Every so often it seems that changes must be made to our visiting teaching, the routes, the companionships, and as I start to make these changes I feel myself wading out into the mire, being bogged down with questions, worries, stress, and doubt. I desperately want to know ‘WHY?!?!” Meaning, why do I have to re-do the visiting teaching, why does it have to be so hard, why does it seem so monumental to actually accomplish. I ask myself this so many times, even finding myself saying, “I HATE IT, I HATE IT!!” It is the hardest thing. And then I find myself ashamed, and listening to our leaders speak of the importance of visiting teaching, of its divine mandate, and so, I decide to answer the “WHY.”
Why do we do visiting teaching? Why do I stress and worry so much over these changes? So, that I can see it in the correct light, so that it isn’t a burden, but a sacred task of making sure each one of His daughters is watched and loved by His other daughters, that they are coming to know and love each other—all the while strengthening their ward, their stake, His church. Faith Family and Relief are what we do, and the vast majority of that comes through our visiting teaching. Here is what I wrote down after pondering about it. Maybe each of you could add to it….
#1 Because it is the Lord’s plan of watch-care for each of His precious daughters—in all honesty we may fall short as people and may not love them all the same, BUT He does!! And so provides a way for them ALL to be watched for, to be loved, to give us the chance to know them, so that we may come to love them as He does.
#2 It is a way for us to teach, to share, to spread the gospel and use our testimonies to benefit those around us.
#3 It also helps us to grow and learn from what others can teach us as we come to know them in their homes, in their lives.
#4 It gives us more opportunity to serve than we would ever have without it.
#5 It gives us precious opportunity to follow promptings of the Spirit as we pray for them and how to meet their needs.
#6 It humbles us, as we overcome selfishness, as we give of our self to others, to serve and love them, especially when it is someone we may at first see as challenging to know and love.
#7 It humbles us as we see the Lord use us to do His work, and see how much more we are capable of when we turn ourselves over to His plan for us.
#8 Through it we also gain precious, eternal friendships that strengthen and fortify us through all we face.
#9 WE are acting for Him, doing His work—is there any greater reason than this?
So, I apologize for my bad attitude about the work and effort that goes into it, I pray for the insight and inspiration from the Spirit to make the right companionships, the best routes, to bless all involved. I pray for compassion and understanding amongst the sisters, but most of all I pray for them to desire to get to know and love their sisters—in a busy life sometimes it is a phone call, a note, but if they are in your prayers, they will be in your thoughts, and you will find the time, courage, patience to serve them. This is my prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
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