April 2009 Visiting Teaching Message & General Conference Activity ideas

First a tiny blurb about activities that you can do during General Conference to enhance your children's participation and listening during Conference. I found a nice LDS blog that lists a whole bunch of resources for you to go to and print off or prepare in advance. It is a great list, so here is the blogspot http://2kidsandtired.blogspot.com/2009/03/general-conference-activity-ideas-april.html

To locate the April 2000 Message, just go to http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,2044-1-4793-1,00.html
I like to print off the message for myself and for my sisters and give it to them when I do my Visiting Teaching. I have found that many times, if they have not yet done their visiting teaching, handing them a message may be what gives them the boost get it done, since they now know what the message is and have it in their hands as well. I personally like to read a quote or quotes and make my own comments, and that seems to open up the discussion of the message further. It is also nice to involve the sisters from time to time and have them read a quote or two and then begin a discussion of the thoughts that come to mind about the quote.


I have been working on some very cute ideas centered around April/Spring/Easter, and I have most of them posted. To follow up on these cute pictures you will need to go to my other blog that I keep my downloadables for you at which is located at http://visitingteachingsurprise.blogspot.com/ These few images are just a taste of what I have been posting for this month, soooo you better go click on the above link to find out what I am talking about.

THESE BOOKMARK HANDOUTS CAN BE FOUND FULL SIZE AT http://visitingteachingsurprise.blogspot.com

I guess none of us are perfect and most of all me. I just have to tell you about my Visiting Teaching visit and message for this month. It started off when I designed my graphics to share with you on both blogs, put them up and then put up the message which I thought I was doing the March message. Turns out, I actually prepared and wrote up the message and handout for February and gave it to my sisters today, thinking it was March Message. Talk about funny when my partner told me that what I was giving was last months message. Last month, the very day I was scheduled to go out with my partner for visits, I got sick and didn't go with her. I guess that put me a whole month behind because today I realized that I gave the wrong message and even posted it on this site as the March instead of February. I must have lost my marbles but.... I have been picking up my marbles all day long today and now that I have my marbles back, I have the right message. Sorry for the trouble I caused you if you have alreay gone out to do your Visiting Teaching, but here is the REAL MARCH 2009 Message.....

Uphold, Nourish, and Protect the Family
Ensign, March 2009
Teach the scriptures and quotations that will bless the sisters you visit. Bear testimony of the doctrine. Invite those you visit to share what they have felt and learned.

Why Must I Defend the Doctrine of the Family?
The First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: "The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity" ("The Family: A Proclamation to the World," Liahona, Oct. 2004, 49; Ensign, Nov. 1995, 102).

Julie B. Beck, Relief Society general president: "As a disciple of Jesus Christ, every woman in this Church is given the responsibility for upholding, nurturing, and protecting families. Women have distinct assignments given to them from before the foundation of the world. And as a covenant-keeping Latter-day Saint woman, you know that raising your voice in defense of the doctrine of the family is critical to the strength of families the world over" ("What Latter-day Saint Women Do Best: Stand Strong and Immovable," Liahona and Ensign, Nov. 2007, 110).


How Can I Defend the Family?D&C 88:119: "Establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God."

President Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985): "Home is a haven against the storms and struggles of life. Spirituality is born and nurtured by daily prayer, scripture study, home gospel discussions and related activities, home evenings, family councils, working and playing together, serving each other, and sharing the gospel with those around us. Spirituality is also nurtured in our actions of patience, kindness, and forgiveness toward each other and in our applying gospel principles in the family circle" ("Therefore I Was Taught," Tambuli, Aug. 1982, 2; Ensign, Jan. 1982, 3).

Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: "I call upon members of the Church and on committed parents, grandparents, and extended family members everywhere to hold fast to [the family] proclamation, to make it a banner not unlike General Moroni's 'title of liberty,' and to commit ourselves to live by its precepts. . . .

"In today's world, where Satan's aggression against the family is so prevalent, parents must do all they can to fortify and defend their families. But their efforts may not be enough. Our most basic institution of family desperately needs help and support from the extended family and the public institutions that surround us" ("What Matters Most Is What Lasts Longest," Liahona and Ensign, Nov. 2005, 42–43).

Elder Robert S. Wood of the Seventy: "For too many, responsibility seems to end with hand-wringing and exclamations of dismay. Yet talk without action accomplishes little. We need to be vigorously engaged in the world. If our schools are inadequate or destructive of moral values, we must work with fellow members of the community to bring about change. If our neighborhoods are unsafe or unhealthy, we must join with the civic-minded to devise solutions. If our cities and towns are polluted, not only with noxious gases but soul-destroying addictions and smut, we must labor to find legitimate ways to eliminate such filth. . . . We have the responsibility to be a blessing to others, to our nation, to the world" ("On the Responsible Self," Ensign, Mar. 2002, 30–31).

SPANISH MESSAGE CAN BE FOUND AT: http://www.lds.org.ar/SocSoc/Maevisit/200903mensajemarzo.htm

Get a head start on preparations for Easter Lessons

I wanted to give you a head start with something that I wrote as well as a wonderful site that has some great Easter Messages as well as music. Programs that have been written can be easily incorporated to be used in Easter Lessons, and I wanted to share with you the link that will take you to the one that I wrote. I have my program on my computer in MS Word, and if any of you would like me to forward it on to you, email me at ktgauger@gmail.com or you can also get it off of that site as well. I posted it a few years back on the Sally DeFord site. The link is http://www.defordmusic.com/easterprograms.htm and there are lots of programs about Easter. Mine is entitled "Easter Messages from our Prophets". Be sure to go back a page to get the beautiful music that Sally DeFord has written located at http://www.defordmusic.com/easter.htm Did you know that Sally lets you copy and use her music for free? Her music is such a lovely addition to a Relief Society Lesson, Sacrament Meeting musical number, or however you would present it. She is such a wonderful and talented woman and really gives a service of love. My favorite Easter song of Sally's is "Gethsemane" and once again you can go to the link and print off her songs.

February or March 2009 Handout idea

I have a darling handcrafted handout for you to enjoy that I designed to go with the idea of this wonderful March message.
You can find to this by going to http://visitingteachingsurprise.blogspot.com