"Man Down!"

My thoughts on President Eyring's talk "'Man Down!'"



"You will need bravery and you will need boldness because you are enlisted in the Lord’s army in the last dispensation. "



Let's all sing, "We are all enlisted til the conflict is over. Happy are we, happy are we."



It is a wonderful army that we are serving in. I love standing shoulder to shoulder with my fellow mates in singing praises, in raking leaves and mending hearts.



"First you are under covenant,"



Our baptismal covenants enlist us each in this wonderful Army lead by great men and women. We are to care for everyone. No one is to be left behind. I have felt this desire, this covenant in full force these past few months. I was that man down and my ward and friends rallied around me. I was physically down and they came to my rescue. That sure did help with my spiritual self too. It was easier to deal with the spiritual sides of things when I knew my physical and to some extent my family were taken care of.

I love how he gentle teaches our young men how to be a great home teacher. I've had some good ones and some bad ones. Every one has been there when I needed them--when I was that man down--but a true measure of a home teacher is that he is always there with love in his heart for my family.

"First, you will feel the love of God for the people you visit. And, second, you will feel the Savior’s gratitude for your desire to give the help the Savior knew they needed."

He says it ..."will show by your face and manner that you care for the people."

I have great home teachers. When one of the partnership moved I begged for the other one to stay. Thankfully I got my request. He has been keeping tabs on my family through the trial we have been going through. He was here to give me my blessing. I count him a dear friend. I count him part of my family. His new companion (only had him a few months--and then he was gone for some of the visits, on vacation) I think will be more the same. Brother W truly loves us. I can see it in his eyes as he talks with my children, as he visits with us and as he calls to make sure we are safe when things go wrong and celebrates with us when things are going great! He is a model home teacher and I'm so glad my young men have him as a model.

My two sons who go home teaching have great companions too. (One is my hubby so I'm a bit bias.) But the older son has Brother O and he is faithful in doing his duty and therefore the families they teach know my son and love him. One even hired him and his younger brother for a major yard improvement project and paid them well. She knew that they are saving for a mission (and school). She knew that in some way they were "men down" as they were poor teens trying hard to make money to pay for missions that their parents have no hope in helping them. (We have done the math $12,000 times 5 equals a LOT!) I thank her for helping my sons. I thank Brother O and my husband for doing their home teaching when I know they had other things to do.

I thank the Lord for the blessings of the Priesthood and the order which he has set up.