Back in the old days there used to be training for new Visiting Teachers. Every month there was a Visiting Teaching meeting. That turned into once a quarter, then a five minute blurb every once in a while. Soon, Visiting Teaching Training turned into Visiting Teaching Nagging. Everyone started getting busier and no one wanted to be reminded of another chore.
Visiting Teaching is an opportunity to think of someone else’s needs. We are there to serve them, pray for them; just love them. Does that sound like a chore?
Let’s go through some basics on What Is Visiting Teaching? Why Do We Do It? and How Do We Do It Like We Mean It?
What Is Visiting Teaching?
It is the action we show in caring for others. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only Church where members take on responsibility for one another to save souls and bring others unto Christ. We have covenanted “to bear one another’s burdens…mourn with those that mourn…comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places.” (Mosiah 18:8-9)
Why Do We Visit Teach?
Henry B. Eyring said,
“Every bishop and every branch president has a Relief Society president to depend upon. She has visiting teachers, who know the trials and the needs of every sister. She can, through them, know the hearts of individuals and families. She can meet needs and help the bishop in his call to nurture individuals and families.” (Henry B. Eyring, “The Enduring Legacy Of Relief Society”, CR, Oct 2009)
Spencer W. Kimball taught:
“God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs. Therefore, it is vital that we serve each other in the kingdom.” (Spencer W. Kimball, “Small Acts of Service,” Ensign, Dec. 1974, 5.)
How Do We Visit Teach Like We Mean It?
Eliza R. Snow counseled visiting teachers to prepare themselves spiritually before they visited homes so they would be able to ascertain and meet spiritual needs as well as temporal ones: “A teacher … should surely have so much of the Spirit of the Lord, as she enters a house to know what spirit she meets in there. … Plead before God and the Holy Ghost to get [the Spirit] so that you will be able to meet that spirit that prevails in that house … and you may feel to talk words of peace and comfort, and if you find a sister feeling cold, take her to your heart as you would a child to your bosom and warm [her] up.” (Daughters of My Kingdom, pg. 108)
- Introduce yourself to your sister as soon as possible. Remember her name.
- Make an appointment that is convenient to your sister. Stay less than an hour.
- Pray for your sister and her family: To understand needs, to be of service, to feel love for her. And pray with your sister: In front of her, ask the Lord to bless her with strength and testimony.
- Come with the spirit. Let the spirit be your guide. The spirit may not already be in the home, so you become a lifeline for this sister. Discern if she needs help feeling the spirit, a spiritual boost, or spiritual love to buoy her up. A lesson is important, but not always necessary. Let inspiration guide you on how best to bring her something spiritual.
- Listen to your sister. Ask her questions. Let her talk. Be there for her. Create an atmosphere of trust, love, and understanding. And be true to your word.
- Teach, bear witness, and serve as Jesus would serve. Make a difference in the home you visit.
- Visiting once a month is good. Greeting her warmly, sitting next to her, calling/texting/emailing her, checking on her regularly is better. Being a true friend is best.
- Inspire her, and challenge her, to be a better person, wife, mother, and sister.
- Report both happy events, as well as difficult times, to the Relief Society president.
- Love her, love her, love her.
“The fact of the matter is, we really and truly need each other. Women naturally seek friendship, support, and companionship. We have so much to learn from one another, and we often let self-imposed barriers keep us from enjoying associations which could be among the greatest blessings in our lives.” (Bonnie L. Oscarson, Sisterhood: Oh, How We Need Each Other, May 2014)
Wonderful! Do you mind if I use it at our next VT training meeting? When I was called as RS Pres. I prayed to know how to make a difference here. The answer I got was “Fix Visiting Teaching and that will improve everything.” Almost two years later I’m still teaching and training and reminding and, well, whatever I can do to inspire the sisters here to actually go visiting. The tradition in this branch is to send a card, with no message or testimony to uplift. It is so discouraging!! Thanks for this inspiring post. It was what I needed to gird up my loins, fresh courage take.
You know you can! Hope it helps. I love the answer you got. So many people do not have a testimony of Visiting Teaching. They see it as a nuisance and don’t make the proper time for it.
I personally love to ask questions until we find something in common (which really doesn’t take much effort) and then I capitalize on our commonness in order to connect with them and offer encouragement. Feeling the spirit together is another absolute essential and that comes sometimes through the lesson, but mostly as we build trust in one another and pray together, for one another.
Decades ago, when I lived in Michigan and we had to travel distances to visit teach, I also had nine other church callings in our small branch and in the Stake. I asked to be released as a visiting teacher because it was just too much. Then one day, my close friend, Gretchen, asked if I would go visiting teaching with her because her companion could not. Because she was my friend, I told her I would, but I wasn’t looking forward to it. This turned out to be the best lesson on visiting teaching I have ever had. Gretchen knew how to reach out to people, to love them, to be their friend. Thanks to her, I caught the vision of visiting teaching, and I will be forever grateful. I immediately asked to be reinstated as a visiting teacher and have tried to follow Gretchen’s example of being a friend, showing love, helping, etc. Since then, I have always looked forward to visiting teaching each month, and interacting with these dear sisters often throughout the month. Instead of being a chore, it is now an opportunity to meet with friends.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful experience. It really is just catching the vision of this great opportunity given to us. And, indeed, sometimes we need to look at those good examples around us. (And we need more and more good examples out there.)