I grew up in a small southern Utah town called Kanab. Is it a beautiful little community nestled in the red rocks of southern Utah. Our home faced south and just to the west of us lived an old couple named Lester and Ruth Johnson. These were not your typical elderly couple. Although they were bent over with age and health problems, they were always going about doing good. My father would have to travel down to California for work and sometimes would have to be gone for months at a time. But Lester and Ruth would look after our family. Lester and another older gentlemen named Virgil Riggs were our “Home Teachers”.
In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, men are assigned families to look after, visit, and teach. Women are also assigned to visit other Women in the local congregation to support each other and help one another. When done effectively, Home and Visiting teachers can provide great service for the families they are assigned to.
Most the time, home teachers are more the same age as the families they are teaching. In our case however, my Dad was a High Priest so we were assigned two home teachers that were older. High Priests on average are older because they are men of experience in the church who have served in many different high profile capacities.
Lester and Virgil were so old that I, at first, viewed them as just nice old men just doing their job. However as time went on, I began to learn amazing lessons from these two and their wives.
When we were sick, they would arrive to our house and lay their arthritic, worn, and hard working hands our heads to pronounce priesthood blessings. One day, during a very hard time financially for our family, Ruth, Lester’s wife came and asked if my mother had any old bottles that she could use for canning. My Mother gave her a large box of bottles thinking she was being of service to Ruth.
However, a few hours later Ruth showed up at the door with the cans full of freshly canned food from their huge garden. Their garden was about a quarter acre… which might not seem large to some, but for two people in their 80’s it was quite a large area to keep up with.
Virgil and Gladys were no less helpful and industrious. They also had a large garden and fruit trees that were well pruned and intricately taken care of. Both of these couples used the bounty of their gardens to see to it that families around them were fed. But more than the sacred priesthood blessings, more than the food, and more than the regular visits, the thing I miss most about them is the sound of their laughter and the love they showed to me.
These were very happy people. They were not wealthy but they were so happy. Their happiness came from the selfless giving and service they gave. Well I grew up, went to college and served a mission. But I had a chance to visit Kanab and I brought my soon to be bride with me Jessica. We went to visit Lester and Ruth in their home and by this time Lester had completely lost his eye-sight. But he gave me a big hug and so did Ruth. Their bodies were racked with pain and the troubles of very old age…. but they were still happy.
Lester was still taking his daily mile walk which he had memorized now that he was blind. In fact, it was a short time later, Lester was taking his daily walk and he died of a heart attack while on the walk. It seems tragic, but to me there was not better way for my mentor, friend, and great example to go. He died doing.
I know that Ruth, Virgil, and Gladys never stopped either. I pray that I will always be found showing the love of the Savior to those around me like these amazing people. I know that if I do, I will always be filled with happiness as they were and as I know they still are.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
On this Easter Sunday.. I simply want to say.. That I know He lives. Jesus is the Christ. He love’s you. He will cleanse you. He will heal you. He will change you. He will forgive you. He will make you into more than you can ever make of yourself. He is the way, the truth, and the life.
