Visiting Teaching Call on Melanie Henderson

Greta Smith and Evelyn Baker's second visiting teaching call of the morning was on Melanie Henderson, baptised into Playford Ward only that February. Melanie opened the door before they had finished knocking, already mid-story, and swept them into a Davoren Park house full of colour and clutter: throws on every chair, soft toys across the floor, colouring books and an open glue stick on the coffee table, and a tower of dishes in the kitchen.

Melanie was delighted to have them. She pressed cocoa on them in novelty mugs and sat on the rug, talking almost without pause. She told them how prayer had led her to the car keys in the freezer, how much she loved her Gospel Principles class and Brother Jeffries' muffins, and how the house had felt lighter and calmer since her baptism. Her youngest, Maddie, had recently prayed for the cat to stop scratching the couch. The visits mattered to her more than she let on. With her husband out of steady work and money tight, adult company during the week was scarce.

The two visitors met the morning differently. Evelyn settled into an armchair, accepted the cocoa gladly and was genuinely charmed by every story. Greta perched on the edge of the sofa, conscious of the schedule slipping and of the sticky handle on her mug. Her instinct to tidy, or to offer to wash the dishes, was strong. She kept it to herself, partly to spare Melanie embarrassment and partly because accepting help would have kept them there another hour. She checked her watch, and later her laminated schedule, and confirmed that they had run over again. Her one attempt to wind the visit up was swept aside by another story.

When the visit finally ended, Melanie produced two homemade fridge magnets from a Relief Society craft night, lime green for Greta and glittering blue for Evelyn, and saw them off with hugs and an invitation to come back any time. Evelyn promised to put hers on her fridge. Greta thanked her politely and doubted hers would last the week.

Outside, Evelyn teased Greta that she had not cared for the cocoa. Greta insisted she had said nothing about it. Evelyn replied that she had not needed to.