So this video might make you think of your family…but it can
also make you think of visiting teaching.
Shakespeare said, "They do not love that do not show their
love."
As visiting teachers, we need to show those we visit teach
that we truly love them. Love is spoken
throughout scriptures, through out our modern revelations—at General Conference
and wherever we go.
When the Savior was questioned as to which was the
greatest commandment, and 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt alove
the Lord thy God with all thy bheart, and with all thy soul, and with all
thy cmind.
That’s pretty powerful when you think about it….ALL the law
and prophets hang on these 2 commandments—TO LOVE.
I believe all things can be accomplished
through love.
Whatever we do we should
do it with love!
October conference in 2009:
Pres. Uchtdorf: We are created in the image of our heavenly parents; we are God’s spirit
children. Therefore, we have a vast capacity for love—it is part of our
spiritual heritage. What and how we love not only defines us as individuals; it
also defines us as a church. Love is the defining characteristic of a disciple
of Christ.
Jesus Christ showed his love to his disciples before
he was crucified by washing their feet.
He said: 14 If I then, your
Lord and aMaster, have bwashed your feet; ye also ought to cwash
one another’s dfeet.
15 For I have given you an aexample, that ye should do as I have done to you.
Then as Jesus continued he said, 34 A
new commandment I give unto you, That ye alove one another; as I have loved
you, that ye also blove one another.
So from Pres. Uchtdorf
to Pres. Monson and to Jesus Christ we learn that LOVE is a very
important and powerful attribute and characteristic. True visiting teaching is done with love.
Former General Relief Society President, Julie B. Beck said, “Because we follow the example and teachings
of Jesus Christ, we value this sacred assignment to love, know, serve,
understand, teach and minister in His behalf.”
I am a mother of 4 grown daughters whom I love with my whole
heart and I still worry about their well-being.
I often wonder if there is a visiting teacher that is taking caring of their
needs that I cannot meet. Each of you
has a mother who loves you. And I am sure that they pray for your well-being
and are asking Heavenly Father to send a good visiting teacher to their daughter’s
side.
I don’t worry so much about my daughters that are here close
by. I see them every week. But my
daughter who lives in Arizona? She is so
far away and I don’t get to be with her very often. I worry the most about her and hope that she
has someone close by who loves her the way I love her or the way her sisters
love her.
As a visiting teacher you can be an answer to a mother’s
prayer. You are an instrument in God’s
hands.
How do we show
love to those we visit teach?
If we look to the Savior He set the example throughout his
mortal ministry.
He showed us by example how to show love to those around us
in everything He did.
When He talked with the Samaritan woman who was getting water at the
well.
When He visited Mary and Martha in their home and taught
them how to be disciples.
When He came when he heard Lazarus was ill only to find that he had died so He raised
him from the dead.
When He forgave the adulteress woman when everyone else wanted her to be stoned.
When He fed the multitudes with 5 loaves of bread and 2
fish.
After his resurrection he visited the Nephites and he had
them come to him one at a time to feel the nail prints in his hands; He
blessed the sick, the needy, the sad, the lonely, and he did it one by
one—individually. He wept with them and
showed compassion on them. He loved them
outwardly.
We are members of Jesus Christ’s Church. It is a world wide and very large church.
The only system which could provide succor and comfort across a church so large
in a world so varied would be through individual servants near the people in need.
As we visit teach we are to succor
and strengthen and love. We are
to be friends with those we have been
assigned to watch over. We need to pray
for them and be aware of them. Sister
Beck has said, she prays every day for those that she visit teaches. What a great way to show her love for them.
Let’s be specific:
What are things you can do to show your visiting teachers you love them?
Ideas:
be a friend,
talk to them outside of visiting teaching,
invite them to hang out with you,
take her treats,
make her a meal,
help her when she’s overwhelmed—do her dishes, help her with
an assignment,
sit with her in church,
text her messages,
bear your testimony,
prepare the message to fit her needs.
Let the Holy Ghost guide you in the best way to help your
sisters. It’s the simple things that
make the biggest difference.
NEVER LET A PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN A
PERSON TO BE LOVED!
Thomas S. Monson
