We all have an opportunity to help Saints who are struggling. It may not be a whole city or group of people. It could be just one person—the person we visit as a home teacher or visiting teacher. President Monson tells the wonderful story of how one home teacher made the difference:
One Sunday afternoon I received a telephone call from Kaspar J. Fetzer, who served as a member of the high council of the Temple View Stake, with his specific assignment being home teaching. His voice was cheerful as he spoke with a thick German accent. He said, “Bishop Monson, I thank you for having your home teaching report in on time.” Now, I knew this was simply an introduction; my report was always submitted on time. He continued, “Bishop, I don’t understand the line on the report where you say you have twelve families that are inaccessible. What does that word mean?”
I explained that these were persons who rejected our home teachers, who wanted nothing to do with the Church.
“Vat?!” he countered. “They do not want the priesthood of God to visit them?”
“That’s correct,” I assured him.
Brother Fetzer then asked, “Bishop, could I please come to your home and obtain the names of these families and visit them as your helper?” I was overjoyed. I had been a bishop for five years and had met many high councilors, but this was the first time one of them had volunteered to do such personal work.
Brother Fetzer arrived within the hour, and I provided him a list of the names and addresses of those I had shown as being inaccessible. I had arranged the list with the most difficult family first, for I wanted my judgment to be vindicated.
Off he went with his special list, calling first on the Reinhold Doelle family, a family that lived in a spacious home, perhaps the loveliest in the ward. The home had a white picket fence that enclosed the large yard of grass and flowers, a yard carefully patrolled by a German shepherd guard dog, which barked or growled at any intruder a readily recognizable message: “Stay out!” Many years earlier, Brother Doelle had had a falling out with his home teacher, who was an Englishman. They had argued over World War I, and in that particular situation, the German side had emerged victorious. Home teachers had not been allowed in the home since that time.
Brother Fetzer checked his listing against the address that appeared on the house, left his car, and walked toward the gate. As he reached over the top of the gate to release the catch, he saw the big German shepherd dog charging at him. And the dog meant business! Instantly, Brother Fetzer exclaimed in his native German some message to the dog that caused it to come to a halt. He stroked the back of the dog and spoke softly in German, a language the dog’s master used when speaking to it. The dog’s tail began to wag, the gate was unlocked, and that home had a visit from a home teacher—the first such visit in many years.
Later that Sunday afternoon, Brother Fetzer returned to my home and, with a smile, reported, “Bishop, you can cross from your inaccessible list seven of these families, who will now welcome the home teachers.”
A lesson had been taught. A lesson had been learned. A truth had been verified: Where there is a will, there is a way.
Long years after this incident, I was waiting in a wedding reception line to enter the home of a prominent family in Salt Lake City. A woman standing in line before me turned and greeted me. I recognized her as Sister Doelle from my old ward. She said the family lived now in California and that Brother Doelle had passed away. Then she said, “I wonder whatever became of that wonderful home teacher, Brother Fetzer, who called at our home when we lived in your ward. His visit changed our lives. We determined then and there to mend our ways and become active in the Church. Why, today I am in the presidency of our Relief Society in Palm Springs. We shall always be grateful for that special visit from a very special home teacher.”
While Kaspar Fetzer had gone to his eternal reward, I am certain he would have been pleased with the result of that visit. (Thomas S. Monson, Inspiring Experiences That Build Faith: From the Life and Ministry of Thomas S. Monson [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1994], 27–30)