Over the past three years I have enjoyed home teaching more than ever. It is primarily because my companion has been Stephen West an emeritus member of the Council of Seventy. He is former General Counsel for Marriott corporation and has retired and came to Logan since his elderly parents are here. He takes his home teaching just as seriously as any higher position in the Church he has held.
We have not missed a family visit in the three years except when a family was out of town for extended periods. We take turns making the appointments and giving the lessons which are the First Presidency messages in the Ensign except after General Conference when we can use any of the C0nference talks as a basis for a lesson.
Last November it was my turn to give the lessons. Since the Ensign had all the Conference talks in it I chose from a talk given by Pres. Uchtdorf on Hope. He gives such excellent talks - well reasoned and easy to understand and very enlightening. I had never heard "Hope" discussed so plainly before and his talk contained many ideas on the subject that were new to me.
The lesson was well received, and one of the families, whose head is a professor at USU thought so much of my lesson that he told the Bishop. He asked me to talk in Sacrament Meeting on the subject which I did on Feb. 8, 2009. Among the hundreds of talks I have given in Church over the years I do not recall getting more compliments than I did on this one. Phone calls even came in after the meeting.
Pres. Uchtdorf compares Hope to a leg of a three legged stool - Faith, hope and Charity. When I first went into the Mission Field I memorized the 13th Chapter of first Corinthians and have never forgotten it. I was able to quote it in the talk without notes. "Charity never faileth, but whether there be prophecies they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge it shall vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shall be done away.......and now abideth faith, hope and charity, but the greatest of these is charity. Pres. Uchtdorf points out that without Hope there can be no faith or charity. Paul says if "in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable" (he was talking of the resurrection and life hereafter). Read the whole talk in the Nov. 2009 Ensign.
I wrote to Pres. Uchtdorf thanking him for the great message and telling him how I had used it. He replied in a very nice letter that I will always treasure here and hereafter.
7 comments:
Let me be the first to say how much I enjoyed this post. I'm sure glad you enjoy home teaching. Mom says the families came over to your house this last time! What a great idea. I'll reread that conference talk. Sure wish we had heard YOUR talk. We should have come up. Keep the faith! I love you, Dad. Love, Jan
I would love to have you as a home teacher. I do love a good talk on hope. I loved that talk in general conference, and how nice that you got a response! It was so nice to visit you. Glad to see you back in the blogosphere.
Thank you Jan and Cami for such prompt responses. One thing I should have added re home teaching:
A few months ago I commented that we had been coming to one home almost 3 years. WE later learned from the father that a 10 year old girl had said to him: "they aren't going to change the home teachers are they If they are I am going to go talk to the Bishop about keeping them!
I was just going to say the same thing that Cami said. I WISH you were our home teacher. Also, I have had that talk sitting on the kitchen table for a while, so that whenever I sat down, I'd have something to read. It was truly inspiring and really made me think.
Sometimes, I have really felt that hope is pointless. Even at this early point in my life, I still feel as though sometimes there is reason to give up hope, feeling that it hasn't helped me before. My ignorance just gets the better of me, and I feel like I'll get more hurt if I put my hope in something.
But boy is that wrong. Faith and hope are things that can always be present in my life, if I let them. I'm sure I'd be miserable living without hope, even if it's just a little. I'm trying to work on it. And it really helps to hear your testimony as well. Thanks.
I miss you two, and love looking at the pictures of our short visit.
I was so excited to see a post from you, Grandpa! I remember Pres. Uchtdorf's talk on hope as one of the most inspirational for me last conference. Thanks for the reminder to read it again. It seems like hope is an eternal principle that we could all really benefit from focusing more on these days. Wish I too could have heard your talk. Thanks for your thoughts and excellent example of the value and purpose of home teaching. I will be sure to let Jonny know about this post. He has always been passionate about home teaching as well.
What a great story! I wish I could have heard your talk, I love when speakers at church leave such a lasting impression and speak such truth. Good for you about home teaching too. A great example for us all.
I'm translating for Elder Uchtdorf this upcoming Conference... I'm a little nervous, but really excited. He has great talks.
Grandpa, I loved this story. I appreciate your wisdom so very much. I wish I was closer so I could learn from you first hand and more often. May I use this story- if the opportunity arises? I wish we could have heard your talk? Anyway we can get a copy?
We have not had home teachers for well over a year. It is very sad, as several people in our ward are in the same boat. I wish you could be our home teacher :) We could really use a good faithful one :)
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