Thursday, July 29, 2010
It's the end of July already!!!
Whew, where has the time gone? I can't believe this month is almost over. Don't forget to get your Visiting teaching visits in.
I was just released along with my husband serving as missionaries in the LDS Addiction recovery program. We have been serving for 33 months. It has been such a blessing for us and today I am feeling like a fish out of water, nolonger a missionary. I guess the only thing that is certain in this life is change and constant adjusting.
I have been wondering where the Lord will direct my paths now? He has certainly knows more than I do about me and what lies ahead, so I guess I will practice what I preached as a missionary.... Turning my will over to the will of God, and letting him direct my path.
I have thought I need to spend alittle more time now on this blog, and try to come up with some really fresh and fun ideas tips, and handouts for you. It is a fun thing to do for me, and right now, at least I have a little more time to do it.
Thanks for your readership, your comments and emails. It is fun to feel the sisterhood around the world.
Best regards,
Katie G.
P.S. If you are wondering who these lovely women are, I will tell you that these represent daughters of Utah pioneers. My great grandmother ( Mary Jane McBride Cunningham) is the third from the right in the back row. She was really a wonderful woman. One day, I will take the time to write down her story to share. She was an inspiration to me!
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Need alittle Motivation.... read on.....
I have Visiting Teachers who almost never come. They drop some little thing by and say that it will have to count as their visit for the month because it is too late in the month or they are too busy. They have called me to set up an appointment and if I am not available the time they want to go, they don't give me an option of other dates or say they can't come another day. If I am not available, or they get to the end of the month then I just get something dropped by my doorstep. What kind of a visit is that? It takes all the fun out of the cute little thing that they drop by, because I feel like the little goodie is suppose to apease me. I don't feel cared about, and I feel like I am a obligation that they don't want to have. I guess they feel passified to think that they have made their contact by what they drop by. I don't feel that way, I want a visit from my Visiting Teachers. I want to get to know them, and maybe even form a friendship with them.
This month they did the very same thing, and said they were coming by to Visit Teach me on a particular day, which I told them I would not be home, because I had a preieviously made appointment. I asked if they could come the next week any day, and they said, "No, and that they would drop by something at my door, and asked me if it was fine that they count this as my visit." This time, I got up my courage and said, "No, it isn't fine that you count this as a visit, because I want a visit from my Visiting Teachers." I then asked what they had going next week and offered several days and times that I could have them over. She said, " I have to play tennis some time next week, and you know there is shopping." I knew that my visiting teachers had much better things to do than to come visit me. I knew that I was just an unfulfilled assignment, a monthly obligation that they wished they didn't have.
Do you think I should call my Relief Society President and ask her to reassign Visiting Teachers to me who will actually come and visit me? Do you think my Relief Society President will think I am the problem and just a whiner? Do you think all the past 6+ months of no visits, but only a little goodie on my door have been recorded as Visits, even when I never saw my Visiting Teachers?
(Name Withheld)
All I can say to this is I am so sorry, and I feel very sad for both you and your Visiting Teachers. There are so many women who really don't want to be bothered with Visiting Teachers dropping by, but you actually want them to come for Visits, and they don't come! I feel sad for women who don't take the opportunity to reach out and bless the lives of others, and also receive the blessings that come to those who serve. I feel sad that friendships that could be so wonderful have not been made. I feel badly that you feel like you are, as you said, "a monthly obligation or unfulfilled assignment."
I think this is a wake up call.... there are people out there who need you. How hard is it to take a little time out of your busy life to lift and bless the lives of someone else? How hard is it is adjust your schedules a bit to accomodate someone who really wants a visit from you? How hard is it to open your heart and make another friend? Whenever service is rendered, not only will the person whose life you served be blessed, but as a natural result of service .....you will feel happy and lifted too!
I want you to know that you are worth a real visit, and worth the time, and effort! Some people are really missing out on a wonderful opportunity to get to know you.
By the way, if you have had them for 6 months and no in home visits, perhaps your idea about consulting your Relief Society President about giving you a new set of Visiting Teachers is justified. She won't know your needs unless you tell her. Please write me back and let me know what happens.
Sincerely, Katie G.
HERE IS ANOTHER TRUE STORY......
" I called my Visiting Teaching companion today to try to schedule a time for us to go out and get our Visiting Teaching done. She infomed me that the new sister we were just assigned to teach was her neighbor and that she refused to be her Visiting Teacher." My first reaction was that she didn't like this neighbor, but when I asked her why she didn't want to Visit Teach her, she told me that she has lived accross the street from her for several years, and that she didn't know her well but waved from time to time. She said that she didn't want to make her feel like she was an assignment to befriend her." She adamently refused to Visit Teach her and said that I didn't need to understand."
Once again, another lost opportunity to get to know someone who could turn out to be a wonderful friend. I could read between the lines and think that it isn't as much of not wanting to be her Visiting Teaching assignment, as it is alittle embarassment of not having taken the time to reach out sooner?
The reason I decided to share these two sad stories, is that there are so many good reasons to do your Visiting Teaching...why work so hard to avoid it? Visiting Teaching is a friendshipping opportunity, and maybe wouldn't need to even be an assigment if we all took the time to watch over each other more readilyinfact I believe that there is a commandment to love our neighbor! There is a real purpose for Visiting Teaching, and it is my prayer that we all look alittle deaper and remember the saying... "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you". ...... And for those of you who have not had it done unto you (Visiting teaching visits).... make sure that you do unto others. Now go out and get your Visiting Teaching done, as you only have a few days left this month.
Katie G.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Visiting Teaching Interviews
I must clarify that the following are only my ideas or the ideas of others and do not represent anything with regard to LDS Church Policy. These are just some tips, and ideas to assist you in getting it done!
- My Sisters Hands by Sally DeFord
- My sister's hands are fair and white; my sister's hands are dark My sister's hands are touched with age, or by the years unmarked And often when I pray for strength to live as He commands The Father sends me sustenance in my sister's hands My sister's hands are lined and worn with burdens of their own And yet I know that should I mourn, I need not weep alone For often as I seek His grace to lighten life's demands The Father sends me solace borne in my sister's hands My sister's hands: compassion's tools that teach my own their art Witnesses of charity within the human heart Bearers of the Savior's love and mercy unto man I have felt the Master's touch in my sister's hands
You could also use "The Errand of Angels, or Earthly Ministering Angels" as Visiting Teaching interviewing or Conference themes. The term, "Errand of Angels" is found in the song..."As Sisters In Zion." Video found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNNoOuMKuKg
Hymns, As Sisters in Zion, no. 309
The blessings of God on our labors we’ll seek.
We’ll build up his kingdom with earnest endeavor;
We’ll comfort the weary and strengthen the weak.
And this is a gift that, as sisters, we claim:
To do whatsoever is gentle and human,
To cheer and to bless in humanity’s name.
If we but fulfill it in spirit and deed.
Oh, naught but the Spirit’s divinest tuition
Can give us the wisdom to truly succeed.
Galatians 6:2, 9–10
D&C 11:12–14
Here are some nicely done Visiting Teaching Videos that could be shown at a Conference, or even playing while the sisters are waiting for their turn to interview.
Best regards,
Sister Katie G.
Friday, July 9, 2010
July brings my memories of Family home.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Jackie from Redford, Michigan wrote: Check out the new radio program focused on the Visiting Teaching message each month!
http://radio.lds.org/eng/programs/qa-relief-society
Thanks Jackie! I thought that everyone should know about this link as it is wonderful and everyone who comes to my blog, should make sure to go to the link and see what it is all about. Besides.... it is about Visiting Teaching!!!!!
By the way.... do all of you know about the Relief Society page at LDS.org? If not.... go to http://www.lds.org/pa/display/0,17884,4644-1,00.html It is well worth the time you spend enjoying it and it is updated regularly!!!!!
Happy viewing and reading! Katie G.
General Conference Talks
General Conference Reports
Proceedings of Recent General Conferences
What shall we give?
An Apostles Easter Thoughts on Christ
This short video is an Important message from the mouths of our Prophets!
My broken wagon wheel, hath bit the dust!
July 6 - Pioneer Cooking
Click on this link to take you to the Pioneer Recipes:
http://visitingteachingsurprisedocuments.blogspot.com/2009/07/pioneer-recipes.html
I was also thinking that if you were to copy some of these recipes and print them off, that might be a fun handout for the Sisters you Visit Teach!
July 2nd - Diana Lucina Spicer Block
Visiting Teaching Tips, handouts and Ideas
For many years, I have been creating very cute and fun things to take to the ladies I Visit Teach. I have shared from time to time, my ideas with others and they have really appreciated them. I decided that since I do these anyway, I would start doing one every month and then post it on this blog to share with anyone for their Visiting Teaching. I do need to make a disclaimer.... the ideas, thoughts, stories, graphics etc. used are created by me and they are not in any way official LDS Church quotes, handouts or ideas. They are my creations or others as noted, except for the quotes that will come directly from the Monthly Visiting Teaching message found in the Ensign. Also, many thanks to the talented designers of the digital paper and elements that I use to create the beautiful artwork, and handouts you see on my blog.
You can go to http://www.lds.org/ and look up and even print the monthly message if you do not have your own Ensign magazine subscription in English or to choose to read the Liahona or Ensign in a different language go to http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=03103c7ff44f2010VgnVCM1000001f5e340aRCRD&locale=0.
For Spanish you can go to http://www.sud.org.es/
I highly recommend you get your own subscription because you will find a wealth of really good & wholesome, moral reading, that you can't find anywhere else. If you go to http://www.lds.org/ and click on "Gospel Library" then click on "Magazines" you can order your own Ensign, Liahona, New Era, or Friend magazines.
Posted by Katie Gauger at 10:41 AM 0 comments
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"Returning to the Past" A Relief Society Activity Idea
Dear Katie,
I just found your blog. It is so great. I love the idea of the Hearts of Angels. I am trying to figure out how we can use it for our VT conference and incorporate some of the things for our VT interviews. I am a new R/S president and all these things we have to do throughout the year are a little overwhelming. I love all of you ideas. So much work involved, thank you for being willing to share with all of us! I would love anything else you could pass my way.
WE had the thought earlier to use a theme of "Returning to the past" for our activities this year. So all of your old-fashioned pictures will be great to use as invites and handouts.
You might be interested in the idea we had for our B-Day dinner. We always have a progressive dinner in December to the homes of different sisters. We divide them up into about 5 smaller groups and go around to the different sisters homes in the ward. Because of the weather we cancelled it and had it at the church. We decided to do it for our B-Day dinner instead when the weather would be better. We are having the women bring a sack lunch with them and to wear something old, like a grandmothers broach or shawl, or to dress up in the time of the 1800's, and to bring a pint jar with a lid. We will have the sisters make lemonade at the first house and take with them in the jar that they brought, and then go to the next house. At the last house we will have and old fashioned cake to serve like apple walnut cake or something like that.
We still have some details to work out but at the end each member of the presidency will be at a different home and will share a prepared script. It will be written as if they were at the very first R/S meeting when the prophet Joseph Smith organized the R/S with just a handful of women.
Anyway, thank you for sharing what you have! You have a great talent!
Stacey McClellan - Blackfoot, Idaho
SELF RELIANT SISTERS BLOG HAS A GREAT ACTIVITY ABOUT GARDENING WITH KIDS - go to http://selfreliantsisters.blogspot.com/ It is well worth the time and a terriffic idea as Spring is just around the corner! Here is a tiny bit of information that you will see at the site.....
Gardening with Kids has great tips on getting kids started with gardening. Give your child some space; literally! Kids loving having spaces that are all their own, whether it`s their own desk area in the house, or the tent they've created with chairs and blankets in the family room. The same is true for gardening. Dedicate a small plot of the garden just for them. Put a fancy border around it, perhaps purchase one of the stepping stone making kits found at crafts stores in which they can mold their name and make their hand print.
Let them join you at the nursery. Let your kids know you value their opinion. Ask them which kinds of plants, flowers, and vegetables they like. Explain what will work well in your garden and what won't.
Give them (limited) choices. While you're at the nursery, ask them if they'd like pansies or petunias, marigolds or zinnias. This will give them the feeling of power without letting it get out of control.
Remind them money doesn't grow on trees. With older children discuss the budget. Let them help select seeds and blossoming plants at the nursery - and turn it into a math lesson. Let your child do the money calculations; they can tell you when the money runs out.
Let your child do what he will (especially if you have a preschooler). Let him dig, explore, play with bugs. You may be tempted to steer your child in another direction (like actually watering or weeding his garden), but this is a great way for your child to explore this exciting new universe.
Plan, plan, plan. If you have older children, say 8 or 9 or older, let them plot out their own garden on paper. Provide him or her with graph paper, pencils and seed catalogs. Give them a group of flowers and vegetables from which to choose, and then let them draw out their garden.
Get them their own gardening tools. Nothing will motivate your little gardener more than having her own little shovel, her own gardening gloves, and her own watering pail. And don't forget those bright colored rubber boots. You need to go to the site and explore all the rest of the links and ideas.