"And ye will not suffer your children that they go hungry, or naked" (Mosiah 4:14)

I do a lot of dishes. Washing, drying, cleaning, putting away. And then I get to wash, dry, fold, and put away said towels. We go through a lot of towels. As I do this it gives me time to either get frustrated with the fact that I do a lot of dishes and laundry, or I can focus on the blessings I have been given and even ask for help. Going through many towels the other day led me to pondering about another towel that was crucial in the Savior teaching His apostles, which leads to teaching us.

This towel was used when the Savior and His disciples had gathered for the last supper. After supper Jesus took a towel and prepared to wash His apostles feet. (see John13:4).  He went and "He poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith He was girded" (John 13:5). This humble ordinance of washing their feet (see D&C 88:139-141) speaks volumes about our Savior. He is the Creator of the world, about to be crucified to save all man if we would repent, (see Moses 5:15, Helaman 12:23; 3 Nephi 9:22) yet He knelt before His apostles and washed their feet.

It is humbling when the Lord blesses us with people who "wash our feet" by serving us and help us "bear one another's burdens, that they may be light" (Mosiah 18:8). The Lord also blesses us as He allows us to help Him when we serve others. We become better, more Christ like in our behavior and in our hearts as we serve other people and our families.

Christ is omnipotent, which is the "divine trait of having all power" (Guide to the Scriptures; see also Genesis 18:14; Alma 26:35). There is no limit in what He can do. He could help every one do everything. But He isn't selfish or self centered, rather He is loving and kind and in His kindness He gives us opportunities to serve and to be served by others. He is omniscient, which is "the divine trait of having all knowledge" (Guide to the Scriptures; see also 2 Nephi 2:24) and therefore knows what things [we] have need of, before [we] ask Him" (Matthew 6:8). He allows us to learn by doing and receiving: doing or receiving service (which can be very difficult) (Mosiah 2:17), loving our neighbor (Matthew 22:39), caring for the poor and needy (see Alma 1:27), visiting the fatherless and the widows (James 1:27). Serving our own family brings great joy and peace even when it sometimes seems like we do a lot of mundane tasks such as washing and drying the dishes.

The simple day to day tasks of "feeding the hungry and clothing the naked, visiting the sick and administering to their relief, both spiritually and temporally, according to their wants" (Mosiah 4:26) leads me to how much cooking and washing of dishes I do for my family. There are many tasks that go unnoticed, yet are needful...such as "feeding the hungry and clothing the naked" (Mosiah 4:26). The hungry and the naked are our children. Think of how much cooking, washing of dishes, and laundry we do for our children and families. King Benjamin, a prophet in The Book of Mormon teaches: "And ye will not suffer your children that they go hungry, or naked" (Mosiah 4:14). One of the greatest blessings as a mother is to feed and clothe our children. All that work, all that cleaning, preparing, and serving is the "building up of God's kingdom" (Consecrate). Christ could do all the work, but He let's us develop Christlike qualities as we serve others in small and simple ways; just as He showed us by His example when He washed and dried His disciples feet.