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I have posted at least two threads on the issue of home teaching. On this thread I will attempt to rock the boat further. First, I believe in the principle of
sovereignty-that we are that gate keepers of our own destiny and our home teaching families; meaning we have stewardship to determine what we will do each month. JS taught that since we are taught correct principles we ought to governourselves. Second, companionship in my experience has been a waste – I cannot wait for the day that I can take my son home teaching with me to override the whole companionship debacle. The scenario when companions do not call me back to even give a darn about going at all.
Life Experience:I had an experience where I actually told the EQP have you even asked my companion about home teaching to see if he even knows who we are assigned, or do you just assume that he doesn’t do it and I’m the only one. Third, Quality
notQuantity. I visit enough to let people know I care about them genuinely. I don’t go to get numbers. I don’t go because I’m expected. However, I will go every other month sometimes since I know 100% of it should not be my responsibility when my companion does not give a darn. I shouldn’t do 100% to absolve him of his “duty”. Fourth, I don’t always do a lesson, especially if we covered it in Elder’s Quorum. Sometimes I bring up random topics, or ask have you heard about such and such in the news and what is your take on it?
Five, when crap happens to my family. I have been working a lot, or when my family is in disequalibrium, I don’t go home teaching since I need to save my own self and family. And yes, the home teacher hasn’t come the month that I am in such a state of affairs.
Okay, I’ll bite. Sovereignty – I agree, we get to decided what we are going to do. I choose not to home teach.
Companionship – I agree it is a waste. I am thankful that the person assigned to me be my companion doesn’t bother calling me. When he informed me that he was my new HT companion my first words to him were ‘Good luck with that’. I have no problem with him, in fact over that last 6 months he as actually been nice to me and shown outward signs of sincere fellowship with me, the only person in our ward to do so. It helps that my youngest was on the same soccer team as his son and we have arranged to carpool with my oldest for YMs each week.
Quality not quantity – I agree as well. I will not waste my time or the time of another busy family by simply going through the motions and visiting the last week each month. Since I have nothing but negative feelings towards 98% of the ward I will spare them and myself the uncomfortable moments of sitting through the monthly message.
Now I know that some on this board will find my above statements too negative so I will provide a little more explanation. I have always struggled to fit in at church and tried my best to be a quality HT. After I was baptized I diligently visited the individuals assigned to me in the Single Adult ward I was part of. My opinions, behaviors, speech patterns, dress, and other personal aspects were frequently mocked by those I home taught. My companion we often apologize for the behaviors of the members and I would commit to come out again next month. Once married I was in a “newlywed-nearly dead” ward and was assigned to a high priest and visited seniors. Those 2 years were my best years of home teaching. The next ward my wife and I moved into was anything but friendly and every family I was assigned to seemed to just want to argue or not want to be home taught. Needless to say the trend continued in the next 2 wards we lived in. Finally, in our last move I tried really hard to fit in at our new ward. Unfortunately, this is the least friendly ward we have ever lived in (my TBM DW has even mentioned this). As such I would rather not visit people during the week who seem to go out of their way to ignore or belittle me on Sundays.
I know there are those who would say that if I served my fellow ward members I would learn to love them but at this stage of my life I have zero desire to do this. I tried too long with these people and have had enough of them for now.
/end rant
Quality not quantity is so true. The church is pretty focused on numbers, but hasn’t found a good way to quantify caring about people.
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