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)
