Some "New Year Resolves" for a Visiting Teacher.....

I was a bit ambitious with my Visiting Teaching Resolutions for this year, however I just heard a story on KOSY 106.5 about a woman who was making resolutions and I have decided to keep these and add a post script at the bottom, so please read to the bottom.
1. Resolve to not let anything stand in the way of getting your visiting teaching done.
2. Resolve to get your Visiting Teaching done either in the 2nd or 3rd week of each month, and be consistent.
3. Resolve to take the initiative to schedule visits with your sisters even if your partner doesn't like to take turns with this task.
4. Resolve to really get to know each sister you teach. Make her your friend and nurture her as your friend instead of just someone you are assigned to Visit Teach.
5. Resolve to study and prepare the monthly lesson before you go out with your partner Visiting Teaching. This way, you really think about the message you will be giving and share your knowledge and insites, but you can also contribute to the discussion and help support your Visiting Teaching partner if she is the one sharing the message with your sisters.
6. Resolve to make visiting teaching easier for yourself, your partner and those you teach by opening up your schedule for this very important calling. Be flexible with your time availability.
7. Resolve to call your Visiting teaching supervisor as soon as you complete your visiting teaching just to make her job of accounting for the visits in her district, a little easier.
8. Resolve to look forward to and learn to love the opportunity of Visiting Teaching.

The story that I just heard was told by Glen Rossin, and I would love to be able to link you to that story, but I cannot find a link to him on the radio. This will have to do... "A sweet woman was sitting down writing out all these ambitious resolutions including losing 20 lbs, keeping up the laundry, being the sweetest wife to her husband and so forth. She was determined to do all that she had written. The next week and after getting some comments by her husband and son, daughters and such, and gaining 5 lbs., basically destroyed all her resolutions that she had just made. She had a change of heart and just wrote another list that gave herself some slack and made resolves that she would gain under 20 lbs., she would take time to teach her husband and children how to do their own laundry, and on and on. Then the song played by Michael McClain.."Gentle" which talks about being a little less hard on ourselves, and being more gentle. I laughed and immediately thought about the resolutions that I suggested we all as Visiting Teachers make for this coming year. I am going to be more gentle on you and on myself so here is the.....
NEW and IMPROVED Visiting Teaching list for 2008
1. Feel really good about getting your Visiting teaching done for the month, whenever you can fit it into your own busy schedule, as well as into the schedules of those you teach.
2. Enjoy the visit you make with your sister and the time away from your kids and housework.
3.Appreciate the fact that because of you and your partner's efforts, your sisters are smiling and happy that you visited them.
4. Feel happy that you positively contributed to the ward Visiting teaching statistics!
5. Knowing how busy you are and don't have too much prep time, be sure to visit my website and if some of my ideas for the monthly lessons help you, then make it easy on yourself and just copy them off and go from there.
6. If you forgot to call your V.T. supervisor this month to report your visits, and she had to call you, it's OK... you can try to remember for the next month.

Some of these are alittle tongue in cheek, but my point is that your efforts made, however large or small with Visiting teaching are appreciated. The fact that you got out in spite of all the obstacles that were in your way trying to prevent you from doing it, are noted and you gave the service that you were called to give. Feel good about this visit and know that you will get the opportunity to go again every month to create a bond of love, friendship and sisterhood with those you teach. Remember that what you are doing for others, others are also doing for you and that is what Visiting Teaching is all about. Enjoy, feel good, and look foreword to doing it again, and again. You are loved!!!!