“Inspired Home Teaching,” Ensign, August 2017

Inspired Home Teaching

We can all be changed by home teaching as we change how we home teach.

He Served Selflessly

My wife and I were awakened by a knock on our door early on a Saturday morning. We were rather surprised that anyone even knew we were in our new home, since our young family of four had just arrived the night before after a stressful long-distance move. When I answered the door, I was greeted by a group of men. One of them introduced himself as Joe and, extending his hand, said, “Brother Ross, we’re here to help you unload that moving truck.” The other men in the group also stepped forward and shook my hand.

As the group began unloading our moving truck, my wife, Judith, explained that Joe must be our home teacher. I was not a member of the Church, so I didn’t know what a home teacher was or what he had to do with unloading my truck. But I was glad for the help, and after the work was finished, I reached into my wallet to pay Joe. But before I could pull out any money, he said, “No, thanks, Brother Ross. We’re just happy we could be of help. Welcome to town.”

I asked, “But how will I ever be able to repay you for your kindness?”

Joe and the others all smiled at me as if they knew something I didn’t. I wanted to say more, but they were quickly gone. As we spent the rest of the day getting settled into what would be our home for the next 25 years, I reflected on how nice it was to have the home teachers give us a hand. Judith and I agreed that the least we could do to show our gratitude was to attend church the next day.

Now I am a member of the Church and a home teacher myself. I smile whenever I remember my offer to repay our home teacher for his timely service. To this day, when an invitation to provide service is extended in quorum meetings, I volunteer whenever I can, remembering the favorable and long-lasting impression made by those who served my family so many years ago.

Ron Ross, Montana, USA

He Was Ready to Bless

As converts to the Church, my wife and I had always looked forward to visits from the missionaries. After our baptisms, we were blessed with a diligent home teacher, and we came to look forward to his monthly visits as much as we had to seeing the missionaries.

We didn’t realize how much we would come to rely on our home teacher’s help until one morning my wife woke up nearly blind. Her corneas, weakened by an existing eye condition, had been damaged as she slept. I had not yet received the Melchizedek Priesthood, so I called our home teacher, who came to our home with his brother that evening to give my wife a blessing. The next morning, the first words out of her mouth were, “I can see!”

My wife suffered no severe repercussions from the incident, though she had to begin putting a gel into her eyes each night to prevent her corneas from tearing again. To this day, she and I are both grateful for her timely recovery through the divine blessing of the Lord and for a home teacher who loved us and honored his sacred calling to watch over us.

Andrew Aldrich, New Hampshire, USA

He Did More Than Just Visit

Some years ago my life changed when my husband passed away from cancer. I knew the Lord had a plan for me, but I was overwhelmed by the responsibility of raising my three-, five-, and seven-year-old children by myself. My home teachers greatly blessed my life during this time; they lifted my burdens and brought joy and friendship into our home.

One home teacher and his two sons faithfully came over every week to mow my lawn and care for the yard. I had the best-kept yard in the neighborhood, and I felt so relieved and blessed to not have to worry about it. I was so grateful for their faithful service and knew I could count on them.

After several months I received new home teachers, who continued to bless my life. At the time, my children’s behavior was difficult to handle as they worked through the spectrum of their emotions. But my home teachers didn’t give up; they had a special way of connecting to my children. At church, my children received friendly words of encouragement along with a handshake and a smile. This helped them to feel loved and accepted during a tumultuous time.

A call from a faithful home teacher was once an answer to prayer. On a particularly difficult day, I was praying for some kind of reprieve. That afternoon my home teacher called me to ask if he and his wife could take my three children to a play. With gratitude I gladly accepted the offer and was able to have an evening of rest. I was so thankful that my Heavenly Father answered my prayer through my home teacher.

Being a single parent was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do, but my home teachers lifted my burdens.

Joelle Pedersen Baker, Utah, USA