September 2012 Visiting Teaching messsage

You can find the September 2012 Visiting Teaching message either in your September Ensign on page 7, or b y going to this link at lds.org http://www.lds.org/liahona/2012/09/special-needs-and-service-rendered?lang=eng

President Monson said that "The needs of others are present, and each of us can do something to help someone... Unless we lose ourselves in service to others, there is little purpose to our own lives." Ensign, Nov.2009, p. 85  This is so true especially as we look into our own lives, and realize that serving others is what we do, each and every day. I believe that the Lord knew that when we serve others that our capacity to love would increase, and as a direct result of this service and love, we would be happy.

Some of the most miserable, depressed, and unhappy people I know, could turn their lives around if they could focus themselves outward instead of inward.  I know it is difficult to do so, especially when there is illness or hurt or pain involved, but the act of serving must release some kind of feel good endorphins in the brain, because happiness is a bi-product of serving others.

A woman who I knew in a past ward, fell into a depression that she could not shake.  She was sad all the time, and it got to the point that her thoughts were bleak and dark, and she was absolutely miserable.  She went to the doctors and was prescribed antidepressants to help her, but even taking those, she did not get relief from her despair, and the darkness lingered.  It wasn't until one day as she was down on her knees petitioning the Lord on her own behalf, that she received the answer of how to release this looming despair and depression.  The answer was simple.  The words that came into her heart, was "to serve others."  At first I am sure that she must have considered that she was the one who needed to be served, but she also knew that the Lord loved her and as  in the past, He had answered her prayers.  So... she thought long and hard who needed to be served, and prepared herself for service.  I won't go into what she actually did, but when she began to focus her thoughts and actions outward, on others, and take her focus from herself and her own problems, her burdens were lifted, and the darkness lifted.

This woman became so happy that she shared with others her experience and she mounted a weekly service project, to help those she had focused her efforts on. By doing so, this service helped others who needed to share the joy in their own lives. This wonderful woman understood that not only when we are in the service of our fellowmen, we are only in the service of our God, but she realized that true happiness only comes when we serve others.

This is exactly the concept for Visiting Teaching.  Serving others, whether or not they are in need, but becoming friends so when they are in need they will feel comfortable to call for assistance, because they will already know and have felt the love of a Visiting Teacher.

The lesson tells of some really great ways we can maintain contact with our sisters or other acts of service--to watch over them and strengthen each other.  They are as follows:

• Personal Visits
• telephone calls
• notes of encouragement
• e-mails
• sitting with her
• a sincere compliment
• reaching out to her at church
• helping her in times of illness or need
• other acts of service

I am sure that all of us could add to this list, and we should because there are endless ways we can serve. 

I loved the last little part of the paragraph I just quoted from the Sept. 2012 lesson, and that was this "and strengthen each other".  My message is that we are strengthened as we reach out to strengthen another".

John 13:34-35 reads, "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.  By this shell men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another".   
It is my prayer that we will take the opportunity to use Visiting teaching as a tool to do as the Savior taught, to love one another as He has loved us, and we can do this in many ways, but especially through serving as Visiting Teachers.

I have prepared a cute note card, which was one of the suggestions of "giving a note of encouragement", and have posted it on my other blog.  Please go to http://visitingteachingsurprise.blogspot.com to print this off and write your note. 

Enjoy!  Katie G

IMPORTANT MESSAGE PLEASE READ!!!

Please view the video above this post entitled "Mormons in America: Meet the Jacksons."  There is an advertisement that comes on first, but it is short.

I wanted to write a post hoping as many of the readers of my blog will get this and pass this along and spread the word really quickly Tonight, August 23rd,  there is a documentary that is on Mormons in America, and part of it was filmed in my ward a little over a month ago.  The focus was on a wonderful family that lives in our ward, and they are such a fabulous example of what a Mormon family should be, how to live and what they do in teaching their children, their beliefs and church.

This was actually filmed, with permission of the first presidency, in my ward, with my husband as our bishop.  This was a first, and it was spontaneous and such a wonderful and amazing 3 hour meeting block.  It was filmed on a Fast Sunday and you would have thought that the testimonies born were prepared, because they were spot on, and so inspired, but nobody knew that NBC would be there filming our meeting.  We don't know what NBC will include because the focus was on this particular family, but they filmed Brother Jackson teaching Sunday School that day.  The cameras went into the Young Women and Young Mens with the Jackson children who are such amazing examples of good LDS Youth. After Church NBC spent the rest of the day with the Jackson Family filming everything they do in their everyday life, and I cannot think of a better family to represent our Church as the Jacksons!

I have hopes that all of you will watch this, and we pray the the editing that was done by NBC will be a very good example of our Church, that nonmembers who watch, will understand us better. 

I urge you to pass this on to others.  The details are that it will air on NBC tonight... 10 pm/9c on NBC.  So you will have to determine your time zone to watch it.    They have done other great Mormons in America on Anne Romney and of the Bishops storehous, etc., that you might be interested in.

Thanks & enjoy, Katie G.

August 2012 Visiting Teaching Message

This is the link to LDS.org where the full message can be found of  "Taking Action in Time of Need " http://www.lds.org/liahona/2012/08/taking-action-in-time-of-need?lang=eng 

As I read through this message the image of a historical woman came to mind who ministered to so many and had a huge impact on all humanity.  I am speaking of Florence Nightingale.  In reading her history, it is stated that she felt that God was calling her to do some work but wasn't sure what it would be.  She began to develop an interest in nursing, though her parents felt it was  inappropriate for a woman of her class and background, and wanted her to fall into the  mold of an upper class woman.  BUT...She wanted to go to nursing school and after years, they eventually relented and was trained as a nurse.  She went on to become a superintendent of a hospital for gentlewomen.  That following year, the Crimean War began and there was a desperate lack of proper medical facilities for the wounded British solders.  She was asked to oversee the team of nurses in the military hospitals in Turkey, where she greatly improved the conditions and actually reduced the mortality rate of the soldiers.  After the war, she returned home to England, and established the Nightingale Training School for nurses.  Her theories were published in "Notes on Nursing" in 1860 and became hugely influential for sanitation, military health and hospital planning, and are still in existence today.

This woman made an impact on the lives of thousands of people, both men and woman as she followed the guidance and direction of God, and served her fellowmen.  She was a woman who "Took Action in time of Need". 

We too can become Florence Nightingales in our own way through serving the sister we teach as Visiting Teachers. Our purpose as visiting teachers is to strengthen families and homes, without waiting to be asked.  The lesson states:

"In order for us to serve, we should be conscious of the needs of the sisters we visit". 

This to me means that we should should develop a friendship with them, knowing their needs, their lives, their families, their heartaches, and their joys.  We need to really get to know them beyond the surface, and seek to be able to get into their hearts and better still, let them know we love and care for them genuinely, and not just because we have been assigned as Visiting Teachers.  From the lesson it says that we should:

"....seek inspiration, we will know how to respond to the spiritual and temporal needs of each sister we are assigned to visit".

Then, just like Florence Nightingale did in the days of her stewardship on this earth,  we too should be "using our time, skills, and God given talents, in providing compassionate service for our sisters".  We should provide "prayers of faith, and spiritual and emotional support during times of illness, death or other special circumstances".

We realize that we have a great responsibility for the watch care for our sisters but we are not alone in this and need to be sure to be accountable to get our reports through the proper channels, to our Relief Society President and our Bishop.  The Relief Society President's focus is the sisters in our ward, but she is responsible to report to the Bishop who is ultimately responsible for all the members in the ward.  Through Visiting teachers, she can know the hearts of the sisters and their families, meeting their needs, and helping the Bishop in his call to nurture individuals and families. 

Do you see how valuable your service is as a Visiting Teacher? 
This is my Perscription for you:

Please make an effort to be diligent with this service, and in the process make a friend of the sisters you teach.  They can enrich your lives, as much as you can enrich theirs.  What a blessing it is to Visit Teach.  I pray we all can be a Florence Nightingale in our individual  stewardship as a Visiting Teacher.

Love, Katie G

For a blank perscription and  other really cute ideas to do when you visit teach this month, go to my other blog http://visitingteachingsurprise.blogspot.com