Worthy to Stand – Classic LDS Film
The film Worthy to Stand will be remembered by LDS church members, who watched it back in the 1980s, as the film that had Mike Farrell from the hit television series MASH. Mike Farrell despite popular rumors within the LDS faith, is not a member of the LDS church. Mike Farrell played an elder quorum president who is trying to help a well meaning home teacher in his district to see the value of his home teaching. This home teacher is a lawyer and has very little time for anything but his work, he feels like his efforts to visit the families are worthless and so he decides to ask for a release as a home teacher.
On his last time visiting with one of the families, he is assigned to home teach, the daughter of the family reveals to him that the family is breaking up. Still wanting to give up, he asks for a release until he realizes the error of his ways. He receives a letter one of the sons of the family who is serving a full time mission telling him that he could have made difference in the life of the family. With renewed energy the home teacher decides to try again to help the family. He goes on a camping trip with his bishop and elders quorum president. They decide that it is time to help the family in need. They save the marriage and the family becomes active again.
Although very dated, I used this film in one of my own elders quorum meetings. The class seemed to really like it. This film was a change of pace from the normal LDS films shown. This movie though is really hard to find it is only available in video tape format and can no longer be purchased directly from the LDS church. You can probably pick it up at a Deseret Industries or LDS church library. This film can help inspire home teachers to do better at their calling.
Most home teachers mean well but home teaching can be a challenge because you wonder if you efforts are really worth it, they are worth it. This film shows the fruits of being a good home teacher and how to do it effectively. In recent years another movie about home teaching was made called The Home Teachers which takes a comedic approach to doing ones duty in this special calling.