I have meant to share with you and idea that my ward did for a Visiting Teaching Conference that was held in the Spring. It was simple but great. From what I can tell by attending, I felt that the idea was sort of a brainstorming session, with everyone involved. Questions, concerns, and even a few myths about Visiting Teaching were dispelled. This is how it was set up...
As we entered the Cultural hall, tables had been set up all around the room, and the centerpieces were Springy and Easter centered. Each table represented a particular district and the sisters who reported to a particular Visiting Teaching Supervisor, all sat at that table. In the center of the table were some slips of paper on which some questions about Visiting Teaching were printed. During brunch, we as a table were to discuss the question or situation and determine how to best answer it. After the brunch was served, which by the way was wonderful, each table chose a spokesperson to go to the microphone and share what the table had discussed.
Some of the questions that I remember was...
- Is is ever ok to ask to be released from a Visiting Teaching partnership?
- What do you do if your partners schedule and yours conflicts... how do you get your teaching done?
- What constitutes a Visit? When is it ok to send a letter or a phone call?
- What do you do if your partner dominates the entire visit and only talks about herself?
- Do you always need to take something to your sisters that you Visit Teach?
There were lots of other questions, and there ended up being lots of ways to answer them.
I know you are dying to know what was served for brunch? Well it was really nice and some good sisters must have gotten up early to make all the quiche's that were served as there were two different kinds of quiche's per table. I am trying to think what else, and I am thinking there were some strawberries as well and I believe that they served Orange Juice. Now if there is anyone from my ward how remembers better than I do, please comment and correct me.
This lasted all of an hour and a half, and it was fun to visit with the sisters at my table. I live in a new ward, and the Relief Society are always making great efforts to encourage the sisters to get to know and serve one another.
This was a simple idea but was made very lovely by the Relief Society leaders. It was a nice way to encourage Visiting Teaching, dispel myths and problem solve as well. I enjoyed it!
More Ideas.... I just happened upon a darling blog by that had a great idea for a Relief Society Enrichment/humanitarian project and I wanted to post the link to it so that you too could see and read about the great ideas and how her ward did it. Go to http://debbieraymond.blogspot.com/ and go to the post dated 4/18/2009 entitled "Woman to Woman Service Day". I am actually posting this before I get her permission so I am hoping she says yes, or I will have to take this off my blog. My guess is that she will say, "Sure feel free to pass on this idea."
Go to the link listed below and join the other Extraordinary Visiting Teachers as they take on the challenge to get their Visiting Teaching done before the Saints made it to Utah... you know, July 24th. 
This is just a fun challenge, but for those of you who ususally wait until the last week of the month to get in your visits, let's see if we can beat your odds. If the Pioneers can make it on foot, pulling handcarts, and living in covered wagons, rolling along little by little over rocky or sandy grounds, rivers and streams, then we certainly can take upon ourselves this tiny challeng too! 
Report back your experience by writing on the Group wall that is located on this group page on Facebook. Let's make this a world wide pioneering effort! The link for this is http://www.facebook.com/editevent.php?eid=94317431386#/event.php?eid=94317431386 
