Today’s Treat, are some cute and cozy Contact Cards. Now there’s finally something cute and simple which I can give to the sisters my companion and I visit teach that has our names and numbers. Has a space for you and your companion’s names, phone numbers, mailing addresses and even email addresses. I of course used the super cute digital “All Bundled Up” graphics bundle from LetteringDelights.com. Hope you all love it as much as I do. Seems like the sisters we visit teach need our info a bit more handy.   By the way, no… it does not say “call us if you need anything,” LOL. Mainly because we’re supposed to be a bit more proactive in serving them and “in-tune,” so we shouldn’t wait to be asked or called on, right? Plus…no one ever calls when I’ve said that in the past, anyways. But this would make it easier to remember who we are and how to call us if they ever do need something which we didn’t know about.

Download VT Printable Sheet:
Download this week’s Treat Tuesday Winter Contact Cards PDF for Visiting Teachers by clicking either the link or image below. I used various graphics from the All Bundled Up Collection from LetteringDelights.com.

Instructions: (3-up)

1. Print in Color on thick white cardstock.
2. Cut out 3 cards each 4”x6”
3. Using an ultra fine tip marker or felt tip permanent pen, fill in your info.
4. Laminate & add magnet to the back or insert into picture frame if you desire.

View all Treat Tuesdays or View all Gift Ideas

Digital “All bundled Up” Collection by LetteringDelights.com

Don’t like the Visiting teaching Contact cards I made. Just buy the digital collection yourself and design it the way you want to. Buy it here.

February 2011 Visiting Teaching & Home Teaching Gifts

December 2010 Visiting Teaching Gifts

Today’s Treat on Friday… I guess one of my New Years resolutions should be to actually get Treat Tuesdays out on Tuesday. LOL Anyway, here’s a Gingerbread Gal with a quote from this month’s Visiting Teaching Message from Silvia H. Allred. I chose a Gingerbread gal because the quote had to do with love, compassion, kindness and charity. The gingerbread gal looked so sweet, had a smile on her face and had her arms stretched, seemed perfect! Pretty much what we need to look like while serving others. Right? Plus, everyone loves cookies! OK well at least I do.

Download VT Printable Sheet:
Download this week’s Treat Tuesday Loving Gingerbread PDF for Visiting Teachers by clicking either the link or image below. I used the Gingerbread Gal from the Gingerbread Cookie Graphic Set from LetteringDelights.com. You should see the other graphics they are, oh so sweet.

Instructions: (4-up)

1. Print in Color on plain cardstock.
2. Cut out gingerbread gals.
3. Punch hole at top.
4. Add string or ribbon in order to hang it on a tree or add it to a gift or plate of cookies.

View all Treat Tuesdays or View all Gift Ideas

December 2010 Visiting Teaching Gifts

Digital Christmas Tags by LetteringDelights.com

Seriously who doesn’t love cute tags. Lettering Delights has a variety to choose from for the Holidays or any other occasion. Just buy it once and print it as many times as you’d like for all of your gifts, for your personal use and they even have commercial use products if you’re into selling your digital work.

Visiting Teaching & Neighbor Gifts by Pioneer Party Gift & Copy Store

Today’s Treat is on Wednesday! These “Service Mittens” include the first quote from this month’s Visiting Teaching Message by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf Second Counselor in the First Presidency. I chose these cute mittens because, it’s snowing outside and when I think of serving others in the snowy winter season, I think of shoveling snow. Why? It’s a service which you know they need done simply by looking out your window or driving by, it can be done anonymously (if doing it early in the morning or when people are not home), and can sometimes be done quickly (approx 15 min – depending on their driveway, your shovel, your strength and speed). Not to mention you get a good workout, all while serving your neighbor. I love shoveling snow, hence the mittens!

Personal Story: This is actually how I came to know and love one of the sisters I Visit Teach. She said she would see me out there shoveling her snow by myself and after watching me several times (I had no idea) , she finally decided to chat with me. Now she calls me, to see how my family is doing and when I’m going to come visit her. LOL We’re all just trying to be friends and help each other out, right? If you don’t like shoveling or don’t have snow then, mow, weed, cook, bake, paint, sew… your constant (this is key!) service will soften their hearts and yours. BTW I usually practice after I’ve preached a lot of times, and not so much preach what I practice. This reminds me, I do need to be better with the other sisters I Visit Teach.

Download VT Printable Sheet:
Download this week’s Treat Tuesday Service Mittens PDF for Visiting Teachers by clicking either the link or image below. I used the mittens from the Winter-licious Graphic Set from LetteringDelights.com, so cute.

Instructions:

1. Print in Color on plain cardstock.
2. Cut out mittens.
3. Punch hole.
4. Add brad, string or ribbon to hold them together.

View all Treat Tuesdays or View all Gift Ideas

December 2010 Visiting Teaching Gifts

Pre-made December 2009 Visiting Teaching Card & Magnet by Pioneer Party Gift & Copy Store

“…angels cannot be restrained from being your associates.” What a great promise! That is the quote from this month’s message which Pioneer Party has focused on for their Visiting Teaching Handout. (view more pics here or purchase it here.) It’s got the message, 2 treats, ribbon and of course the Angel Magnet. They used the image of the first angel to decorate an LDS temple in our dispensation and is very vintage looking. Super cute! Makes a perfect gift for the sisters you Visit Teach for Christmas or after Christmas. Buy the card & magnet or just the magnets for family or neighbor gifts order now, ships from Lehi, UT.

Digital Christmas Cards & Photo Cards by LetteringDelights.com

Short on time and $$ but want to send cute Christmas themed cards or photo cards to the sisters you Visit Teach or friends/family? These guys will make it happen for you. Just buy it once and print it as many times as you’d like, for your personal use.

Download VT Printable Sheet:
Download this enhancer PDF here or by clicking the image below. Great for Visiting Teachers and Home Teachers too!

What you’ll need:

• Cardstock
• Black & White Printer
• Scissors
• Stapler or Hole puncher if you want to use string or ribbon for the spine.

How to make the “Home for Christmas” Layered Book:

1. Print in Black & White on plain cardstock.
2. Cut top and bottoms out on dotted lines.
3. Leave the left side as-is. Do not cut left side.
4. Cut right side along the silhouette of Joseph, the Shepherd & the Wise man. (This is hard to explain, just trim along the backs on right side of the black silhouettes and not along the dotted line. See the images!)
5. Layer all 3.
6. Staple or punch hole for ribbon on left edge.
7. When it’s lined up correctly the nativity should include 1 shepherd and 1 wise man.
8. See finished sample images.

December 2010 Visiting Teaching Gifts

Get this Font! Lettering Delights DB Nativity Doodlebat Font:

This is a super cute set of silhouettes from the scene of Christ’s birth. Silhouettes are great because they go with everything! Use this one for your Christmas family newsletters, Christmas cards or anything Christmas themed which you want to center around Christ’s birth. Click here to view other cute fonts they have.

Time Saving Visiting Teaching Kit December 2009

Tis the season to be super busy. If you’re low on time, your printer doesn’t work or you’d rather just get your Visiting Teaching done early, this kit is perfect for you. It’s already made, phew! One less thing to worry about. Themed with darling Christmas patterned paper it includes the “Nurture Through Compassionate Service” message, an Almond Popcorn Ball recipe, and 4 Christmas tags. Each card has a sturdy fastener and held together with ribbon. Measures 8 by 4 inches. I bet your neighbor would love to have her Visiting Teaching done too. Order one for her as a neighbor gift and you’ve served and helped her to do her VTing too. Isn’t it so stinking cute! Click here to view detailed pics.

Print Text from LDS.org | English PDF, Spanish PDF, Portuguese PDF | Listen to MP3

How Can I Develop and Increase in Compassion?

Moroni 7:48: “Pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ.”

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency: “Disciples of Christ throughout all ages of the world have been distinguished by their compassion. … In the end, the number of prayers we say may contribute to our happiness, but the number of prayers we answer may be of even greater importance. Let us open our eyes and see the heavy hearts, notice the loneliness and despair; let us feel the silent prayers of others around us, and let us be an instrument in the hands of the Lord to answer those prayers” (“Happiness, Your Heritage,” Liahona and Ensign, Nov. 2008, 119, 120).

Barbara Thompson, second counselor in the Relief Society general presidency: “We need to rescue ‘all that is finest down deep inside of [us]’ so that as daughters of God we can do our part to build the kingdom of God. We will have help to do this. As Joseph declared, ‘If you live up to your privileges, the angels cannot be restrained from being your associates.’

“Let us bear one another’s burdens, mourn with those who mourn, comfort those who stand in need of comfort, and thus keep the covenants we have made [see Mosiah 18:8–10]” (“Now Let Us Rejoice,” Liahona and Ensign, Nov. 2008, 116).
How Can I Nurture through Compassionate Service?

D&C 81:5: “Succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.”

Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: “The Good Shepherd said, ‘Feed my lambs.’ (John 21:15.) So a woman feeds her loved ones, providing succor and sustenance just as the Savior would do. Her divine gift is to nurture, to help the young, to care for the poor, to lift the brokenhearted.

“The Lord said, ‘My work and my glory [is] to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.’ (Moses 1:39.) So His devoted daughter-disciple may truly say, ‘My work and my glory is to help my loved ones reach that heavenly goal.’

“To help another human being reach one’s celestial potential is part of the divine mission of woman. As mother, teacher, or nurturing saint, she molds living clay to the shape of her hopes. In partnership with God, her divine mission is to help spirits live and souls be lifted. This is the measure of her creation. It is ennobling, edifying, and exalting” (“Woman—Of Infinite Worth,” Ensign, Nov. 1989, 22).

Silvia H. Allred, first counselor in the Relief Society general presidency: “The Lord has blessed women with divine attributes of love, compassion, kindness, and charity. Through our monthly visits as visiting teachers, we have the power to bless each sister as we extend our arms of love and kindness and give the gifts of compassion and charity. … It is my prayer that we will pledge an increased commitment to extend our arms of love and compassion to bless, help, and strengthen each other as we go about doing our visiting teaching with a willing and joyful heart” (“Feed My Sheep,” Liahona and Ensign, Nov. 2007, 113, 115).

Photo illustration on PDF by Matthew Reier; background © Artbeats

This article is found on LDS.org and posted here simply as a quick and easy reference.

Download VT Printable Sheet:
Download this enhancer PDF here or by clicking the image below. Great for Visiting Teachers and Home Teachers too!

What you’ll need:

• Toilet paper roll or roll brown cardstock to look like a toilet paper roll.
• Color Printer or Red, Yellow, and Orange Construction Paper
• 2 Googly Eyes or Buttons
• 1 Brad
• Glue or Tape
• Scissors

How to make the “ity” Bitty Toilet Paper Roll Turkey:

• Download the PDF file.
• Print in Color on white cardstock.
• Cut the feather shapes, the beak, the eyes (you can use buttons or googly eyes if desired), and the feet.
• Punch a hole in the feathers where indicated.
• Punch a hole on the toilet paper roll and make it about 1/2″ from the bottom.
• Line up the feathers’ holes with the toilet paper roll hole and put a brad through it.
• Glue the eyes, beak, waddle, and feet to the front of the toilet paper roll.
• Now spread the feathers and ta-da! You have a turkey!

Now if you don’t have a printer, ran out of ink or just don’t feel like plugging your printer in. Here’s some alternative instructions.

• Cut feather shapes out of the cardstock or construction paper. Just use fall colors.
• Cut a small triangle out of orange cardstock or construction paper for a beak.
• Cut a small peanut shape out of red cardstock or construction paper for a waddle. Or use a tiny piece of red ribbon.
• Cut two feet out of orange cardstock or construction paper.
• Punch a hole in the back of the toilet paper roll and on the base of all the feathers. Then push a brad through it.
• Glue the eyes, beak, waddle, and feet to the front of the toilet paper roll.
• Fan the feathers! Now you can hand write your message in the feathers. (My handwriting is very bad and that’s an understatement, but I ran out of toner on both of my printers so what was I supposed to do?)

BTW Michaela Stephens an LDS author, wrote this very in depth post about the “ity” virtues and “ity” vices. Check it out if you have some surfing/learning time. Very interesting! She even defines all of the virtues and vices and makes you think about them in a different light.

Happy Thanksgiving! and Happy Visiting Teaching!

P.S. I’m in the middle of helping my friend who’s hosting a New Moon Movie Premier Party so that’s why I am trying to be quick. But I just had to make this printable for you before Thanksgiving.

November 2009′s Pre-Made Visiting Teaching Kit! (just in time for a busy holiday season)
Jennifer has spotlighted 3 messages from October’s General Conference to include in her super cute FALL Visiting Teaching Kits. The holidays get so busy! Order yours and then you won’t even have to worry about your ink/toner running out at last minute. (LOL. Like mine does to me all the time, but it’s not really that funny at the time.) It comes with a fold out decoration and on the back has four pockets. In the pockets are the three talks from General Conference and in the last pocket a recipe for Pumpkin Pie Cake.

UPDATE: November 2010 – Pre-made & Handmade Visiting Teaching & Home Teaching Gifts & Kits
These General Conference themed premade gifts are fantastic because they can be used for Home Teaching and Visiting Teaching this month. Since our hubbies are always helping us out, why not help them. I know my hubby is always relying on the gifts and goodies I have ready for him to take with him when he goes Home Teaching. The sisters who designed these gifts and kits chose different messages to focus their kits on, so pick the one you feel will help them the most.

Today’s Treat printable is from a, personally most needed, message from this years 179th Semiannual General Conference. It was given by Elder Russell M. Nelson and it’s titled, “Ask, Seek, Knock.” I’m sure you will all remember when he said:

“access information directly from heaven, without hardware, software, or monthly service fees.”

It was so clever and true! I loved that he compared prayer and personal revelation to technology and cell phone plans. I’m sure we can all relate to high phone bills, but luckily prayer won’t cost us a penny! This inspired the handout. I went straight to the source of costly plans, yet super cool cell phones, AT&T, for inspiration on what I could do. Mainly because I like the iPhone. (LOL)

Here’s their ad:

Here’s the one for you to use:

What do you think? I had to make it a bit chunkier in order to print it 4×6. I don’t know why I like 4×6, just do. Anyways, here are the files for you to print it, if you want to.

Download VT Printable Sheet:
Download this week’s Treat Tuesday iPrayer (short or long versions) PDF for Visiting Teachers or Home Teachers by clicking either link or image below. There are 2 different ones. The 2nd one has a long quote, which could help give more meaning and instruction.

Instructions:

1. Print in Color or B&W on plain white cardstock.
2. Cut out to 4×6″ (3up)

P.S. I know the Spanish and Portuguese sisters love these handouts too, I am always thinking of you. Unfortunately, it does take time to translate, copy, paste, re-edit, re-save and upload the files for you. So I do apologize! If you’d like to make my job easier just post the translation of the text into a comment and I can get to it sooner. Thanks for your love and support!

View all Treat Tuesdays or View all Gift Ideas

November’s Pre-Made Visiting Teaching Kit! (just in time for a busy holiday season)
Jennifer has spotlighted 3 messages from October’s General Conference to include in her super cute FALL Visiting Teaching Kits. The holidays get so busy! Order yours and then you won’t even have to worry about your ink/toner running out at last minute. (LOL. Like mine does to me all the time, but it’s not really that funny at the time.) It comes with a fold out decoration and on the back has four pockets. In the pockets are the three talks from General Conference and in the last pocket a recipe for Pumpkin Pie Cake.

This month we have the privilege to share a (or several) conference address(es) with the sisters we Visit Teach. The Church states “Because the Nov issues of the Ensign and Liahona contain a report of general conference, the magazines do not contain a specific Visiting Teaching Message. Visiting Teachers are encouraged to prayerfully select a conference address to share with those they teach.”

We get to choose from 36 messages! 4 from Relief Society, 6 from Priesthood & 26 from Saturday and Sunday Sessions. You can download, read, watch and listen to conference again online! Even in Spanish & Portuguese. Or download the whole Ensign here. That’s just AMAZING!

I was able to use Twitter again to “tweet” the quotes that stood out to me the most. Well, to be honest I couldn’t type as fast as they were speaking so I re-tweeted quotes I liked from others. LOL Looking back on those tweets now, using the tag #LDSConf, I can see which talks stood out to me at the time and which talks I really need to go over to help me. No matter how you review conference messages it’s important to remember them. This is why we need to prayerfully select a message (or 3) which we think would/could apply and help the sisters we visit teach.

I hope you all have a very “Great”ful Thanksgiving! Thanks for all of your comments, time, tweets, support, help, love, encouragement and for helping me to be a better Visiting Teacher.

Happy Visiting Teaching!
♥ Linda

P.S. Here’s some free printables which go along with October’s General xConference. Feel free to comment and include links to other sites which have FREE printables with quotes from October’s 2009 General Conference too.

Today’s Treat comes from my favorite talk from this years 179th Semiannual General Conference. It was given by our Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson and it’s called, “What Have I Done for Someone Today?” I just loved it!! It really touched my soul. Reminds me to go back to the basics of serving others and I especially loved the “warm fuzzies” given by the Primary kids. How cute!!! We totally need to have a “warm fuzzy” jar here at home. I know the early bird and super prepared Visiting Teachers will appreciate that I have added this before the beginning of the month. You can thank my dear hubby, for taking us on a VayCay this weekend so I had to get this one up before I left because I knew it would be too late when I got back. Anyways… here it is the Warm Fuzzies Jar Card!

Here’s the quote I used: (I really liked the poem.)

I have wept in the night
For the shortness of sight
That to somebody’s need made me blind;
But I never have yet
Felt a tinge of regret
For being a little too kind.

My brothers and sisters, we are surrounded by those in need of our attention, our encouragement, our support, our comfort, our kindness—be they family members, friends, acquaintances, or strangers. We are the Lord’s hands here upon the earth, with the mandate to serve and to lift His children. He is dependent upon each of us.

I also put a neat “Nutritional Chart” to help us calculate how many calories we can burn (aka warm fuzzy feelings) from serving others. Who knew we’d get immediate rewards!

Download VT Printable Sheet:
Download this week’s Treat Tuesday Warm Fuzzies Jar for Visiting Teachers PDF by clicking the image below.

Supplies:

• 1 piece of cardstock (white)
• Scissors
• Some kind of hole puncher or paper piercer. (I used the small hole punch on the Crop-a-dile)
• Adhesive (I used a glue stick)
• 1 Pack of Fuzzies or PomPoms found in the craft section.
• Ribbon (optional)

Instructions:

1. Print in color on plain white cardstock.
2. Cut out the jar with the jar flaps.
3. Fold jar and the 2 flaps & add adhesive to the flaps.
4. Fold the Facts side onto the folded flaps. You should have something that looks like a jar envelope with the image of the jar on both sides.
5. Add the warm fuzzies/pompoms into the jar.
6. Optional: Punch 2 holes and add ribbon to the top.

View all Treat Tuesdays or View all Gift Ideas

Remember, if you have any ideas, images or files you want to share relating to Visiting Teaching feel free to share them with me.

Today’s Treat (which was supposed to be Tuesday’s treat, LOL) was forwarded to me by my MIL (mother-in-law), Judy. They are super fun Recipe Cards w/ recipes in the shape of Pumpkins! She said she was going to print them and give them to the sisters she Visit Teaches and thought that it would be cute for other sisters as well. I TOTALLY agree! Seems like they come from Kate’s Kitchen, but Kate didn’t include her last name, so I couldn’t ask Kate’s permission, my MIL said to share. So, thanks Judy for sending these to me to share with other Visiting Teachers and thank you Kate for taking time to make these (sorry I don’t know your last name or your blog if you have one).

There are 7 Recipes w/ Front and Back Covers. 16 total Pumpkin cards to cut out. Recipes include: Pumpkin Zucchini Bread, Pumpkin Turkey Chili, Pumpkin Pancakes, Pumpkin Muffins, Pumpkin Cake, Easy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies & Double-Layer Pumpkin Pie. I would definitely give this recipe card set with a can of pumpkin filling or a real pumpkin. Print some or all of the pages!

Download VT Printable Sheet:
Download this week’s Treat Tuesday Paper Pumpkin for Visiting Teachers PDF by clicking the image below. Update! This file has been updated as of 10-22-09 @ 12:22pm MST, thanks to Alease Guymon, who caught the mistakes, because some recipes were being cut off. Download the new file, it has the same file name, so just replace your old copy.

Instructions:

• Print on colored or white, cardstock or paper, in color or b&w (black and white).
• Cut out around each pumpkin.
• Staple at the top, or punch a hole at the top and add ribbon.
• Give to your sisters and sign your names on the last page, where indicated.

View all Treat Tuesdays or View all Gift Ideas

P.S. This is being posted on Thursday, but because I am really weird, I am back dating it to Tuesday cause that’s when I meant to post it. Just never got around to it. Please don’t hate me. LOL