“Man Down!”

This entry is part of my general conference application series.

“Man Down!”, by President Henry B. Eyring
First Counselor in the First Presidency


I've long loved the accounts of missionaries who, although they served honorably, afterward felt they were a failure, only to learn much later that their efforts yielded incredible fruit because they touched that one person (President Faust relays one such story of Elder Callis here: Ensign, May 2001).

My recent trips down memory lane, recalling my home teaching service as a young man came rushing back as I reviewed President Eyring's instructions to young home teachers:

Your contribution during the visit may seem to you small, but it can be more powerful than you may think possible. You will show by your face and manner that you care for the people. They will see that your love for them and the Lord makes you unafraid. And you will be bold enough to bear your testimony to truth. Your humble, simple, and perhaps brief testimony may touch the heart of a person more easily than that of your more experienced companion. I have seen it happen.

I know that my life was forever changed because of past service (e.g. as a young home teacher), but it's hard to imagine my efforts producing lasting results. Nevertheless, I'd be happy to be wrong.

As I've stated before, I'm excited for the recent change in my current home teaching assignment: to labor with a young man who is in just the situation that President Eyring described. I can't wait to see the simple power that he will bring to our home teaching visits!