I am really going crazy. I wrote this post this morning but didn't look to check it after I posted Publish. I was really surprised to not see it here tonight. It also isn't in the saved drafts either. Just really strange. Can't find it at all. I'm sure I won't be able to do it justice as I did this morning, but I will try. (I found it! I put it on the blog for my father instead of mine. I hope no one thought I was crazy, but then, they all know I am.!)
We have the most amazing home teacher. Brother Law has been our home teacher since we moved into this ward when the boundaries were changed. What a blessing he is in our home. Brother Law is a former stake president, and a patriarch, a retired seminary teacher, and a very humble giant of a man. He has come faithfully for over 20 years. He has serviced three missions during the time he has been our home teacher: Argentina, the Phillippines, and India. He visited us the month he left and the month he returned from each mission. I could probably count on just one hand the number of months he has missed.
He has seen our children grow up and watched with pride as they have gone off to school and continued their lives. He asked about them every time he sees us, but especially wants an accounting of them on his monthly visits. He has cried with us, laughted with us, and worries about us as a family. He is so loving.
He came to our home last night, a bit upset that he came on the last night of the month, but that was not a problem for us. He came alone, very unusual for him but what a blessing it became for us. We visited about each child, talked about Thanksgiving, discussed his up-coming trip for Christmas. Then, as he was getting ready to leave, he said he could feel there was something else he needed to talk with us about. He asked us some more questions, and we talked about some of our concerns about personal problems, things that have bothering us lately. We asked his advice because he lives so close to the spirit, and is such a fatherly figure to us. He cried with us when he saw our anguish, he counciled us, and gave us wonderful advice.
As our conversation slowed down and we prepared to end our monthly visit, he asked his usual question, "Can we have a word of prayer?" Now, we have prayed with him every time he comes, and he is usually the one giving the prayer. We have knelt together as a family with our home teacher all these years. Since Garth and I have both had knee replacement surgery, and Pres. Law's Parkinson's disease has gotten worse, now we sit on the edge of our seats and don't even attempt to kneel. But last night President Law asked us to kneel. I knew I couldn't, but Garth and President Law got on their knees in front of me. We clasped hands together, with his hands on top of ours (and one of my hands hold his down so he wouldn't shake so much). He gave the most beautiful prayer on us as a couple, and on our family. We all three were just sobbing throughout the entire prayer. He promised us some very personal things that I won't repeat here. But such a peaceful feeling came over me. I knew that the problems we are facing would be a learning experience for all of us involved, and that we should humble ourselves to accept the Lords will, allowing others their own free agency, along with the consequences of that free agency. And that through using that free agency, everyone would grow because they will realize what the real important point of life is to follow the Savior and do what the Savior would have us do. It was a very humbling, spiritual experience that I will never forget.
I love President Law and everything he has done for our family. We see him getting more crippled by his disease and sometimes I wonder if it will be the last time he comes to our home. If he can't come here, I know we will go to his home to have our monthly interview with him. We surely do love that man.
He has really made me slow down and think about what I can do to be a better person, what I need to do at this point in my life. He encouraged me to wait, and take time, which is what I will do. I know the Lord will help me to calm my worries, calm my hurting heart, calm my fear, calm my concern, and help me return to the family that I love.
5 comments:
I love President Law. He is such a great man. I cry every time I see him because he is getting older and I know that there won't be too many more times that we will be able to see him. I hope that you will let him know that I love him.
Like Tammy, I LOVE Pres.Law. I have so many memories of him from him coming to the house, to helping him on the farm. Everytime I come home and I go to church with you guys, I wait until Pres and Sister Law come so I can go up and give them a hug and tell them how much I miss them. I have seen how much Parkinson's has got him older. I tell the Huntington girls that their grandfather is one of the most amazing men I have ever met. Again, like Tammy, please let him know that I love him too. He is amazing and I think about him all the time.
My thought is - what lives have I touched? I'm a visiting teacher, Kent is a home teacher. We have our church callings. I think of the people who have touched my life but have I touched anyone's life? I think that is what this life is supposed to be about. And people like Bro Law who are touching lives, are doing just what we all should be doing. Kent and I have talked about this and we have got to work on being that influence in others lives.
I agree with Julie. I think to we need to also look at HOW we have touched peoples lives and in What ways. Will be remembered as the loving, humble, great person like Brother Law or will we be the mean, cranky, negative, uncharitable person that no one wanted to be with.I know that is something that I work on everyday. I come in contact with so many people and I don't want to be the person that they want to avoid and not be with, I want to be the one that they remember as being the person that was willing to help them even if I wasn't able to give them what they wanted. It is really hard but something that each of us can work at doing better. Being a better us whatever that is and only Heavenly Father knows what that is and by us relying on Him we can accomplish it but we need to be humble.
Now I am done with my preachy self. Thank you Julie for helping me see that I need to be a better me.
Julie, you should read Jason Wright's "The Seventeen Second Miracle." It's a great book about a man who learns to do the little things that help people. Jason Wright has a facebook page and a blog all about his book. It just came out in October and is a best seller already. He is the author of "The Christmas Jar", along with several other really good books. Nancy has my special personally autographed book (I won one of his facebook contests, lucky me!) It is the second autographed book I got from him. Really, the book is a really good, easy to read novel that gets you thinking of what things you can do to help others and influence their lives. As all his books, there is an exciting twist at the end but you wouldn't understand it until you read the book, so no use reading ahead. It's worth the money. (Jason Wright is LDS, but doesn't write it as a "church" book, but a book that appeals to all people, which is what the church does!)
Post a Comment