This evening at the stake general priesthood meeting I fulfilled an assignment to join the stake presidency in a panel discussion about home teaching and personal priesthood interviews. We sat in chairs in risers right in front of the first pews. I was first, taking five minutes to discuss stewardship interviews. I finished, pleased with my presentation. The first counselor in the stake presidency was speaking and fielding questions from the large gathering of priesthood brethren. As he did so,one brother in the front row reached up to me and handed me a note. I thought it might be some nice compliment on my presentation. I opened the note and read the following:
"I noticed that your fly is open".
So much for decorum; I made the requisite adjustment and slunk down in my chair, chagrined...sigh...
A friend of mine, Ray Richey, sent me the following joke (sadly, I can SO relate):
A group of 40 year old golfing buddies discuss where they should meet for dinner. Finally it is agreed upon that they should meet at Mario's restaurant because the waitresses there are really good looking. 10 years later, at 50 years of age, the group meets again and once again they discuss where they should meet. Finally it is agreed upon that they should meet at Mario's because the food there is very good and the wine selection is good also. 10 years later at 60 years of age, the group meets again and once again they discuss where they should meet. Finally it is agreed upon that they should meet at Mario's because they can eat there in peace and quiet and the restaurant is smoke free. 10 years later, at 70 years of age, the group meets again and once again they discuss where they should meet. Finally it is agreed upon that they should meet at Mario's because the restaurant is wheel chair accessible and they even have an elevator. 10 years later, at 80 years of age, the group meets again and once again they discuss where they should meet. Finally it is agreed upon that they should meet at Mario's because they have never been there before.
The Seattle temple is closed for two weeks of deep cleaning and minor repairs. Somehow the day seems a little empty. The two highlights of my week are attending worship service with Melba and serving as a temple ordinance worker on Wednesdays from 11:00am to 5:00pm. I always return home with my spirituality strengthened and my love of the temple ordinances deepened. A side benefit is the camaraderie I feel with my fellow ordinance workers. We have a brotherhood forged from serving together in the House of the Lord. I'll be glad when March 9 arrives so I can return to the temple.
For the past several months our high priest group has been submitting their accounts of experiences in their lives that have strengthened their faith and testimony. We have 23 stories and will go to press this week. I thought I would share with you the account I have included in the book.
The Miracle of Home Teaching
By Lawrence Barry
I have always appreciated the value of home teaching even though my own efforts have not always measured up. Sometimes I would get energized and visit my families early in the month, taking them a spiritual thought and making sure they were doing alright.
Other times I would find myself at the end of the month, having visited few if any of my assigned families. I would scurry around trying to set up last minute appointments so I could meet the “letter of the law”. I’m sure those visits were all “flame but no heat.”
Over the years I would hear of brethren speaking of the special spiritual blessings that came to them and their families because of their faithful efforts at home teaching. These accounts strengthened me although I had to admit that I had never had a similar experience.
All that changed when my wife, Melba, and I were assigned as a home teaching couple to visit a single sister I’ll call Melissa Newcomb (not her real name). Sister Newcomb was a young single woman just recently released from active duty in the Army. She was about 21 years old and was working at Fort Monroe, VA where I was stationed at the time.
In our first contact with Melissa she was reluctant to see us. We continued to gently press for some contact with her and finally she agreed to have lunch with us at a nearby restaurant. We bought her lunch and we had an enjoyable although somewhat awkward time getting to know her.
Each month thereafter we would meet with Melissa at the restaurant, always trying to get to know her a little more. We asked if we could visit with her in her apartment but she didn’t want to do that. So for over a year we met monthly for a “meet and greet”. Occasionally we would discuss gospel topics and encourage her to come to church with us. She never did.
Finally we were transferred and we lost contact with Melissa and frankly she slipped from our minds as we became involved in our new ward. Occasionally we would think of her and offer a prayer on her behalf but for all practical purposes she was “off our radar”.
All that changed a couple of years later when we received a letter postmarked Germany. It read something like this:
“Dear Brother and Sister Barry, I have often thought of you over these past two years. After you were transferred, my life began to change. I got my act together, started attending church and working things out with my bishop. I want to thank you for being such steady and faithful home teachers. I’m sure at times I must have been a challenge for you. Thank you for never giving up on me. I am currently serving an 18 month mission in Germany and love sharing the gospel with these wonderful people. Thank you again for being there for me even when I didn’t know I needed you.”
Sincerely,
Sister Melissa Newcomb
Frankfurt Germany Mission
Each time I find myself getting too routine or casual in my home teaching I remind myself of Sister Melissa Newcomb and how the Lord touched her and brought her back to Him through the home teaching program. It gives me new and wonderful meaning to the Lord’s teaching to the Nephites after his resurrection when he taught them about ministering to those members who wander away from the Church:
“Nevertheless, ye shall not cast him out of your synagogues, or your places of worship, for unto such shall ye continue to minister; for ye know not but what they will return and repent, and come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I shall heal them; and ye shall be the means of bringing salvation unto them.” (3 Nephi 18:32)
Mulling over my options for today...mostly mundane tasks...my mind began to wander, my imagination taking control--here's some things I'd like to do today if I could:
--Charter a plane and fly to Tucson, Phoenix, Atlanta, Boston, Fresno--to visit my distant kids, grandkids, siblings and mother
--Learn to ride a horse and play polo
--Organize a southern gospel singing group with me on bass
--Walk along an abandoned train track
--Build a raft, stock it with supplies and float down the Mississippi river
--Walk barefoot on the beach at Cayucos
--Go to an Emmylou Harris concert
--Take a road trip and visit every national park in the USA
--Lay on my back on a green hill with the warm sun above and look at the white clouds passing by and see what figures and shapes they make
--Go to the temple with my eternal sweetheart
--Help someone in need
--Grow a full beard and mustache
--Write a novel
But instead, I think I'll go to Ft. Lewis to pick up Melba and my medications....
I'm wondering if the planets are in/out of alignment--strange happenings across the land--for example:
--Sun in the NW forecast for next five days
--Trina misses the greenery of Washington
--Mike starts a blog
--Rebecca and Sylvia will fly to Seattle end of April, then drive with Amy 280 miles to Spokane for "Time out for women"
--I tear out two bushes only to replant three
--My oldest just turned 41 and I'm 4 months from 67
--I have no lesson or workshop or talk to prepare this week
--No medical appointments this week
Spring is in the air here in the lush NW and our arborist and his two man crew are working their magic on our tall firs, decorative trees and various shrubs. We had them pull out some useless bushes, grind down some stumps and shape the trees--snip, snip, snip--our yard is getting a serious haircut--high and tight!
Was reading a clever article on homonyms plus saw on FB that Barry and Rebecca had joined a homonym group. Thought you might enjoy this poem about homonyms and spell checker.
An Ode to the Spelling Chequer
Prays the Lord for the spelling chequer That came with our pea sea! Mecca mistake and it puts you rite Its so easy to ewes, you sea.
I never used to no, was it e before eye? (Four sometimes its eye before e.) But now I've discovered the quay to success It's as simple as won, too, free!
Sew watt if you lose a letter or two, The whirled won't come two an end! Can't you sea? It's as plane as the knows on yore face S. Chequer's my very best friend
I've always had trubble with letters that double "Is it one or to S's?" I'd wine But now, as I've tolled you this chequer is grate And its hi thyme you got won, like mine.
Here's what's new this week: --Had a nice talk with son Mike--congrats on the new home--pictures were great! Really glad you and the kids are moving out of gangland.
--Missed going to to the temple today but needed time to put finishing touches on on my presentation tonight at relief society: Spiritual Foundations of a Joyous Marriage; just wrapped it up and am going to relax until it's time to go
--Arborist came yesterday, gave us an estimate on pruning our 11 evergreens and our numerous decorative trees; also going to grind down three stumps and pull out two large bushes; Melba wants to plant two or three burning bushes or whatever they're called--bright red leaves in the fall--very popular around here (see image)
--Lawn mower guy dropped by to pick up my mower for spring tune-up; the lawn is already starting to grow and the crocuses and tulips have already stuck their little heads up out of the ground and are trying to decide whether to bud or not
Melba and I met with a doctor today as part of her pre-surgery visits. Everything was good except her hemoglobin was too low so the doc can't recommend surgery yet. So she'll have to meet with her GI doc, find out what the problem is, fix it, and hope we can get her labs up in time for her scheduled surgery on 2 Mar. Semper Gumby--always flexible!
Thought I'd share a couple of marriage jokes I have used over the years to humorously highlight husband and wife gender differences:
1. One night a wife found her husband standing over their baby’s crib. Silently she watched him. As he stood looking down at the sleeping infant, she saw on his face a mixture of emotions: disbelief, doubt, delight, amazement, enchantment, skepticism. Touched by this unusual display and the deep emotions it aroused, with eyes glistening she slipped her arm around her husband and softly said, “A penny for your thoughts.” “It’s amazing!” he replied. “I just can’t see how anyone…can make a crib like that for only $146.00!!”
2. A policeman spots a woman driving and knitting at the same time. Driving up beside her, he shouts out the window at her: “Pull over.” “No”, she shouts back, “a sweater!”
Next Wednesday I'm giving a presentation to our ward Relief Society on the "spiritual foundations of a joyful marriage". I'm currently in the "review of literature" phase and thought I'd share some snippets that struck me as interesting or insightful.
--"I am satisfied that a happy marriage is not so much a matter of romance as it is an anxious concern for the comfort and well-being of one's companion." (Gordon B. Hinckley) --"Many couples permit their marriages to become stale and their love to grow cold like old bread or worn-out jokes or cold gravy. Certainly the foods most vital for love are consideration, kindness, thoughtfulness, concern, expressions of affection, embraces of appreciation, admiration, pride, companionship, confidence, faith, partnership, equality, and interdependence." (Spencer W. Kimball) --A lack of time in a marriage is a greater problem than a lack of money --"Our love for [our] spouse...is reflected most powerfully in our thoughts, our words, and our deeds." (David A. Bednar) --"When you are forgiving you can drop the burden of resentment and anger. It is a better way to experience each day." (Larry Jensen) --Problems occur in marriage when we violate gospel principles. Redemptive healing and peace comes through obedience to gospel principles. --"God designed marriage to make us both happy and holy". (Carol Heffernan)
Yesterday I wrote about my friend, Gary, who recently passed away at age 66--my age. Last night I learned that a close friend of my mother, Bessie Lambert, age 96 +/-, is in a Bellingham hospital days away from completing her life's journey. These and other recent events have given me pause to consider things of a weightier nature: --I want to be more diligent in my daily physical exercising so I can stick around as long as I can --I want to be slower to anger, quicker to love --I want to spread peace not contention --I want to learn more about the great gift of repentance and do it more and better --I want to get better at quick forgiveness when I get my feelings hurt --I want to let others know that I love and appreciate them--especially Melba, my children, grandchildren, mother, siblings and friends --I want to take offense less and give others the benefit of the doubt more --I want to strive daily to live up to the children's song "I'm trying to be like Jesus" --I want to remind myself every day what the purpose of life is: "...there [is] a space granted unto man in which he might repent; therefore this life became a probationary state; a time to prepare to meet God..." (Alma 12:24)
