Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Day 2

       Thankfully, the second day has been much less taxing than the first. My service today was a craft (something I usually stay far away from). It was extremely easy and is something that I absolutely love. I made salt scrubs! Here is an ingredient list and a brief overview of what I did:

Salt Scrubs

1/4 cup sea salt
Sunflower oil
Scented oils



The sunflower oil acts as a wonderful base because it isn't scented, but it holds the mix together. For the scented oils, I used a mix of French vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg, just using a few drops of each. I mixed all the ingredients and gave them away in 4 oz. plastic containers. These salt scrubs are a wonderful and inexpensive present, and you can personalize them for the recipient.

       I had so much fun making these, and I gave them to a few friends of mine who I thought would enjoy them. Paired with a handwritten note, these are incredible gifts. While this service isn't huge, I was able to make someone's day and remind them that someone cares about them. Sometimes that's the best gift you can give.

Monday, May 13, 2013

Day 1

       Day one has been quite the kick-off for this adventure!  I spent the majority of the day cleaning and sorting through items. I cleaned out my closet, my drawers, my shelves, under my bed, you name it. With the help of my family, I was able to fill four trash bags and two suitcases with giveaway items. My act of service today was donating all my unneeded clothes, games, blankets, and other items to Deseret Industries, an organization that provides low-priced goods, job training, and humanitarian aid across the world. The picture below is me (sorry, I look a bit Vanna White in this one) with our items at the drop off.  The workers at Deseret Industries were very appreciative of the donation.
       I'd say I'm lucky to have such a wonderful life, but it's not luck. I am incredibly blessed to have a roof over my head, food to eat, and clothes to wear. One of my goals for this summer is to give others just a portion of the things I have. If I can make just one person's life better, I've reached my goal. I hope that my donation today does that.
       I am absolutely exhausted, but I'm also very pleased. I was able to find order in the chaos of my life (well, my room), bond with my family, and help others all at the same time. Service has a way of helping you even more than it helps others, and I have definitely experienced that today. I can only hope that tomorrow will be even better.


Sunday, May 12, 2013

Day 0

        I love summer as much as the next guy. I know it's important to have a break from school, and be a little less stressed for a few months of the year. But as much as I love laying around and watching Netflix all day, I've been feeling like I need to do something more worthwhile.
       With two months of summer ahead of me, I am embarking on an epic journey. Every day for the rest of the summer, I am going to do an act of service for a person or persons. If any of you readers (all zero of you) have an experience or idea for a service project, please share it with me. I need all the help I can get. I'm hoping that this adventure will allow me to grow as a person, and maybe touch the lives of a few others along the way.
       So here I am, on day zero, doing a service for myself. I'm going to give my time and energy to (hopefully) make the world a little bit better. While it won't be easy, I know it will be worth it.
       If you'd like to go on this journey with me, read on. Maybe you'll even decide to have a journey of your own. We all are busy, and I know not everyone has time to do huge service projects every day, but there is always something we can do to help someone else.
       And without further ado, let the summer of service begin.