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Visiting Teaching & Home Teaching - Page 14

Not exactly what I meant. I mean, I don't think this should be done at the expense of not visiting people who do want visits. Even active members need and benefit greatly from regular visits.

Teaching Home and Teaching Visiting

Sorry, I misunderstood you.

I don't see how visiting inactive sisters is "done at the expense of" active ones, or sending a note to a "no contact" person takes anything away from a sister who wants contact. It's all part of the program, in my opinion. They are all members of the church, even if they've requested no contact.

Roz

Visiting Teaching & Home Teaching Studies Doctrine Mormon

FarSeer where I think you and I disagree is this -

1, if a member has requested no contact, the Church wants us to honor that request and I believe we absolutely should. We all have our agency and if a member doesn't want contact that is their right to choose. This is, in my opinion, a part of the gospel plan of allowing us our agency.

2, I think we can end up spending so much of our time trying to visit people who don't want to be visited that we don't end up visiting sisters who want visits. That is how I see it could be done at the expense of those who want visits, whether or not they are active.

Unfortunately, only a certain percentage of members actually do their VT on a regular basis. If they are all assigned just to members who are not active or don't want visits, then the active sisters or those who want visits end up being assigned to people who don't do the VT on a regular basis.

I realize my example is an extreme, it is just to make my point that it is possible to visit one at the expense of the other. I am simply saying I don't think one should be done at the expense of the other. I believe we often lose sight of the fact that very active, apparently spiritual women often still need visits themselves. All is not always the way it appears on the outside.

I, feel very strongly that a women who has said she wants no contact should be left alone. To me, there are no exceptions. It is the Church policy so far as I know to observe her wishes, and as one who wanted no contact during my period of inactivity, I would not have welcomed the contact. In fact, it might have driven me further away because I would have seen it as an invasion of my privacy and also that my request was being ignored.

Edited: tenaheff on 22nd Jan, 2004 - 6:37pm

Page 14 Teaching Home and Teaching Visiting

Actually, I agree that we *shouldn't* allow active sisters to be neglected because of spending too much time on inactives -- what I'm saying is I don't think that happens. I think it's the other way around, that inactives are ignored because VT don't like being rejected or being uncomfortable. But that's my opinion.

As far as no contact wishes, you are probably right in your thinking. It's just my opinion based on my circumstances that I would hope others (like me, like the member in my ward) might be reached if someone sent a note or a card once in a while.

(My gosh, the two of us are hardheaded!... Peace, sister )

Roz

Teaching Home and Teaching Visiting

Well, my understanding is you never asked to be put on the do not contact list, so in my opinion you should have been contacted. As long as they attempted and you were receptive to the visits, then I agree you should have been visited. And, I believe they should have contacted you. It is wrong that they didn't.

So, even though we are both hardheaded, we actually agree for the most part!

Offtopic but, Heads don't come much harder than mine!

Edited: tenaheff on 22nd Jan, 2004 - 10:08pm

Visiting Teaching & Home Teaching

I didn't say that it was an excuse for not doing the HT & VT, I was saying that I feel that by receiving the special blessings that setting apart gives us, we just might do a better job at Visiting Teaching.

I know that when I was called as the Primary 1st Councilor, I wasn't Set Apart for nearly 6 months. I didn't know I was supposed to be set apart so I didn't pester the Presidency to do it. But those 6 months were awful! I really struggled to do such a simple job. After I was set apart, there was a remarkable difference. I prayed just as often, I studied the sharing time literature the same, yet it was like a thick fog bank had been cleared.

When I was called as a Visiting Teacher, I asked when I would be set apart. I was told that I wouldn't be, they don't do it for VT or HT. Too bad, In My Opinion I still feel that we all should be set apart.

All throughout the years I was inactive and living in this town, I told the church NOT to come to my house and NOT to phone. They then asked me if letters would be okay. Yes that would be okay as long as the Church name was NOT on the envelope. My VT sent me letters every month. I lived for those letters. She included the names and phone numbers of the Branch Presidency and the RS Presidency.

When it was safe for me to call, I would call and talk to her. So if you have inactives on your list, be specific with them. If they say No contact, then ask: Would a phone call be OK; Would a letter be OK???

In My Opinion I feel that the inactive members need the Home Teachers and Visiting Teachers just as much as the actives, if not more. Been there, Needed them, and were thankful they kept asking until they found a solution.

Edited: AGene on 23rd Jan, 2004 - 3:31am

Visiting Teaching & Home Teaching - Page 14

In my ward we have special routes just for those who will not allow visits but will allow letters. I think this is great. This assignment is usually given to a sister, who for one reason or another can't do visits. This allows her to serve and also allows the recipient to get a spiritual message each month.

This isn't allowed for HT, they must actually viisit. VT are allowed to visit, call or write.

Visiting Teaching & Home Teaching Mormon Doctrine Studies - Page 14

That is a good idea. Think I will bring it up to my RS President. Thanks for the input Tenaheff.