Today is Treat Tuesday # Ten! That’s 3 T’s or 4 if you count the word “today,” LOL. So for this special occasion I felt it would be perfect to list 10 treat ideas. Download PDF printable tags below.

Today’s Treats! (LDS April 2009 General Conference themed treats which can be used for Visiting Teaching and, for the last week in a row until next conference, Home Teaching.)

43. Magnifying Glass: “The small and simple things you choose to do today will be magnified into great and glorious blessings tomorrow.” Ann M. Dibb, “Be Thou an Example of the Believers,” Liahona, May 2009

44. Shepherd’s Pie (click here for recipe): “member missionaries—both you and I—are the shepherds, and the full-time missionaries…” L. Tom Perry, “‘Bring Souls unto Me’” Ensign, May 2009

45. Cleanser (Click here to get $2 off coupon for any Clean & Clear product): “Remember, it is the cleansing power of the Atonement that makes it possible for us to be virtuous.” Mary N. Cook, “A Virtuous Life—Step by Step,” Ensign, May 2009

46. Coins (just put some change in a ziplock baggie and staple the tag to it.): “Change and challenges are part of God’s plan. By design this mortal existence is a time of testing or a time “to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them”” Steven E. Snow, “Get On with Our Lives,” Ensign, May 2009

47. Riesen Candies: “Whatever the riesen…I invite you to begin making the spiritual preparations so you can receive the blessings available only in the holy temple. Please cast away the things in your life that stand in the way.” David A. Bednar, “Honorably Hold a Name and Standing,” Ensign, May 2009

48. Lint Roller (click here for $1 off any Evercare Lint Roller or Refill): “For the eternal purposes of the Lord shall roll on, until all his promises shall be fulfilled.” Mormon 8:22 or say something like: “Just rolling by to say, Hi.”

49. Socks: You’re the pair of Visiting Teachers I’d pick!

50. Scouring pad/sponge: I’d scour the earth for a Visiting Teaching Companion like you!

51. Strainer / Colander: We couldn’t restrain ourselves from wishing you a Happy Birthday!

52. Squeeze-it Juice drink & Hershey’s Kiss: Here’s a squeeze and a kiss, to remind you you’re loved and missed.

Download VT or HT Printable Tags:

Last of the Home Teaching Tags because the Conference Messages are used for both Visiting Teaching and Home Teaching this month, so feel free to make/buy a treat and print a tag for your hubby to use for his Home Teaching too.

Download this week’s Treat Tuesday Tags Template for Visiting Teachers PDF or Treat Tuesday Tags Template for Home Teachers PDF by clicking either one of the links or images below, so you can print it on patterned or colored paper and add it to your gifts more easily. Each with a different font!

Instructions:

1. Just print on patterned/colored paper or cardstock
2. Cut it out. (Cut within the lines so the lines don’t show.)
3. Punch a hole and use ribbon or tape to add it to the treat.
4. Don’t forget to sign both of your names when gifting so they know it came from their Visiting Teachers or their Home Teachers.

Note: I haven’t tried to translate any treat ideas because these are treats which match words from the English language. But, if you have a quote and treat idea to go along with it in another language I’d love to make some tags for you. Just add a comment and include the quote (in the specific language) and what kind of treat can go along with it and as soon as I get 5 of them I can make them into cute tags for you.

Also if you ever have any treat ideas with quotes in any language, please email them to me so I can share it with other visiting teachers on this site.

View all Treat Tuesdays or View all Gift Ideas

Read, Watch or Listen to General Conference

Yippy for Treat Tuesday! Okay my favorite one is the S’mores. Matching Printable Tags are available for you, to go along with each fun Treat Tuesday quote. (see PDF below)

23. Chocolate, Marshmallows & Graham Crackers: “We’re looking forward to visiting you S’more.” (I found some coupons online for these items. Target Coupon (expires May-09-09) & Manufacturer Coupon (Have your printer on and ready! Click the coupon link on the left of the manufacturer’s web page. Print it 2 times to purchase more than one.)

24. Veggies and Dip: “Dip into the Visiting Teaching message.” (You can purchase travel size ranch dressing, which I think come in a pack of 6 from any grocery store.)

25. Paper Tray: “Tray-sure the scriptures, they tell us “all things what ye should do.” (2 Nephi 32:3)”

26. Tape Measure or Ruler: “By the yard it’s hard, by the inch it’s a cinch! Read the scriptures one inch at a time.”

27. Mint(s): “We were mint to be Visiting Teaching companions!”

Download Printable Tags:

Download this week’s Treat Tuesday Tags Template PDF by clicking the image below, so you can print it on cute paper and add it to your gifts more easily. Each with a different font!

Instructions:

1. Just print on cute paper or cardstock
2. Cut it out. (Cut within the lines so the lines don’t show.)
3. Punch a hole and use ribbon or tape to add it to the treat.
4. Don’t forget to sign both of your names when gifting so they know it came from their Visiting Teachers.

View all Treat Tuesdays or View all Gift Ideas

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!

Today’s Treats!

6. Picture of a clown with a wrapped “fireball” candy glued to the nose: “No clowning around, we love being your Visiting Teachers.” Click here to print the Clown PDF.

7. Cookies or Cookie Mix Jar: “Wishing you a…(Happy Birthday, Great Week, fun day….) from your “Crummy” Visiting Teachers.” You don’t have to but you can click here for detailed instructions on how to make this super cute cookie bag. Click here to view a cookie jar recipe if you don’t already have one.

8. Rope: “When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on we’ll come running!” (be sure to include both you and your companion’s contact info.)

Once again, let me know how these work for you and for sure let me know if you have any ideas for treats.

View all Treat Tuesdays or View all Gift Ideas

“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.

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?