The Blessings of Visiting Teaching

The Blessings of Visiting Teaching

Photograph of Sister Thompson © Busath.com

“Many women have reported that the reason they came back into Church activity was because a faithful visiting teacher came month after month and ministered to them, rescuing them, loving them, blessing them. …

“At times the most important blessing about your visit will be to just listen. Listening brings comfort, understanding, and healing. Still another time you may need to roll up your sleeves and go to work in the home or help to calm a crying child.”

Barbara Thompson, second counselor in the Relief Society general presidency, “And of Some Have Compassion, Making a Difference,” Liahona and Ensign, Nov. 2010, 120.

Small Acts of Service

 “Often small acts of service are all that is required to lift and bless another: a question concerning a person’s family, quick words of encouragement, a sincere compliment, a small note of thanks, a brief telephone call,” taught President Thomas S. Monson. “If we are observant and aware, and if we act on the promptings which come to us, we can accomplish much good. … Countless are the acts of service provided by the vast army of Relief Society visiting teachers.”

Thomas S. Monson, “Three Goals to Guide You,” Liahona andEnsign, Nov. 2007, 120–21.

People Rather than Percentages

“Visiting teaching becomes the Lord’s work when our focus is on people rather than percentages,” explains Julie B. Beck, Relief Society general president. “In reality, visiting teaching is never finished. It is more a way of life than a task. Faithfully serving as a visiting teacher is evidence of our discipleship.”

Julie B. Beck, “Relief Society: A Sacred Work,” Liahona andEnsign, Nov. 2009, 114.

Scouting

“It is time we received the training … to help us become better priesthood and Young Men leaders and [it is time we] recognized that Scouting is a vital part of the Aaronic Priesthood activity program and can help greatly to build better-prepared missionaries, better husbands and fathers, [and] help prepare our young men to receive the ordinances of the temple, and help reactivate those who have drifted."

Charles W. Dahlquist II, “Strengthening and Vitalizing Aaronic Priesthood Quorums,” address given at Young Men open house, Sept. 2004.

Fear, Despair, and Pride

Perfect Love Casteth Out All Fear

By Leah Welker

The author lives in Maryland, USA.

Ensign Feb 2018

Instead of reacting in fear, despair, or pride, we can choose to cultivate the feelings God would give to us: faith, hope, and charity. Each of these divine qualities can be answers to the problems of fear, despair, and pride: faith casts out fear, hope dispels despair, and charity—the pure love of Christ—leaves no room for pride....

How often do we feel this pride, a disregard for whole nations, religions, or cultures we think are unworthy or unredeemable? How often, in our fear, are we tempted to do nothing to help other children of God?...

No matter what is occurring in the world, we can be assured that faith, hope, and charity will cast out all fear, despair, and pride that threaten to ruin our peace. Those divine qualities will kindle our souls with a light that is unquenchable by any earthly power....

We can make a difference in the world as we resist the temptations to hide, hate, or despair. Let us reach out to the suffering and be valiant lamps reflecting the Light of the World.

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Peter's 3 Answers

Some observe that by thrice allowing Peter to affirm his love for Him, Christ was giving Peter a chance to amend for his thrice-made denial that desperate night of the trial. See, for example, James E. Talmage, Jesus the Christ, 3rd ed. (1916), 693; Jeffrey R. Holland, “The First Great Commandment,” Ensign,Nov. 2012, 83–84. For a discussion of the denial and lessons to be learned from it, see Gordon B. Hinckley, “And Peter Went Out and Wept Bitterly,”Ensign, May 1979, 65–67; Neal A. Maxwell, “A Brother Offended,”Ensign, May 1982, 37–38. Other commentators, noting the subtle differences in the Greek of the text, suggest that the three questions were each asked to teach Peter different aspects and duties of his calling. Accordingly, the Savior twice asked Peter, “Lovest thou me?” using the Greek agapao for “love,” meaning a social or moral kind of love, often thought of as godly or unconditional love and elsewhere translated as “charity” (e.g., 1 Corinthians 13:1–4; 2 Peter 1:7; Revelation 2:19). The third time Jesus asked Peter, “Lovest thou me?,” He used the termphileo for “love,” meaning friendship, affection, or brotherly love. Interestingly, in answer to each of the three questions, Peter affirmed his love usingphileo. To the first affirmation of Peter’s love, Christ commanded him to “feed,” from the Greek bosko, meaning to pasture, graze, or nourish, His “lambs,” from the Greek arnion,meaning a young or baby sheep. To the second affirmation of Peter’s love, Christ commanded him to “feed,” from the Greekpoimaino, meaning to tend or shepherd, His “sheep,” from the Greekprobaton, meaning an adult sheep. In response to Peter’s third affirmation of love for Christ, he was tobosko His probaton.Thus, by asking the question three times in three ways, the Savior asked the disciple if he had both charity and brotherly love for Him, and in His subsequent commandments the Savior taught Peter that he was to not only nourish but also shepherd both the young and old of His flock.

“Whom Say Ye That I Am?”

By Terry B. Ball

Professor of Religious Education, Brigham Young University

Ensign Feb 2018 reference #6

Always Remember

We celebrate anniversaries, study history, and designate holidays to commemorate significant events. We do these things to help us remember. I believe, of all that the Book of Mormon is meant to accomplish, helping us to remember is high on the list. And of all we are meant to remember, one fact stands alone in its significance, that Jesus is the Christ, the Redeemer of the world.

Bishop W. Christopher Waddell, "The Book of Mormon: A Standard unto my People," Ensign Feb 2018, 41.