Sunday, August 14, 2011

Creative Caring

Hello Visiting Teachers!  It's been a while, our apologies ... Jinky had a rough July.  Anyway, the July and August VT Moments are running late in being posted, but it will come so look for that next week.  Also, running late is the announcements of our Monthly VT Prize Giveaway ... post coming soon.  In the meantime, the following is a list of ideas for things to do for the sisters you visit teach.  Note that some words are abbreviated (there was a lot to type) so please don't think that Sister Oyler is a bad writer.  :)

Perhaps some of these ideas work for you.  Enjoy!!

CREATIVE CARING BY THE MONTH FOR VISITING TEACHERS

Jan: Give your sisters a new calendar
Feb: Red carnation tied w/ ribbon, cloth heart filled w/ candy, a heart pin cushion or a valentine w/ a note expressing your appreciation for your sis
Mar: Basket of “Irish” potatoes or bowl of potato salad
Apr: Give an April Fool’s Day gift (something out of season) or an Easter basket
June: Yellow cake mix, strawberries & whipping cream to make their own short cake
July: Cake decorated like a flag
Aug: Pitcher full of whole lemons & recipe for lemonade
Sept: Corn husk doll dressed from scraps of material
Oct: A tootsie roll pop ghost
Nov: A pumpkin w/ recipe for a treat
Dec: Christmas ornament

The following is a list of more ideas for creative caring that should be helpful in communicating love as a visiting teacher & friend:

  • Give each sis a folder w/ a ward directory in it. On the folder put the phone #s of the Bishop, visiting teachers & home teachers
  • Take your inactive sis a RS lesson manual
  • When traveling, bring your sisters something from the places you visit or send a picture postcard
  • Take your sisters out to lunch, one at a time or all together
  • Check w/ the husband first & then kidnap your sis & take her to your house for a special breakfast
  • Have your sis & her family over to your home for a special FHE
  • Send a card or thought to your sis or give them a phone call just to see how they are & say hello
  • Do something to f/u on the visiting lesson for the month
  • Find out info about your sis: fav flowers, color, music, books & foods. Find out where they were born & raised, places they have lived, etc. Use this info to help you get ideas for things to give & do for your sis
  • Do something special for your sis’ b’day or anniversary
  • If she gave a good lesson in church, talk or something else that was great, compliment them
  • Invite your sis & their fam to your home for dinner or ice cream treat
  • If you know of a good sale or something special, call & let your sis know about it also
  • If a sis isn’t at church, call to see if everything is ok. Let them know what the announcements were & anything special that happened
  • Have a big Un-Birthday party for your sis
  • Teach a mini course, if you know a sis is interested in one of your talents
  • If you have an ill or elderly sis to visit, tape record the RS lesson for her to listen to
  • If you have a new mom or one that doesn’t get out often, offer to baby sit one afternoon while she does what she desires
  • Help a mom have a b’day party for a child
  • You could take some nice homemade bread or one of your fav goodies w/ you (be sure to include the recipe)
  • If there is a sick child, take something for him/her to do
  • Take an inexpensive craft to the mom to use when she needs something to entertain the kids when she is busy
  • In the summer, take popsicles over for the children or take them to the park to play
  • Loan an inspirational book that might uplift your sis in some way, then you can pick it up the next month
  • Take a casserole or a dish that she can freeze for a day when your sis is too busy to cook take cookies (undecorated) & the frosting w/ goodies such as sprinkles for the kids to finish the job
  • Give them plants w/ a note saying, “Let’s grow together”
  • Share some of your best recipes
  • Take her some chilled cookie dough w/ the recipe & baking instructions
  • Make some special place mats or sew an apron
  • Share some veges or fruit from your garden or some you have just canned
  • Give your sis a pic of Jesus, a book mark, novelty pens or scrolls
  • Share your testimony in written form w/ your sis or a note expressing your appreciation & love for them
  • Give them the feeling that you do love them
  • Help them set a goal & then print it nicely on a 3x5 card for them to keep on their mirror or fridge

Written by: Cathy Oyler
Kearns, UT

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