Missed Opportunities

I learned this morning that a family friend passed away. He had been battling pancreatic cancer for many months. Ken Leighton was my first home teaching companion from when I was a teacher until I went away to college. He was a shining example of how a member of our church serves families through our Home Teaching program. He loved our families we taught. His example of service helped forge my own testimony of the Home Teaching program and how a priesthood holder should serve.

When I was down visiting my parents last weekend, his elderly father sorrowfully reported in Priesthood meeting that things were not good for Ken. I saw that time was short and felt prompted at that time to write to him and express my gratitude to him for his life of service and example to me. I got busy with other things though, and the letter was never sent. I wrote a letter to his family this morning, that they may know of my appreciation for him, but I will always remember this feeling of having the chance to act, and not doing so.