Me and Elaine Murphy

Five years ago, my new wife and I move in to a new home and re adjusted to our new life of having 5 children together. Luckily, it was in familiar territory, it was near the older neighborhood I used to live in 11 years before that (during my previous marriage).

In the Mormon Church in Utah, that means I still live in the same regional congregation. Same stake, different ward. Fortunately, my new wife at the time had no problem mingling with the same people I had mingled and bonded with years before (with a two year hiatus in between), in fact, I think Stephanie became more friends with my friends then I was. What a blessing.

In my new new ward, I became a home teacher to a woman, Elaine Murphy, who is home-bound because of her health. She has an interesting history and I have had such a joy in becoming acquainted with her. She was a missionary using her nurse abilities to serve in Tonga. I have a place in my heart for the islands because of my study of Niue Island near by. She became the dean for the College of Nursing at BYU.

When we go to see her, she is always beaming with gratitude, and her sweet voice strives to recall things of the past that are slowly becoming a mystery to her. Yet I know in the life beyond she will be met by many who she influenced in her life and her memory will be refilled again with the wonderful things she experienced in her life.

I usually take my son Parke to home teach with me, giving her a short lesson, catch up on what her family is doing and an offer to help when we can. And even Parke, the impatient teenage that he can be (just kidding, Parke) has grown a certain admiration for this little lady. But for Christmas, I decided to bring my lovely wife, Stephanie, who, I feel, has the same type of heart as that of Elaine Murphy, and make home teaching a wonderful experience.