I Heart Visiting Teaching

A couple of months ago I was called to be the visiting teaching coordinator. I like the calling--it's given me a chance to get to know more people in the ward. The Relief Society presidency asked me to write something for the monthly newsletter about visiting teaching. I wanted to say something that would get the sisters out and be better visiting teachers, but I realised that I couldn't be telling them what to do when I wasn't doing my best as a visiting teacher. I needed to work on my own visiting teaching. I shared some things that lds.org says a good visiting teacher should do and encouraged them to pick one to work on. I think that I will work on the fourth--looking for specific ways that I can help.

Dear Sisters,

I have been thinking a lot about what I could say to you of visiting teaching. I would love to say something inspiring, something that you haven’t already heard, but that probably isn’t going to happen. I hope, though, that you will feel the spirit behind my words and try to do what you think the spirit is telling you.

I am not a perfect visiting teacher, but, like all of you, I am trying to be a better one. I have sometimes missed a month or two, or have not been there for a sister, and I have a hard time visiting less-active sisters. My goal is to improve.

I have a testimony of the visiting teaching program. I have seen it work. I have had many visiting teachers come into my home over the years. My favorites are the ones who try--the ones who smile at me when they see me, the ones who remember things about me, the ones who attempt to visit me every month even if it doesn’t always happen, the ones who are willing to help me and my family. I have also had the opportunity to visit a lot of fascinating people and be companions with many wonderful sisters. I have found some of my best friends through the visiting teaching program.

At lds.org, on the Relief Society page, a question is asked: What are a Visiting Teacher’s Responsibilities? Five answers were given: come to know and love your sisters, minister through regular contacts, learn of needs and offer appropriate assistance, look for specific ways to help, and share and testify of gospel doctrines. In our desire to improve and become better visiting teachers, I challenge us to choose one area that we can make better. Ponder these areas and pray and act.

In the words of Sister Beck, “Visiting teachers minister in behalf of the Savior. Our hands are His hands, our love is His love, and our service is His service.” I hope that that thought remains in our hearts as we strive to be the best visiting teacher.

Love,
Ashlee Mecham