Heeding Elder Holland's Latest Call to Arms

It's not uncommon for the Priesthood Holders of the church to be given a talk on home teaching, specifically on how we should do a better job of it. And it's not uncommon for Elder Holland to give a powerful and stirring call to repentance and recommitment. But when those two occasions coincide, it makes me wish it was easier to get in touch with people and juggle their schedules so we could all be at the same place at the same time for a few minutes once per month. But there are at least two reasons why that problem shouldn't bother me.

The first reason I shouldn't be overly concerned about the difficulty of meeting with people is that it may not really be necessary. After establishing that monthly, in-home visits are the ideal standard for home teaching, Elder Holland accepted that that is not always practical. It may not be possible to meet with each family each month, and when that's the case, we should at least reach out in other ways. We can talk you each other at church, or over the phone, or even over social media. To my shame, I bumped into a member of one of my home teaching families at the store about a month ago, and barely a handful of pleasantries passed between us. I should have taken that opportunity to say more than "How've you been?" I should have at least tried to have a real conversation with her. I should at least try to reach out to my home teaching families when the opportunities to do so come up so conveniently.

But even if I do so, even if I try to have actual conversations with my home teaching families at the supermarket, or in a church foyer, or on Facebook, part of me will feel like I'm not doing enough, and I'll be partly right; I should try to set up monthly meetings, too. But I'll also be partly wrong. While talking about what "counts" as home teaching, Elder Holland said "every good thing you do 'counts,' so report it all! Indeed, the report that matters most is how you have blessed and cared for those within your stewardship, which has virtually nothing to do with a specific calendar or a particular location." Even if I can do no more than talk with them when I see them, that will at least "count" for something.

But honestly, it shouldn't be too terribly hard to meet with my home teaching families. I find it easy enough to get myself to school, run occasional errands, and meet up with my D&D group every other week or so, so why is it so hard to meet with my home teaching families? Yes, we have a few more schedules to juggle. I have to figure out a time when my companion and I and at least a few members of at least one of my families are all available at the same time, but we can do it, and I should make the effort to do it. Now, I have spoken to my home teaching companion and one of my home teaching families about trying to find a time to meet up, but I don't think I've started to annoy any of them yet, so I could certainly try harder to make a meet-up happen.

It's not impossible to get two guys and a family all at the same place at the same time, so I should try to make that happen. In the meantime, I can get my home teaching done in other ways. I already have a conversation or two I could start with some members of one of my home teaching families, and I have an idea for what I could say to another of my home teaching families. Really, all I need to do at this point in man up and pick up a phone and start talking to people. This isn't easy for me. But it's doable, and I know I ought to do it. A paladin would do his home teaching, and so should I.

So if you're in one of my home teaching families, expect a call from me, and don't be too surprised if I ask to have a private talk with you to find out how you're doing. And if I don't get in touch with you soon, get in touch with me. I may need you to help me be a better home teacher. I would like to be a better home teacher, and I intend to be. I may need your help, and I'll certainly need God's help, but I will become a better home teacher.