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Do You Have Home / Visiting Teachers? - Page 2

[quote] No, because when I was being told about how to do home teaching, I was told that it didn't have to be in the home, especially with active members...[/quote]
Sorry, but that is false doctrine and seems to be an excuse not to do it properly. Home teaching is HOME teaching. I cannot begin to express the importance of actually being in the home! Like I said above, it is only here you can really know what is truly going on, even if they are active, even if they are the Bishop! I have seen active members hiding abuse, loneliness, etc and this can only be seen or felt by a visit to their home

[quote] I have been a member about 3 months, been attending the ward for almost 2 years, and only had the two "home" teachings...[/quote]
I empathize with you. I have not benn home taught in years and years! It is the sad realization of how some members treat the Gospel... like a task. Maybe you should ask your EQ Presidency to come on here and let me have a little word with them

Teachers Visiting Home You Do

[quote]No, because when I was being told about how to do home teaching, I was told that it didn't have to be in the home, especially with active members..... [/quote]

Whoever told you that is definetly kind of lazy lol . Nah, seriously now. That's totally wrong, home teaching is to be done at the home of the members if anybody says otherwise you should say 'what do you think the name is HOME Teaching and VISITING Teaching??? :
I'm sorry that as a new member you're starting to learn these kind of weird stuff that sometimes we go through in the Church. But please make sure you visit your families at their home and when your home teachers try to make an appointment to meet with you, just ask them nicely that you would like to meet them at your home, like its supposed to be (yeah! add 'the supposed to be' too!).

[quote]It could be anytime and any where that you can get some time to do it... [/quote]

Anytime, don't think so...lol nobody will appreciate a visit a saturday at 6:00am lol or a Monday night for instance (when families usually have Family Home Evening) of course like any other thing, common sense must be applied. The time issue is so relative, if people waste time in going out and have some fun or visiting family etc, they will have the time to do their Home and Visiting Teaching. But is a matter of priorities, it is sad that fellowshipping is not a priority in some members of our Church.

[quote]I have been a member about 3 months, been attending the ward for almost 2 years, and only had the two "home" teachings... I am on my second Companion and when they made me a Home teacher I found out because a friend of mine asked me how I liked being a Home Teacher... I didn't even know I was one... I am sure things will get better though once I have been a member longer and understand how things are supposed to work in the Elder's Quorum... [/quote]

I don't want to sound bad but I fully understand what you mean. But if you expect help from the members then you're dead meat. If you have a good friend at Church, just ask him questions about how everything works. You can also go online, make a search about a topic like 'Home Teaching' and you will find a lot of helpful information about it. Home Teaching is the best thing you will ever do for the members of your ward. There is so many things that people go through and sometimes we didn't even know because they're smiling in Church and stuff but when you go to their homes like JB said you then, only then, realize how they live, and the things they may be suffering (abuse, illness, etc). Also if you don't know, your job as a Home Teaching is to observe the need of the families you visit. You may ask if there is anything they need but most of the time the families said they don't need anything but just observe if you see any irregularities at their home (lack of food, signs of abuse, etc) and report it immediately to the Elder's Quorum President and follow-up! if he (the Elder's Quorum President) seems uninterested about the situation of the family you're visiting, go to your bishop and ask him help. Hope these tips can give you a hand, please ask any questions you may have.

Do You Have Home / Visiting Teachers? Studies Doctrine Mormon

[quote]Sorry, but that is false doctrine and seems to be an excuse not to do it properly. Home teaching is HOME teaching. I cannot begin to express the importance of actually being in the home! Like I said above, it is only here you can really know what is truly going on, even if they are active, even if they are the Bishop! I have seen active members hiding abuse, loneliness, etc and this can only be seen or felt by a visit to their home [/quote]

Thank you, I had kinda come to a similar conclusion based on what I had been reading...

[quote]I empathize with you. I have not benn home taught in years and years! It is the sad realization of how some members treat the Gospel... like a task.[/quote]

I am so sorry to hear that you have similar problems in your ward... I had kinda hoped the attitude was just a local thing... The thing I do not understand is that the Home Teachers are supposed to be the front line for the church, they are the people who have been delegated by the church to ensure that the members are cared for, then each Home Teacher (& Visiting Teacher) should be honored just to have such a calling, and even at that it is like what ½ an hour per family (I hope I got that right...) it really doesn't take that many hours out of the month... and should be a priority...

I have been home teaching twice and both times in the home... With my new companion we have 1 active member, 5 inactives who have moved and left no forwarding information & 1 Inactive we can call but won't have us over...  I would have thought the focus should have been on Active members... But hey I could be wrong...  :)

[quote]Maybe you should ask your EQ Presidency to come on here and let me have a little word with them [/quote]
Now that would be funny... except my EQ president doesn't think I should involve myself on these to begin with... He says that there was a talk given by the prophet about not getting involved in "Gospel Discussion Groups" as they lead to oponion and false doctrines... So I don;t even talk to him about what I find out on these discussion boards...  :)

[quote]I don't want to sound bad but I fully understand what you mean. But if you expect help from the members then you're dead meat.[/quote]

This is a really sad state of affairs for the Church to be in...

[quote]There is so many things that people go through and sometimes we didn't even know because they're smiling in Church and stuff but when you go to their homes like JB said you then, only then, realize how they live, and the things they may be suffering (abuse, illness, etc). [/quote]

That is so true...

[quote]Also if you don't know, your job as a Home Teaching is to observe the need of the families you visit. You may ask if there is anything they need but most of the time the families said they don't need anything but just observe if you see any irregularities at their home (lack of food, signs of abuse, etc) and report it immediately to the Elder's Quorum President and follow-up! if he (the Elder's Quorum President) seems uninterested about the situation of the family you're visiting, go to your bishop and ask him help.[/quote]

Thank you, I had thought that asking was enough... I will try to be more observant in future visits...

There should be a guide book about home/visiting teaching... ;D

Page 2 Teachers Visiting Home You Do

[quote] I am so sorry to hear that you have similar problems in your ward... I had kinda hoped the attitude was just a local thing... [/quote]
Well here is a hint for you... if the Prophet talks about it, its most likely because we are not doing it in the world. It is a wrold wide problem. I attribute it t having a lay ministry. People are not being paid, so their only conviction to do it is their testimony which might in itself be weak.

[quote]each Home Teacher (& Visiting Teacher) should be honored just to have such a calling[/quote]
Yes, they should be.

[quote] Now that would be funny... except my EQ president doesn't think I should involve myself on these to begin with... He says that there was a talk given by the prophet about not getting involved in "Gospel Discussion Groups" as they lead to oponion and false doctrines... So I don;t even talk to him about what I find out on these discussion boards...[/quote]
LOL, I would say yes and no... Yes, there are discussion groups that have nothing of upliftment on it, and they dabble in false doctrine. That is why we try to keep this one 'clean' of that. No one here is questioning the truth of the Church, it is obvious that the Church is true. We only seek to ask why are certain things the way it is. If we cannot answer then we must say, we do not know. I believe the danger comes when you start to spekulate and leave it as an answer. I think a lot of people would call things 'false' just because they do not know about it themselves. For instance I am sure you have heard about the Doctrine of Plural Marriage which might have taken some getting used to? In the first instance I am sure you thought that it could not be that marriage to more woman was a thing of God (...but that is another topic).

[quote]
This is a really sad state of affairs for the Church to be in...  [/quote]
It is, but I had GREAT home teachers in the past (when I did have them). They were honorable men and did not expect anything in return. When you get a companionship like that - hold on to them!

[quote] There should be a guide book about home/visiting teaching...[/quote]
There are plently of resources... the Spirit, prayer, scriptures, Ensign, the First Presidency Message (this actually gives you some hints and teaching tips) and more. I will look for some quotes for you if I can find some...

Here is one about sacrifice...

"The great law for spiritual happiness and progress was stated by the
Master in these words:

" 'If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his
cross, and follow me.

" 'For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose
his life for my sake shall find it.' (Matt. 16:24-25.)

"Opportunities to lose oneself for the good of others present themselves
daily: the mother who serves her children's needs; the father who gives his
time for their instruction; parents who give up worldly pleasure for
quality home life; children who care for their aged parents; home teaching
service; visiting teaching; time for compassionate service; giving comfort
to those who need strength; serving with diligence in Church callings;
community and public service in the interest of preserving our freedoms;
financial donations for tithes, fast offerings, support of missionaries,
welfare, building and temple projects. Truly, the day of sacrifice is not
past."

(Ezra Taft Benson, "This Is a Day of Sacrifice," Ensign, May 1979, 34)

Teachers Visiting Home You Do

My "Visiting Teacher" mails me the lesson every month.  I don't consider that a Visiting Teacher at all.
I guess I no longer have a Home Teacher either, cuz I haven't a visit from him for about a year.
I have to admit to having some difficulties in my ward cuz I am deaf and the ward doesn't want to recognize that or provide interpreters for me.  What good is going to church when I can't hear what's going on and the "powers that be" don't bother to provide accommodations?  This ward also thinks that signing for the choir should be done in the back where no one can see it.  Go figure.

Do You Have Home / Visiting Teachers?

[quote]My "Visiting Teacher" mails me the lesson every month.  I don't consider that a Visiting Teacher at all.[/quote]
Members like to count that because of the 'clause' in the red handbook that allows for letters to be sent when a Sister liv in an unusual place or circumstances do not permit a visit, but of course most of the time it is not so and the visiting teachers are just lazy. I have heard members in the Church actually say they are not going to do visiting teaching simply because they do not like to walk (the person they have to visit only lives two blocks away).

Do You Home / Visiting Teachers - Page 2

[quote]
Members like to count that because of the 'clause' in the red handbook that allows for letters to be sent when a Sister liv in an unusual place or circumstances do not permit a visit,[/quote]

Red Handbook? Is that just a VT thing? or also an HT thing? What is it? Where can I get it?

[quote]but of course most of the time it is not so and the visiting teachers are just lazy. I have heard members in the Church actually say they are not going to do visiting teaching simply because they do not like to walk (the person they have to visit only lives two blocks away).[/quote]

These people probably consider themselves to be temple worthy aswell...

I wonder what would have happened if the savior had decided he didn't want to walk to Gethsemane...?  :'(

Do You Home / Visiting Teachers Mormon Doctrine Studies - Page 2

[quote] Red Handbook? Is that just a VT thing? or also an HT thing? What is it? Where can I get it? [/quote]
The Church Handbook of Instructions is two parts... the blue or book one which is given to certain Priesthood leaders (usually Bishop, etc) and the red which is given to Auxiliary leaders. Parts of each book are given to members. You should have been given a green and blue handbook. One is Gospel Teaching and the other is Melchizedek Priesthood. If they have not given it to you make sure to ask for it from your Bishop or EQ President.