Many years ago, I was assigned to home teach a single sister in my ward. She and her two granddaughters lived in a small apartment in the rear of a larger home that had been converted to apartments.

On this particular visit, we had the usual small talk, how are the girls doing in school, etc. When we left, I commented to my companion that it seemed a little tense. He agreed that it didn’t feel right. But we went on with our usual activities, not thinking again about what we had felt.

The next month when we walked into the kitchen and I felt that something was seriously wrong. Without preamble or other small talk I said, “Sister Little what is wrong?” It caught her so off guard that she blurted out “we are hungry.” My companion and I just stood there. In the few minutes that it took to realize what she had said, there was total silence. We didn’t ask how much food they had or why there was nothing to eat. We excused ourselves and headed to the car. We went directly to Bishop’s home he gave us the keys to the Bishop’s storehouse and instructed us to immediately take an assortment of foods to Sister Little and her granddaughters.

To this day and so many years later, I still feel the remorse and sadness I had that evening when I realized we had let this family go hungry for another month. I had felt something was wrong during the first visit, but did not act on the prompting. We have a sacred calling and the Lord will guide us, but it is up to us to listen.

K. Fraser

Posted by John in Miscellaneous Articles