““Pure Religion”Pure Religion”Watchcare and Watchcare and

Ministering Ministering through Visiting Teachingthrough Visiting Teaching

Chapter 7Chapter 7

The Savior calls His disciples to work with The Savior calls His disciples to work with Him in His ministry, giving them the Him in His ministry, giving them the

opportunity to serve others and become opportunity to serve others and become more like Him.more like Him. Pg 105Pg 105

In Relief Society, each sister has the In Relief Society, each sister has the opportunity to opportunity to

watch over and strengthen sisters watch over and strengthen sisters one by one through visiting teaching. one by one through visiting teaching. Pg. Pg.

105105

“Sister Julie B. Sister Julie B. Beck, the Beck, the fifteenth Relief fifteenth Relief Society general Society general president, said, president, said, “Because we “Because we follow the follow the example and example and teachings of Jesus teachings of Jesus Christ, we value Christ, we value this sacred this sacred assignment to assignment to love, know, serve, love, know, serve, understand, understand, teach, and teach, and minister in His minister in His behalf.” behalf.” pg. 107 pg. 107

Dedicated visiting teachers answer the Dedicated visiting teachers answer the call from latter-day prophets to give call from latter-day prophets to give

Christlike service.Christlike service. President Spencer W. President Spencer W.

Kimball, the twelfth Kimball, the twelfth President of the Church, President of the Church, taught: “God does notice taught: “God does notice us, and he watches over us, and he watches over us. But it is usually us. But it is usually through another person through another person that he meets our needs. that he meets our needs. Therefore, it is vital that Therefore, it is vital that we serve each other in we serve each other in the kingdom.” the kingdom.”

President Thomas President Thomas S. Monson, has said: S. Monson, has said: “We are surrounded “We are surrounded by those in need of by those in need of our attention, our our attention, our encouragement, our encouragement, our support, our comfort, support, our comfort, our kindness….We our kindness….We are the Lord’s hands are the Lord’s hands here upon the earth, here upon the earth, with the mandate to with the mandate to serve and to lift His serve and to lift His children. He is children. He is dependent upon each dependent upon each of us.” of us.” pg 112pg 112

Through the Through the years, sisters years, sisters have learned have learned that visiting that visiting

teaching teaching requires requires

commitment, commitment, dedication, dedication,

and sacrifice. and sacrifice.

Pg. 112Pg. 112

They have They have learned learned

that they that they need the need the Spirit to Spirit to direct direct their their

visits. visits.

Pg. 112Pg. 112

They have seen They have seen the power that the power that comes through comes through teaching truth teaching truth and bearing and bearing testimony, giving testimony, giving temporal help temporal help with love, and with love, and being willing to being willing to mourn with, mourn with, comfort, and comfort, and help bear the help bear the burdens of theirburdens of their sisters.sisters.

Pg 113Pg 113

Visiting teachers Visiting teachers often are required often are required to sacrifice and to sacrifice and rise above rise above discouragement. discouragement. This is especially This is especially true when their true when their efforts seem to efforts seem to be going be going nowhere, as in nowhere, as in the story told by the story told by Cathie Humphrey:Cathie Humphrey:

Pg. 114Pg. 114

Sister Mary Ellen Smoot Sister Mary Ellen Smoot

thirteenth Relief Society thirteenth Relief Society general president, general president,

declared: “My desire is declared: “My desire is to to

plead with our sisters to plead with our sisters to stop worrying about a stop worrying about a

phone call or a phone call or a quarterly or monthly quarterly or monthly visit, and visit, and

whether that will do, whether that will do, and concentrate instead and concentrate instead on nurturing tender on nurturing tender souls. souls.

Our responsibility is to see that the gospel Our responsibility is to see that the gospel flame continues to burn brightly. Our charge is flame continues to burn brightly. Our charge is to find the lost sheep and help them feel our to find the lost sheep and help them feel our Savior’s love.”Savior’s love.” pg 117pg 117

When sisters serve others as visiting When sisters serve others as visiting teachers, they receive blessings teachers, they receive blessings themselves.themselves. Pg. 120

Sister Barbara W. Sister Barbara W. Winder, the eleventh Winder, the eleventh Relief Society general Relief Society general president, taught: “It president, taught: “It is vital that each sister is vital that each sister have visiting teachershave visiting teachers—to convey a sense —to convey a sense that she is needed, that she is needed, that someone loves that someone loves her and thinks about her and thinks about her. But equally her. But equally important is the way important is the way the visiting teacher is the visiting teacher is able to growable to grow

in charity. in charity.

By assigning our women to do visiting By assigning our women to do visiting teaching, teaching,

we give them the opportunity to develop we give them the opportunity to develop the pure love of Christ, which can be the the pure love of Christ, which can be the

greatest blessing of their lives.” greatest blessing of their lives.” pg 120pg 120

Pure and God-fearing sisters in the ranks of Pure and God-fearing sisters in the ranks of Relief Society have watched over and Relief Society have watched over and

strengthened one another from the beginning strengthened one another from the beginning days in Nauvoo to the present day through days in Nauvoo to the present day through loving and inspired visiting teaching. loving and inspired visiting teaching. Pg 123Pg 123

It is a ministry that is shared It is a ministry that is shared one by one, heart to heart. one by one, heart to heart.

Pg. 123Pg. 123

Questions Visiting Teachers Can Ask

The following kinds of questions can lead to

opportunities for visiting teachers to give comfort,

share relevant gospel teaching, and provide meaningful service.

What worries or concerns do you have?

What questions do you have about the gospel or the

Church?

Would you allow us to help you with ________?

When asking a question like this,visiting teachers should offer to help in a specific way, such as caring for the children for a brief time, assisting with a homemaking task, or helping to run an errand.It is less helpful to say, “Call us if you need anything.” pg. 115