food. At Winco you bag your own groceries. That part takes even longer. By this time I am starting to sweat.

Yesterday, I was slowly bagging my food, when a lady and her teenage daughter walked up to me. She said, "Can I help you?" I was a little shocked. I said, "Really? Sure, that would be great!" I was semi-surprised at my response, since normally I would just say something like, "No, I'm fine. Thank you." The two started bagging my groceries. I helped a little :-). The woman said that she has eight kids and knows what it's like to be at the grocery store alone with little ones making it tough. She also mentioned that she used to be a grocery bagger. My groceries were bagged in no time.

It was such a simple act for them to stop and help me. But it meant so much to me. I thanked them profusely and was fighting back tears as I left the store. I hope they know what an impact their service had on me. It took two minutes for them to help me, but it saved me a lot of time and energy and made me feel that people are looking out for me.

Their service reminded me how I need to be looking for ways to help others. Even small gestures can have a big impact.