by Molly from Molly-Mormon.com. Her 2 cents on the message given by Elder Robert D. Hales, Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, during the April 2009 General Conference titled, “Becoming Provident Providers Temporally and Spiritually”

“As Wives, Mothers, Daughters, and Sisters We Need to Lead By Example And Teach Our Families How To Become Provident Providers Temporally and Spiritually.”

What is a Provident Provider? …joyfully living within our means, being content with what we have, avoiding excessive debt, and diligently saving and preparing for rainy-day emergencies. Money we could have used to care for ourselves and others must now be used to pay our debts. What remains is often only enough to meet our most basic physical needs. Living at the subsistence level, we become depressed, our self-worth is affected, and our relationships with family, friends, neighbors, and the Lord are weakened. We do not have the time, energy, or interest to seek spiritual things.

“I honestly believe that having food storage is for several reasons which are:

• 1- Provide for Our Families in time of need
• 2- Help Family and Friends around us in their time of need.
• 3- As a lesson on keeping a budget…” click here to finish reading all of Molly’s thoughts on this conference address by Elder Robert D. Hales.

What is your favorite General Conference address and how has it helped you?

Click to view the entire painting by AnthonySweat.com

Betty Jan Murphy, “Ten Minutes a Room,” Ensign, Dec. 1979, pg 61

After some years of frustration at not being able to accomplish my goals in homemaking, I devised a game for myself that helps our household run more smoothly.

Instead of spending a big chunk of time in any one room of the house at the beginning of each day, I spend up to ten minutes in each room. I time myself by the clock, and when ten minutes are up, I move on. Counting the laundry room, hall, and bathrooms, this initial house cleaning takes two hours.

Ten minutes is a very small amount of time to spend cleaning a room like the kitchen, but I can clear the dishes off the table and put them in the sink in ten minutes. I can also fold a load of wash or make a bed or scrub the bathroom fixtures in ten minutes.

At the end of two hours my home is presentable, and I feel more at ease taking time to read the scriptures, prepare a Primary lesson, or cut out a dress. Earlier, I would have felt guilty engaging in these activities while my house was in disarray.

Of course, good housekeeping requires much more than ten minutes in each room, so after the initial once-over I go back and concentrate on the heavier projects like floor scrubbing, vacuuming, or cleaning out cupboards. It’s good to establish a schedule for these kinds of cleaning projects also. By combining my ten-minute plan with my other schedule I’m able to get the house clean on the surface as well as underneath—and still have time for other activities.

So, I am thankful to all my Visiting Teachers for always coming and sharing a message with me, forgiving me for forgetting visits, bringing the spirit when I need it most, for taking time to make treats, dinner & things for me (one of them made me a nursing cover!), for checking up on me throughout the month, for coaching me through yet one more day of nursing for listening to my worries and letting me know that Heavenly Father does love me, because He has sent them to show me that He knows me and my needs.

We should also express gratitude to Heavenly Father for our Visiting Teachers and especially let those sisters know that we are grateful for their service to us so they can feel good and continue to want to serve us. Elder David B. Haight (1906–2004) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught, “Gratitude … can bless our hearts and our minds and our souls to where we’d like to continue to carry on and do those things that we are asked to do.” (“Were There Not Ten Cleansed?,” Ensign, Nov 2002).

Talking about how grateful I am for them, makes me think of some ways to help my Visiting Teachers. I don’t want to be a difficult or an ungrateful Visiting Teachee, because Visiting Teaching is hard enough. Here are some ways I came up with to think F.A.S.T. about our own Visiting Teachers:

1. Be Flexible: Sure we know they should ask us when is best for us, but why not ask when is best for them? Maybe, at the same time as their other visit(s). Maybe in the early morning?
2. Be Accepting: Accept any gifts or service they try to give or do for you. You like giving/service and so do they! (This one is tough for me, I don’t really like accepting help, but I’ll accept treats all day long. LOL)
3. Be Selfless: Sure, we don’t like kids running around our house, which we can hardly keep clean, but what if their husbands don’t get home till really late in time to watch the kids, what if their husbands are busy at church with their callings, what if their husband is home sick and he needs a break too, what if their husband is away on a trip, what if they don’t even have a husband, what if they don’t know anyone in the ward well enough to trade babysitting with, what if they don’t feel they can watch anyone else’s kids in order to be able to trade, what if, what if, what if…I am mainly saying this because I’m guilty of feeling this way. “Why do they have to bring their kids over, I don’t even have any kids and they are just making a mess.” Of course it’s difficult for us to know but we shouldn’t judge, and sure we know they’d rather go without their child(ren) if they could. I’ve decided I would just let them know in advance that it’s okay to bring their kids if they can’t find anyone to watch them. It’ll make it easier for them to come at a time that’s best for me anyways.
4. Be mindful of the Time: 1. Remember your appointments! (I can’t tell you how many times I’ve forgotten and not even been home, poor ladies just out there trying to serve me and I’m gone! All of their hard work down the drain because of me. At least I know they were being blessed for their efforts.) 2. If you’re like me and love to chat about random things first and possibly Twilight related, we have to remember that 2 other people + their families, not to mention your own family, are all being kind enough to be on hold for you. So yes, do chit chat but remember the purpose is to feel the Spirit. If you’ve read the message, which you should in order to make it more effective, let your Visiting Teachers know what your favorite part was and ask them theirs so they don’t have to read the whole message to you. And going along with the aforementioned bringing of their child(ren) into your home..both you and they will want to make it even quicker. – I used to have Visiting Teachers who would each bring 4 kids. It was like a party, but they had the fastest visits ever! They brought a treat, asked about me, got to the point of the message, bore their testimonies, prayed and left all within 15 min. Phew! Talk about being spiritually and physically fed. LOL

So, I am sure there are other things we can do to serve those who serve us and help them with their calling as a Visiting Teacher but those are just my top 4 and its easy to remember because we all want our visits to be F.A.S.T..

Are you too good for Visiting Teachers? Have you taken advantage of your Visiting Teachers, like I have? Tell me your thoughts on your Visiting Teachers. I bet you’re all great and appreciative Visiting Teachees!

by Molly from Molly-Mormon.com. Her 2 cents on April’s Visiting Teaching Message to “Search the Scriptures Diligently.”

“I remember as a young single woman, feeling like I really wanted to be able to read the scriptures in a way that would keep me focused on reading, yet, not put me in a position where I felt like I “had” to read them a certain way. I am kind of funny that way
if I feel like I have to do something, chances are that I won’t be too thrilled about doing it. But, on the other hand, if I have a choice of how or when I do it, then I am usually more likely to do it, and more enthused about it.

You know, once I decided that reading the scriptures my way was better than not reading them at all I found that I read more often and I read for longer periods of time each day. One of the messages I got from this months lesson is that as long as we are reading, it doesn’t matter where we start, how long we read, but that we liken them unto ourselves.

The 4 Things that I Really Took From This Month’s Message:

1. Recommit Ourselves To Reading the Scriptures
2. Treasure The Scriptures
3. Liken The Scriptures Unto Ourselves
4. Pray…” click here to finish reading all of Molly’s thoughts on this Month’s Visiting Teaching message.

“Molly” is a Visiting Teacher, owns and runs Molly-Mormon.com and is a regular contributor and consulting editor to ModernMollyMormon.blogspot.com. Married with 3 kids, used to do her own make up, jewelry, and put on her pantyhose while driving to work. Loves to read, swim, scrapbook, shop…and watch movies. I am so grateful to her for being willing to share her personal thoughts with me and the rest of the Visiting Teachers out there here on VisitingTeaching.net and I will be featuring her thoughts here monthly for all of us.

What are your thoughts on this month’s Visiting Teaching Message? Comment to let us know how you read your scriptures?

To help me with my goal I have created an account at ReadTheScriptures.com. Here’s what they do for me.

1. Set up my reading schedule. (30, 60, 90 days or custom.)
2. Email me the actual scriptures each day so I can just read them from my email.
3. Email me a link to the audio versions of the chapters I’m reading.
4. Give me the option to click a “completed” button so I can feel like I’ve accomplished my goal for the day.
5. Ability to jot down notes in a online journal while reading them online and then print them all out in the end.
6. Allow me to highlight scriptures online in different colors.
7. Invite friends
8. Create teams or groups which I can invite friends or family, so we can all chart our progress together.
9. Read other scriptures besides the Book of Mormon.
10. Even set goals to read the Ensign, Teachings of the Presidents of the Church, Sunday School reading, Seminary Reading, Conference talks and more.

Monitor me & Join me!

My favorite feature is ability to create a Team. I think we can all be more motivated if we have a buddy. It’s like having a buddy to workout with. I’d like to think I’m self motivated but it’s so much more fun and easier when you know others are doing it with you. So, if you’d like to help me and monitor my progress sign up for a free membership to ReadTheScriptures.com here and then join the “VisitingTeaching.net” group by clicking here.

1. Register; 2. Join the VisitingTeaching.net Team 3; Read!

I can testify to you that reading the BOM, at least 1 chapter a day will bless your lives. If you don’t believe me, then join me and see for yourself, what do you have to lose! But don’t take my word for it prophets and other leaders also have a testimony of daily scripture reading. Quotes to help us read the scriptures and comments from others who have used their service. Even if you can’t do it in 30 days join anyways so we can all help eachother.

So what do you say? Will you join me? I hope so. Invite as many of your friends as you’d like. The more the merrier! Hope to see you there so we can help eachother reach our scripture reading goals.

Prize for Everyone!

Everyone who reads the BOM in 30 days or even just 1 chapter a day will gain a great reward. Not, from me but from Heavenly Father. Sorry, I could probably give out gifts but they wouldn’t be anything in comparison to the gifts He will give you. Plus…I don’t have any prizes to give anyways because this is a free site with no ads. LOL

[Click image to enlarge it.] Image Description (for those who can’t see the image above): 3 ladies sitting on a couch in a living room and a lamp on the right. 2 sisters are sitting close to each other and the other sister is sitting a little further away, they all have a “book” in their laps. The sister on the far left says, “This month’s message is about true love. Let’s turn to page 260 of our “Twilight” novels.”

9thWardCartoons.com has the best LDS themed cartoons. I especially love the fact that they picked page 260. Um….hello?! Edward in the sunlight. Perfect chapter. I just love “Confessions.”

Right, so I was going to tell you all how I “likened” this month’s Visiting Teaching message to Twilight. SPOILER if you haven’t read all 4 books.

Here it is:

1. “Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan.” (The First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” Ensign, Nov. 1995) = Edward (man) & Bella (woman) were married. See Chapter 3 of Breaking Dawn.
2. “As a disciple of Jesus Christ, every woman in this Church is given the responsibility for … protecting families.” (Julie B. Beck, Relief Society general president, “What Latter-day Saint Women Do Best: Stand Strong and Immovable,” Liahona and Ensign, Nov. 2007) = Bella extending her shield, using her talent/gift, to protect her family. See Page 690 of Breaking Dawn.
3. “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.” (Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “What Matters Most Is What Lasts Longest,” Liahona and Ensign, Nov. 2005) = Bella did all that she could to fortify her family by 1) becoming a vampire in order to stay alive for her husband, Edward, and for her new baby, Renesmee, and 2) by practicing and developing her talent/gift to be able to use it against anyone who would want to harm them. Edward also did all he could to protect his family. See Book 3, pg 361 of Breaking Dawn.
4. Oh and lets not forget my new favorite quote, the Twilight Movie slogan. “If you can live forever, what do you live for?” Um… Hello?! I CAN live forever and so can you. So, I will live for the chance to be with my family forever. How? By striving to obey the commandments (much easier typed than done), serving and overcoming the natural [wo]man in order to receive the gift of Eternal Life (like vampirism but way better and without all the blood and guts). What do you live for?

Well, I know I’ve probably made a complete fool of myself by actually “likening” the Twilight story to myself and the Visiting Teaching Message but that’s okay with me. I’ll always remember this month’s message. Sometimes, I just need to get creative in order to have messages stand out in my mind. How you go about it is totally up to you.

Disclaimer: If you decide to use my “likened” example of Twilight as your message (which I don’t recommend, but whatever), you do it because you agree with me or even think it’s funny and not because I told you to share it with others and of course The Church does not endorse this idea or any other ideas on this site, remember it’s just me here and I am just human (not a vampire yet).

December 2010 Visiting Teaching Gifts

“Good visiting teachers know the sisters they visit. They love them, serve them, and help them learn the gospel by the Spirit. They focus on fortifying homes and lives. There is no greater privilege than to watch over and strengthen another person—it is truly the business of salvation.”*

Sister Julie B. Beck Relief Society general president when asked: “How does Relief Society make a difference in the world?” Replied by saying, “…We have many organized groups of women, called Relief Societies [as of Dec 2007 we had 27,827 Relief Societies all across the world**]. We send the Church Handbook of Instructions to the president of each group. The women gather together often to study the gospel and to learn how to care for their families.
The president divides the Relief Society women into pairs that visit the women in their homes, where they assess needs. Is anyone sick? Do they have enough food and clothing? Do they have the education they need? After the visits the women report what they found. Someone needs shoes, someone is having a baby, and one of them needs work. They ask if within their group they have the needed resources. Most of the time they do. That is what we do for our women.”*

That’s us, the Visiting Teachers! I guess the Lord does require a lot but, “For of [her] unto whom much is given much is required.” I hope we can all remember that even though they have been entrusted to us, they are our sisters and we all have the same Heavenly Father. We must watch over each other so we can all return to live with Him someday.

* Quotes from: Julie B. Beck, “Focusing on the Lord’s Work of Salvation,” Ensign & Liahona, Mar 2009

** I added these fun stats so you all could get an idea of how many Relief Societies there are all over the world who each have Visiting Teachers assgined to Visit Teach the sisters within their wards or branches. Stats for the end of 2008 have not yet been announced or published.

In 2004 I was assigned to visit teach Hazel with a companion who couldn’t always come. I didn’t know Hazel at all before the assignment she was a return missionary, so I automatically thought there was nothing I could teach her. What could I, one who doesn’t know the scriptures and gospel as well as she does, teach her. She was also super smart and had a college degree, which I do not. So, I already knew this assignment would be hard. I didn’t know how to be her friend and visiting with her was very of awkward for me, especially if I had to go alone.

Anyways, I prayed in order to be guided in finding a way for me to love her. Love someone I didn’t know. It was summer time and she told me in one of our visits that she had just gotten a lawn mower, the manual ones. What?! I’d never even seen a manual one before, it looked like the ones farmers used from at least 20 years ago. I felt this had to be my queue. I started to mow her lawn, she lived a couple blocks down so I would just walk my lawn mower down to her house and mow her small front yard, so that she didn’t have to worry about doing it with the manual one. There is no way that thing even cut grass.

Doing this service for her and thinking of how it would help her throughout her week, made me feel good. After doing it for a couple weeks I started to feel a love grow for her which I never thought I’d have for someone so different and who I didn’t even have anything in common with. We eventually moved from the ward but I ended up helping with her Baby Shower, doing crafts together and had much better visits after I grew to love her. Sometimes we have to find other ways to love people besides just going to their home and sharing the lesson with them.

If you ever feel like you just don’t care for someone enough…try to serve them. I’m not the best Visiting Teacher but I know that serving definately helped me to love someone I didn’t even know. There’s a scripture about that somewhere, but don’t know it by heart. Chime in if you know it. I just have to remember to serve the sisters I have now, more often.

Basic Visiting Teaching Equation:

• Comp 1 = Lesson + Lesson Enhancer if Desired
• Comp 2 = Make Appointments + Treats if Desired

This has worked for us for over a year and we find it’s easier when you outline these ground rules at the beginning of your calling together as Visiting Teachers. We take turns each month.

Now, there will be the occasional companion that needs a little encouragement or needs to overcome her fear or shyness. Help your companion feel more comfortable by letting her bring treats to the first appointment, then schedule the appointments and share the lesson yourself, letting her know that next time she will schedule the appointments and bring treats. You know, just make adjustments based on your personalities and needs and always remember to pray about it to find what will work best.

What’s worked for your companionship?