My brother Dan returned home after completing his mission in Germany and Austria when I was in 8th grade. He came back about a month after Christmas so it was still quite cold and snowy here in Minnesota.
I remember one day very shortly after he returned, when it was just him and me at home, since my parents and sisters had gone out to run some errands. I was excited to have him to myself and I asked him what he wanted to do. I suggested watching the new Harry Potter film that had come out during his mission. But Dan told me that he wasn’t quite out of his missionary-service mindset. He said he had a better idea of something we could do together.
Within 10 minutes, we were bundled from head to toe and outside in the cold weather. It took us several hours, but we managed to make a perfect pile of stacked firewood just outside the doors to our patio, only several feet from the indoor fireplace. My family was overjoyed when they returned and saw what Dan and I had done. I will never forget the feeling of happiness I had from giving service that day. Dan taught me that helping someone else is the best way to discover what true joy is. He stands as that example to me today.