Becoming a Great Home Teacher

I've never really understood why home teaching is such a difficult task for members of the elders quorum within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It's an assignment that if completed leads to great blessings like friendship, service, and many other wonderful experiences. It is an assignment that allows each family within the Church to be watched over, and given aid in times of need. Truly, it is a blessed task in which both parties greatly benefit. Then why is there such a staggering disconnect? Why do so many people choose not to fulfill this assignment?

It wasn't apparent to me that this was such a problem until I served a mission. It wasn't until I witnessed countless Elders quorum presidents plead with their quorum to go home teaching, and still they did not. This pleading penetrated deep into my heart, to the point that I promised myself that I would try to be a consistent home teacher. I made it my goal to have 100% home teaching for every month, and this is still my goal today. 

However, I learned a very important lesson from this past month. I learned that although it is important to go and visit each family every month and share with them the supplied message; it is even more important to pray for their needs and listen to the Lord's guidance. I learned this lesson from a friend, and someone who I admire. I learned that I must not just offer to serve and hope that they take me up on the need, but that I must be proactive, and seek out opportunities to serve them. 

Even though we are charged with the responsibility to visit these families monthly, we have a higher responsibility to seek out their well being. The Lord's plan is that we include these families in our prayers, and then to listen to Him as he councils us on what they may need. Listening to His promptings is the true purpose behind home teaching. It is only through receiving revelation that we can bless the lives of those we're assigned to watch over. Unfortunately it took me a little long to learn this important lesson, but I hope that through my growing pains my children can be taught at an earlier age.