Most women in the Church understand the teaching part. Visiting a sister with a lesson each month "is the teaching, but it is not always ministering." Sometimes, instead of a visit, a sister needs an extra meal or someone to take her children for an hour. Sometimes a sister needs a flower, a note or a phone call or an invitation to go to a social event. Sometimes a sister needs "somebody just knowing her family has the flu." (Sister Julie B. Beck)
This month's VT Moment was taken from an article by Sarah Jane Weaver in Church News. A story about a bishop's concern with low visiting teaching status so he had asked Sister Julie B. Beck to look into it. This article thus accounts Sister Becks findings and thoughts on visiting teaching. Read it HERE.
Here are the highlights:
- She wondered if they understood that they have no other responsibility outside of their families that has the potential to do as much good as visiting teaching.
- Two major responsibilities are to teach and to minister, both Christlike skills.
- The best work you do no one knows about. You get points only in heaven. This is between you and the Lord.
- It is more a way of life than a task.
- One may email or mail the lesson but there is no substitute for a hug or for personal contact.
- The women don't always get to choose with whom they serve and to whom they make visits. If you don't love your sister, then pray to love her. This is one of those things we do with our faith. We show that we believe in Christ and His gospel and in His way by doing this one thing that gives us the chance to behave as He behaved and do as He did.
- Many times companions have a hard time working together because their schedules don't mesh, so visiting teachers need to work together to find inspired ways to watch over their sisters. Maybe it is one of them visiting and another one doing something else. The important thing is that they work as a companionship to tend the sisters.
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