As home and visiting teachers we have been given a responsibility to watch over the Lord’s sheep and to spiritually feed them. Sometimes, feeding the Lord’s sheep can be difficult, especially if they don’t want to be spiritually fed. I would like to share with you eight steps each of us can take to be better prepared to feed the Lord’s sheep.

Love those that you home or visit teach. Get to know them and become involved in their lives. Recognize birthdays, anniversaries, baptisms, priesthood advancements, etc. The Lord said, “…Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Matt 22:37-40).

Fast and pray to know how you can best help those families or sisters that you home or visit teach who are spiritually ill. Pray that their hearts may be softened and that you might be an instrument in the hands of the Lord. “And again, the angel said: Behold, the Lord hath heard the prayers of his people, and also the prayers of his servant, Alma, who is thy father; for he has prayed with much faith concerning thee that thou mightest be brought to the knowledge of the truth; therefore, for this purpose have I come to convince thee of the power and authority of God, that the prayers of his servants might be answered according to their faith” (Mosiah 27:14).

You may not get an angel to appear to your families or sisters, but you should expect a miracle to occur with proper fasting and prayer.

Study the scriptures daily. The scriptures and conference talks can supply you with plenty of ideas on how to reach struggling souls.

Attend the Temple where possible. Put the names of your families or sisters in the Temple. “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16). The fervent prayer of many righteous men and women also availeth much.

Live your life to be worthy of the guidance of the Holy Ghost. We must be able to receive inspiration concerning our families or sisters. There will be opportunities where we can make an impact, and unless we can recognize and act upon those promptings we will miss them.

Write down some goals with your companion and with your families or sisters. Have separate goals that you and your companion want to achieve together. Sit down with your families or sisters and set goals with them. “…the most powerful incentive in activation is the temple…” (Giles H. Florence, Jr. “The Softening of the Heart” Ensign July 1986).

Memorize Alma 26:22. “Yea, he that repenteth and exerciseth faith, and bringeth forth good works, and prayeth continually without ceasing—unto such it is given to know the mysteries of God; yea, unto such it shall be given to reveal things which never have been revealed; yea, and it shall be given unto such to bring thousands of souls to repentance, even as it has been given unto us to bring these our brethren to repentance.”

Accept your responsibility. Joseph F. Smith said, “Remember that you have enlisted in this work for time and for all eternity. There is no backing out of it, no falling away from it, except in sin, and then comes the penalty of transgression. But if you expect exaltation; if you expect fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, kindred and friends; if you expect glory, intelligence and endless lives, you must get them in God’s work; for nowhere outside can you get them. Therefore, let every sympathy and interest be centered in this cause. Let all your love go out toward this cause, and this alone. Let the world go (see “Teachings of Presidents of the Church” p. 243).
I have included a scripture chain that can be studied and pondered by home and visiting teachers in their efforts to help activate those that are lost.

Getting the Water to the End of the Row Scripture Chain

1. Matt 22:37-40
2. D&C 11:21
3. D&C 20:59
4. Mosiah 27:14
5. Alma 6:6 6. Moroni 10:5
7. Genesis 18:14
8. Alma 16:16-17
9. D&C 84:85
10. Alma 17:2-3

Posted by John in Feature Articles