August 24, 2016 Solid Week

We had a pretty good week his last week. Not a whole ton of excitement, but I did want to tell a story.

The Saturday before last, while we were neck deep in planning transfers, a member from our ward called and asked if we could go give a blessing with him that afternoon. We said "of course" because there is no other appropriate response when somebody asks you to come give a blessing, no matter how busy you are. We then met up with the member and went to this elderly Sister's apartment. This member had been her home teacher for a really, really long time and the sister's health was not too great. Elder Mackintosh and I sat there and watched while these two long time friends had a really touching conversation. They had nothing in common, except for the church, but they talked like they were siblings. Towards the end of the conversation the Brother suggested that Elder Mackintosh and I bless her in Spanish because that is her native language even though she has attended the English ward the majority of her life. Elder Mackintosh did the annointing and I sealed it and gave her by far the most spiritual blessing I've ever given, Spanish or English. After the blessing, we left, Elder Mackintosh and I with a greater understanding of what a home teacher is supposed to be. The next day she found the strength to come to church for the first time in months. She was so happy, there was a special spirit about her. According to her home teacher, she then had a great week. But sadly she woke up under the weather Sunday morning not feeling too good. She went to the hospital and peacefully passed away just an hour or two before church was to start. The
Priesthood is powerful. This sister was able to go to church and partake of the Sacrament on the last Sabbath of her life. This experience changed how I view home teaching work. A home teacher who is magnifying their calling is a powerful tool in the Lord's hands at blessing people's lives. This home teacher was one of the first people called to inform him of the Sisters passing, before even her close family. Home teaching isn't about "visiting" it's about "ministering". You can't just say hi to them you have to be aware of their needs and strive to alleviate them, whether or not they're comfortable asking for help. It's such a great blessing if done correctly.

Thank you Family. I hope you're getting back into the swing of things.

Love,
Elder McBride