When I was a counselor in the Elders Quorum Presidency, we used to have our Home Teachers divided into enough districts that each District Leader only had 4 companionships to call each month, and they (the District Leaders) would report their statistics directly to their assigned member of the Presidency, including the secretary, who could bring all the info to the President. Each member of the Presidency was over maybe 2 or 3 District Leaders. This worked really well, barring any glitches such as vacations, trips, illness, etc. I do think that it is extremely important to call the brethren to a sense of responsibility in accepting the call of Home Teaching through a “return and report” system. I have seen wards that leave it to the individuals to call in their Home Teaching statistics, and every time this resulted in no Home Teaching being done, or failure to call in and report. It is much more reliable and gives a stronger sense of responsibility to make a call to each Home Teacher asking for a report of their service.

It is also important for those District Leaders to be sensitive and not unrighteously chastise people for not getting their Home Teaching done in any particular month. My Elders Quorum President said that we must accept whatever service our Elders were willing to give, and try through patience, perseverance and love to encourage them to give more.

Dr. Ross E. Smith

Posted by John in Home Teaching, HT-Leader Resources