Tag Archives: Visiting Teaching

Visiting Teaching the Right Way

Posted on by

This week I got a reminder of what visiting teaching is really about. I’m sure that in your mind you’re thinking about the typical visit where you sit for a while, give a brief message, and then leave while issuing the standard “Let me know if you need anything.” While this phrase is often sincere and almost always well-intended, I know I’ve never called my visiting teachers when I had a need. Whether you’re being visited or are the visiting teacher, there are ways to make visiting teaching a better experience all the way around. My learning moments came about … Continue reading →

Doing More than the Minimum

Posted on by

While I enjoy reading the monthly “Visiting Teaching” message, I especially appreciated Sister Beck’s anecdotes in this month’s message. She shares a story about attending a luncheon for Relief Society after completing one of the two assigned readings—either the Book of Mormon or a short history of the church. She had chosen to read the short history to qualify, but as she sat there, she felt that she should have completed the other reading—the scriptures. As LDS women (and men), we often do our best, and that’s absolutely good enough. We’re often hardest on ourselves. But there are times when … Continue reading →

Things I Love About Visiting Teaching

Visiting teaching is such a blessing in so many different ways. Although it can be difficult to set up the appointments or to schedule a time to receive your visits, there are so many benefits when you do make the time. Here are my five favorite aspects of visiting teaching. First I love the friendships that happen as a result of visiting teaching. I have made friends with those who visit me, and the sisters that I visit. The great thing about this is that often I would not reach out to these sisters on my own, because they are … Continue reading →

Visiting Teaching Message: The Eternal Potential of the Children of God

I greatly appreciated the visiting teaching message given to us for this month of September. It seems that the world would tell us that life is fleeting and that we are of no consequence on a larger scale. Through the gospel of Jesus Christ, we know differently. Elder Russell M. Nelson shares his testimony that as women, we will receive our richest rewards as we strive to become devoted daughters of God. We will attain thrones, kingdoms, principalities, glory, immortality and eternal lives as we live up to the standards we have been given. We have this potential as righteous … Continue reading →

Relief Society: Visiting Teaching Less Active Sisters

Visiting teaching is one of the most important functions of Relief Society. It allows friendships to be built, but it is also a system for the president to be sure that individual needs are being met. It fosters close ties and makes it easy for people to reach out and offer service to those around them. If you are visiting teaching a less active member you may need to treat the visits differently. First it is important to follow the sister’s lead. She may not be comfortable with a gospel message, but be open to visits on a regular basis. … Continue reading →

The Crayon Messages – Christine Thackeray

“The Crayon Messages” by Christine Thackeray is a short novel that tells us the story of Cath Reed, a woman who has just moved into a new ward with her often-absent husband and her children who range in age from teenager to preschooler. She doesn’t feel welcome in her surroundings and wonders if she ever will. Knowing that visiting teaching is a great way to make new friends, she is excited to receive her assignment, and disappointed to discover that it’s a letter route. She’s only expected to write her sisters once a month, rather than visiting them. Feeling like … Continue reading →

Relief Society: “Feed My Sheep”

In her talk “Feed My Sheep” Sister Silvia H. Allred speaks about visiting teaching. She opens her talk by sharing her testimony. Sister Allred then goes on to explain that as a presidency they have spent time together studying and fasting to understand the purposes of Relief Society. She explains that one way that we can offer relief is through visiting teaching. She says: “One of the ways Relief Society sisters can feed His sheep is through visiting teaching. ‘The purposes of visiting teaching are to build caring relationships with each sister and to offer support, comfort, and friendship.’ To … Continue reading →

Relief Society: Three Tips for Visiting Teaching in the Summer

Summer can be a tricky time to get visiting teaching done. Well really it can be difficult at any time, but summer throws extra obstacles into the works. You have more children at home, and people tend to go on vacation in the summer. So it can seem difficult to get it done. Here are three tips to help you do your visiting teaching in the summer. 1) Call at the beginning of the month to set up your appointments. This way you have a longer period of time to work it out with everyone’s schedules. For example this month … Continue reading →

Relief Society: Visiting Teaching Blessings

Today I had a great visiting teaching visit. I woke up late this morning only to realize I had a doctor’s appointment that I had forgotten about. So I hurried and got the kids dressed and headed out the door. Since we were late I left the breakfast dished on the table. My living room was still a little messy from family home evening, so I figured I would clean it when I got home. After the appointment I went and ran some errands and did some grocery shopping. I arrived home to see my visiting teacher sitting in front … Continue reading →

Serving in the Relief Society: Visiting Teaching Coordinator and Supervisor

When you think of Relief Society and callings you may jump quickly to thinking of serving in the Relief Society presidency, but you would be missing several important callings. These callings may seem small on the surface, but actually do play an important role in helping the Relief Society presidency to complete their tasks. Two of these callings are visiting teaching coordinator and visiting teaching supervisor. The visiting teaching coordinator is responsible for overseeing the supervisor. She usually sits down with the Relief Society to assign routes. This can be tricky when you think of matching people who want a … Continue reading →