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There is a gentleman in my Ward who I worked with very closely when I was HPGL. He looked up to me, he would say so regularly how he liked serving with me. He often commented he wished I would go to his foreign country and teach there, as it would be good for the students…[he’s a foreigner] Even though I no longer attend his Ward (even though I live in it), he drops by every 3-6 months to say Hi. Asks me how it’s going, and I can feel this incredible sense of concern and appreciation for how I’m doing as a person. He’s not my home teacher, there’s no assignment — he just comes (I asked).
Once, I shared how we were attending a different Ward, and how my service is now aimed at the community. He listened, and I felt perhaps disapproval but couldn’t be sure. I gave him an invitation to share any ideas of me as an apostate, just to see if my intuition was correct and asked “Are you worried about me in the gospel?” [this is a standard Mormon comments that TBM’s have given me in years past — they indicate they are worried about you when you appear to be letting go of the iron rod].
He was quiet for a moment and said “I’m always worried about you, because I care about what happens to you”.
At this point, I felt his visits were a continuation of the respect and concern he had for me back when I was a leader in the Ward.
Just wanted to share one of the positives I’ve seen, the mavericks, the exception to what I normally see in the church. Have you experienced people like this, who care for is own sake, and not for numbers? I would love to hear your story.
Nice. Experiences like that are rare. Wonderful. Thanks for sharing. SD wrote: Quote:Have you experienced people like this, who care for is own sake, and not for numbers? I would love to hear your story.
My HT is that way. He is one of the major factors why we are considered “active” today. (I don’t like the word “active” or “inactive”
I have found others in our ward with the same example. I want to be more like them.
I have known lots of people like that – but they generally don’t get any press, unless someone makes a major turn and comes back into activity in an obvious way. Even then, often, those stories don’t get broadcast. I thought I had commented on this post earlier, but I must have only thought about it. At any rate, I think this is more of mys vision of what home teaching should be – a real friendship and heartfelt concern for others. I think this idea of “I care” is so lost in other ideas of individuals needing the church or the church needing individuals. Honestly your friend might be saying exactly that, SD, but in a way that makes it not that at all. That is, he’s not saying I’m worried you won’t make into the CK, although he might be, but he is saying he cares about you as an individual. I really think that makes a difference (as long as it is sincere). I needed a good cry to day – thanks for bringing it on. I dream of being that kind of person.
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