Day 24: Visiting Teaching

I know what you're thinking...'She's grateful for visiting teaching?!' Well, I am. I think it is one of the best ways to watch over those you teach and to help strengthen testimonies. I personally know people, family members even, who were less active and who came back to church because they had visiting teachers who visited them regularly while they were less active. If you think your efforts are worthless, you're dead wrong. Just because you may not see the immediate benefit(s) of visiting teaching doesn't mean you're not making a difference. Don't give up.

Sister Barbara Thompson (2nd Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency) said:

"The beauty of visiting teaching is not to see 100 percent on the monthly report; the beauty of visiting teaching is seeing lives changed, tears wiped away, testimonies growing, people loved, families strengthened, people cheered, the hungry fed, the sick visited, and those who are mourning comforted." - October 2010 Sessions

President Gordon B. Hinckley said:

"The teacher’s duty is to watch over the church always, and be with and strengthen them’ (D&C 20:53). This is the mandate of the Lord. I hope that home teachers and visiting teachers will experience two things: first, the challenge of the responsibility that is in their great calling, and second, the sweetness of results from their work, particularly with those among us who are less active. I hope that these teachers will get on their knees and pray for direction, and then go to work to bring these wandering prodigals back into the fold of the Church. If home and visiting teachers respond to this challenge, I honestly believe that they will taste the sweet and wonderful feeling which comes of being an instrument in the hands of the Lord in leading someone back into activity in His Church and kingdom."

I have a testimony of this and know it to be true.