http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,2044-1-4851-1,00.html is the link to the August Visiting teaching message. You will find the link to the handout in this post.
For my message to you, I would like to refer to the quote from our Prophet President Thomas S. Monson:
"Beyond our study of spiritual matters, secular learning is also essential. . . . I urge you to pursue your education—if you are not already doing so or have not done so—that you might be prepared to provide if circumstances necessitate such.
"Your talents will expand as you study and learn. You will be able to better assist your families in their learning, and you will have peace of mind in knowing that you have prepared yourself for the eventualities that you may encounter in life" ("Three Goals to Guide You," Liahona and Ensign, Nov. 2007, 119).
Many years ago my daughter and her dad had a long standing "BET". My husband bet our daughter that she wouldn't graduate from college before she was married. You would have to know my daughter to understand her willpower and determination. She told her Dad that the bet was on and they even posted a dollar amount of $100. Little did my daughter know or realize at the time, that this was her dad's way of encouraging her to complete her college education. My husband was the first of all his brothers and sisters to graduate from college and he had realized the value of education for both his sons and dauthers.
Throughout my daughers education, her dad would tease her and joke and say, "I know I am going to win this bet" with every cute boy that she brought home to meet her parents. My daugher would always reply, "Nope Dad, you are going to lose this bet." Still she dated and we wondered if she would get married to any of the wonderful young men that she was dating. I think our daughter knew more, and even though $100 wasn't worth waiting on marriage if she found the man she was to marry, she simply had an insite that we didn't.
Finally after 2 years of college, our daugher met a man who was working in the city we lived in, and where she was attending college. He had graduated from BYU in Engineering and accepted an engineering position in our area. He first saw her at a single Adults activity. Some months later, she was asked out on double date by a great young man her age, and his sister had asked out the one that our daughter would eventually marry. Well as you can imagine, they liked each other and he asked our daughter out and their courtship began.
Our daughter desired to transfer to BYU, so she did and guess who followed her? You guessed it. To make an even longer story shorter,
they dated for 2 years before they were married, and you probably guessed it again.... she graduated from BYU before she was married and she won the bet. Bet you can't guess who was pleased as punch to pay off the bet????
This wonderful daughter also went on to get her masters, while she was married and graduated with a masters degree in Social Work.
Now why do I tell this story? It is because when the economy started to bottom out, and many people were laid off or let go from their jobs, our daughters wonderful and skilled husband was also let go. Even with all his education (MBA & Engineering degree) the company he was working for, collapsed, like so many other companies did. He was out of a job. Funny thing when tragedies hit, there is one vocation that never drops and that is the need for social workers.
Throughout her marriage, our daughter has maintained a small clientelle and has worked only a day and a half a week, so that she could still be a stay at home Mom and raise her children. Gratefully for that vocation that she worked so hard to achieve, she has been able to step in and help pay bills, and such while her husband searched for another opportunity. Without her education and choice of field, her family would be like most other families in this same situation, and lose their homes, and have some difficult times in their lives. I also have to credit my daughter for choosing a vocation that would thrive in hard times. She probalby didn't realize it at the time, but with lifes downward spirals and hard times, her vocation will always thrive out of need.
Sisters, we never know when we may need to fall back on our education to sustain ourselves and families in hard times. Education is fundimental and necessary, and like the scripture says at the first of the Visiting Teaching lesson, D&C 93:36–37: "The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth. Light and truth forsake that evil one."
Trials happen in everyones lives, and we must be prepared to rise to the challenges that face us. Sadly, today women are faced with all manner of trials that they have to deal with such as the death of a husband, loss of job and family income, divorce, needing to take care of parents, sibblings or other important people in your lives for one reason or another, or so many other trials that come upon us. How can we be prepared to financially handle these needs if we do not have an education to fall back on.
Education doesn't just mean financial support either, it means that we are able to help our children with their homework, encourage good study habbits, and motivate them to take their own education seriously. Eductaion is well rounded and we can use the things that we have learned to be a terriffic Den Mother or other Cub scout leader, teach in Relief Society Enrichments, and Sunday lessons as well. We can be actively involved in our communities and be examples and show leadership wherever we are.
Education doesn't just stop with college either. There is so much to be learned from becoming a Mother and raising children. Many women do not have the opportunity to become mothers, but they can play a vital role as Aunties, and sisters. My daugther that I have shared her story, has a cousin who is (lucky for us!)unmarried at this time, who has practically adopted her children and loves them like a mother. She is a blessing in their lives and loves to spend time when she can with them. Her influence and love stretch beyond the miles that she has to travel to see them.
We have another daughter who is also the Auntie of all Aunties, and spends many hours loving her little niece and nephews. They love Auntie Jenny and squeel with joy each and every time Jenny is with them.
Grandma's are such a blessing in the lives of their children and grandchildren as well. So much education goes on in their lives as they have lived long and have wonderful experiences and learning that they can share. My mother happens to have been a violinist and has blessed the lives of ALL her children through music. She has gone on to teach violin and educate musically to all her grandchildren, and now she is working with ther great grandchildren. What better and more loving education for the love of music and cultural arts, than for a grandchild to be taught by their (Great) Grandmother?
Well, I could go on and on, but I had better stop. Sisters, get a good education, continue to learn from good books, Education week, General Conference and womens conference. If you have the opportunity to take a class here and there, do it and enjoy the opportunity and growth that comes to you. Did you know that BYU offers many FREE online classes to take and so do many universities all over the United States. Keep learning and expanding your intellect. Educate yourself, and remember Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection. “And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come” ( D&C 130:18–19 )
Here is a good link for you to enjoy...
http://74.125.155.132/search?q=cache:67jQMPzWVbUJ:institute.lds.org/manuals/the-gospel-and-the-productive-life-student-manual/prod-2-10.asp+whatever+principle+of+intelligence+you+gain&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=usI have made a bookmark for the printed handout for this month, and you can find it by going to this link....
http://visitingteachingsurprise.blogspot.com/2009/08/august-2009-visiting-teaching-handout.html
Today is the last day of the month that you can get your August Visiting teaching done. I know things are busy with school starting and such, but see if you can squeeze in a visit and vow to not let your next months visit take you to the last day of the month. Hey.... your sisters would like to hear from you. Just go ahead, pick up the phone and see if you can make it a visit! 
