Close Topic Options

Visiting Teaching & Home Teaching - Page 4

From what I understand if we at least make contact with our sisters by mail it can be counted as a visit, whereas, the Home Teachers aren't able to do that.

In our ward, Sunday looks like a Branch. We have 300+ on the roles and attendance is about 50-80, depending on tourists and missionaries. So, people who are willing and able to do Visiting Teaching and Home Teaching on any level are at a premium.

I always try to make weekly contact with my active sisters at church and be intune to their wants, needs and desires.

My Home Teachers are not frequent visitors and I have a husband/wife pair - so it substitutes for Visiting Teachers, as well.

I have heart problems and have recently had to leave the work force, so life has taken on a whole new adjustment. But, I have a LOT of faith and know He will never give up on me.

Our God is an awesome God.

Thanks for caring.

Paula

Teaching Home and Teaching Visiting

The easiest way to justify visiting teaching and home teaching is to simply ask this question...

Am I doing everything within my power to comfort this person if they are truly in need, wether I know they are in need or not?

Let me say why this question is significant... First of all, if you are doing all within your power to do so... then it is sufficent. If you are comforting those that are in need then you are doing well. If you know their needs then you are even better, because those who seem to be not in need may just be the ones that need the most comfort.

When these things are done in love and concern then if it counts or not as a visit will not be a basis to make contact.

Visiting Teaching & Home Teaching Studies Doctrine Mormon

[quote]From what I understand if we at least make contact with our sisters by mail it can be counted as a visit, whereas, the Home Teachers aren't able to do that. [/quote]

Well, I don't think is a matter of 'it counts' or not. After all we don't do visits based if it counts or not as a visit but seeing our sisters as individuals rather than a number. This is the exception (making a mail or phone contact) not the rule. Why the Home teachers are not able to do that?.  Areas  that are not able to maybe the case in the Phillippiness where sisters have to take boats in order to visit other sisters in other parts of the island or when your personal safety is in jeopardy but in normal areas and circumnstances where there is public transportation available or even more when most people have their own cars like in the case of the United States, a visit should be done...they should not use the exception in this case but the rule.

[quote]In our ward, Sunday looks like a Branch. We have 300+ on the roles and attendance is about 50-80, depending on tourists and missionaries. So, people who are willing and able to do Visiting Teaching and Home Teaching on any level are at a premium. [/quote]

That doesn't make it right . I think your Bishop have a lot to do in your ward and I am not particularly amazed why the membership is only 50-80 people attending.

[quote]I always try to make weekly contact with my active sisters at church and be intune to their wants, needs and desires. [/quote]

It's good you are able to do that, I know you have special health circumnstances but in a normal setting, there is no way somebody can be in tune with their sisters need by seeing them at Church. In order to see the needs of our sisters, a visit must take place. You will not believe how many sisters smile at Church and seem like everything is great and in reality abuse, humiliation, hunger and worst things like that are going on in their home.

[quote]My Home Teachers are not frequent visitors and I have a husband/wife pair - so it substitutes for Visiting Teachers, as well. [/quote]

May I ask the reason for your home teachers not being frequent visitors? do you live too far away from the city or in a rural area by chance?.

Page 4 Teaching Home and Teaching Visiting

When I say "counts" I mean for the records, when the supervisor calls. I don't do it because it "counts". I do it because it is my calling and my responsibility. I do it because it is what the Savior wants me to do to the best of my abilility.

I have been a visiting teacher for 21 years and will never be released from this calling and that is fine with me.

This may have sounded like I am always sending letters which is quite the contrary. Without sounding like bragging, I am going to drop it at that. My intent is not to vent and that's what it is sounding like.

No, we don't live far apart... That's just the way it is...

Paula

Teaching Home and Teaching Visiting

[quote]When I say "counts" I mean for the records, when the supervisor calls. I don't do it because it "counts". I do it because it is my calling and my responsibility. I do it because it is what the Savior wants me to do to the best of my abilility. [/quote]

Great! I do it because of the love I feel for my sisters and the love Heavenly Father has for me...

[quote]I have been a visiting teacher for 21 years and will never be released from this calling and that is fine with me. [/quote]

Well, you will never be released if this calling because you was never call to be one Actually to be a Visiting Teacher is something that automatically comes when a sister joins Relief Society if you notice, Visiting Teachers are not officially called or set apart.

[quote]This may have sounded like I am always sending letters which is quite the contrary. Without sounding like bragging, I am going to drop it at that. My intent is not to vent and that's what it is sounding like. [/quote]

No, you don't sound like that!. I was just trying to make a point. I know you have health issues, so I was not trying to be mean. Sorry you felt that way.

[quote]No, we don't live far apart... That's just the way it is... [/quote]

And that was what I was trying to say before but I think you took it too personal  just because it is like that in your ward, it doesn't make it right, that's my whole point about it.

Visiting Teaching & Home Teaching

Came across this cute idea for a Visiting Teaching Workshop handout:

Great Handouts for your LDS Relief Society Visiting Teaching Program  

https://lds.about.com/library/weekly/aa101702d.htm

Paula  :)

Visiting Teaching & Home Teaching - Page 4

I ran across some neat quotes on Home Teaching that would be nice for printing and saving for future reference.

https://www.lds-living.com/priesthood/ht-quotes.html

This one makes one a tad bit misty-eyed:

"Years ago, for example, I was given a home teaching assignment to a special couple. A faithful, wonderful wife welcomed us to their home while her husband retreated to a small room filled with amateur radio equipment. But our concern for him was great enough to tolerate the dense smoke of his cigars as he reluctantly responded to our questions about the principles of radio operation. As our regular visits continued, earlier barriers became melted into bonds of a dear friendship. Our wives became fast friends too. The sweetness of his soul began to emerge. He refined his life. Now, over thirty years later, we look back on his distinguished service as a stake president, mission president, and temple president. And recently I had the great privilege of ordaining this dear friend of mine a patriarch."  
Russell M. Nelson (The Power Within Us)

Paula

Visiting Teaching & Home Teaching Mormon Doctrine Studies - Page 4

ldsiniowa, thank you for those links... they say alot of things that are helpfull in defining both the HT's and the VT's roles...