New VoIP service sends out automated reminder calls on last Sunday of the month to all Elders/High Priests and Relief Society sisters reminding them to get out and complete their visits. If visits are completed, home teachers or visiting teachers then can press 1 on their phone or 2 to leave a message on when they plan to get out. System generates a detailed PDF report that can be given to bishop at PEC meeting.

We belong to a busy church. A typical Ward makes hundreds of phone calls per month (see below). This service is designed to simplify your life and help you become more effective in your church calling by removing the burden of making phone calls to remind ward members of meetings, activities and assignments. Let our system do all the calling for you. All you do is record your message, and we call all the people you select and play your recorded message to them.

www.LDSReminderCalls.com

Posted by John in General, Home Teaching, Visiting Teaching, HT-Leader Resources, VT-Leader Resources

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Sister, a moment of your time;
I want to thank you
For caring for my child as your own,
For sharing my secret grief,
For waiting with me
In the last long hour of light.

Your hands fed me in illness
Your words brought comfort in pain
Your knowing erased my doubts
Your gifts came as welcome rain.

You pass off my thanks,
“It was nothing,” you say,
“Anyone would have done as much.”

Yet your deeds are a bond between us
As lasting as sacred spoken vows,
Welding us into a flowing golden chain
With Emma, Eliza and the rest, then and now,
That encircles and warms all of our struggling hearts.

by Judith Curtis( copyright 2004)

Posted by John in Visiting Teaching, VT-Poems & Stories

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I have received so many emails from people looking for the Little Red Hen skit. I searched my email archives and I found a copy, here it is.

Here is the skit that we had for the Visiting Teaching Conference.

Each character was holding the animal they played. The animals were from
Diane Hooks clip art. They were very cute! Then they were enlarged quite
a bit and the centers were cut out so each character held them up in
front of their face so their face showed through the opening. Each
animal was also laminated for durability. Hope that all makes since!

Each character came to the front of the room when it was their turn to
participate. On the Relief Society table was the book, a large basket
with a green plant, and several very cute darling chickens that people
had. “Little Red Hens’ New Call”

NARRATOR: (was dressed in work overalls, wearing a straw hat, holding a
piece of wheat between fingers, red bandana around her neck freckles on
her checks. She comes walking into the Relief Society Room picks up the
book “Little Red Hens’ New call, opens the book and the following part
is inside the book and she reads the following….)

Once upon a time in a barnyard not too far from here, lived a little red
hen. She served as the ward homemaking leader. (This was way before
this, family, home…no I mean Home Family and Personal Enrichment
leader stuff!) Anyway back to the story. The Little Red Hen tried to
hold a mini class on wheat gardening and bread making. You all remember
what a disaster that was. She ended up doing everything all by herself
!! Well she has just received a new call as the Relief Society
President. Today she has decided to reorganize visiting teaching. Oh
look who’s here, Sister Little Herself.

LITTLE RED HEN:

BOK, BOK, BO, BOK! Who will help me do this visiting teaching?

DUCK: (WALKING FAST)

Quack, Quack! Not I said Sister Duck, My goodness with 8 ducklings to
take care of, I have swim team, quaking lessons and waddling classes for
all 8 of them. I have one ugly duckling and I’m working on his self
esteem. I’m exhausted all the time. Oh and please don’t send Sister Cow
to visit me, I’m afraid she’ll step on one of my children.

LITTLE RED HEN:

Who will help me do this visiting teaching??

COW:

MOOOOOOOO! Not I said Sister Cow. I”Ve been visiting Sister Duck but
with all those ducklings running around everywhere and all that
quacking, my nerves just can’t take it. I don’t want to visit her.

LITTLE RED HEN:

Who will help me do this visiting teaching??

PIG:

OINK, OINK , OINK! Not I said Sister Pig. I’ve been visiting Sister Goat
and she’s always in the dumps. She’s depressed about everything, it’s
not fun to visit her.

LITTLE RED HEN:

Then who will help me do this visiting teaching??

GOAT:

BLAAAAA! Oh not I said Sister Goat. Sister Sheep is my companion. She
takes no initiative to make appointments or give the lesson, she just
follows me around, I need someone with more enthusiasm.

SHEEP:

BAAAAAA! Not I either Little Red Hen. I don’t really think visiting
teaching is that important and besides Sister Sheep so sooooo bossy!

LITTLE RED HEN:

WHO WILL HELP ME DO THIS VISITING TEACHING?????

DOG:

ROOF, ROOF! Not I said Sister Dog. I visit Sister Cat, her immaculate
home intimidates me, why she’s always cleaning, I’m afraid I’ll leave a
paw print somewhere.

CAT:

MEOWWWWWW! Oh not I said Sister Cat. I don’t even want visiting
teachers, especially Sister Dog, she scares me.

LITTLE RED HEN: (Farmer Rich was played by the Bishop, dressed in
overalls, straw hat, holding a piece of wheat between his fingers , and
scriptures, when called he comes slowly walking into the Relief Society
room)

Farmer Rich farmer Rich!!! Whatever shall I do. I just know I can’t do
all this visiting teaching by myself!! ( STARTS TO CRY.)

FARMER RICH:

Now, now Sister Little. Let me talk to the Sisters: Sisters as your
barnyard leader I want to remind you about the time Sister Little asked
you to help her make bread. Remember how you all had some “IMPORTANT”
reason why you couldn’t help her. You all missed out on the blessing of
her delicious baking. Remember how you felt as you watched Sister Little
and her chicks eat all of that warm yummy wheat bread. Why this is the
very same thing, you will all miss out on the blessings of visiting
teaching and you will miss having made some wonderful new friends.

COW:

You’re right Farmer Rich. Perhaps I could watch Sister Ducks’ ducklings
at the pond and give her an hour to herself.

DUCK:

How thoughtful of you Sister Cow. That would be wonderful, I could
really use the break.

PIG:

Maybe all Sister Goat needs is friend. Someone to listen to her.

GOAT:

Perhaps I was a bit hasty, don’t change Sister Sheep and I yet.

SHEEP:

I’m sure we can work this out. After all I’m sure there is a lot I can
learn from Sister Goat.

GOAT:

I’ll make the appointments one month and you give the lesson and then
the next month you make the appointments and I’ll give the lesson.

DOG:

This is the first time I’ve heard that I scare Sister Cat. All this time
I thought she didn’t like me.

CAT:

Maybe I misjudged Sister Dog.

LITTLE RED HEN:

Oh thank you dear sisters! I know if we all work together we can watch
over each other and not one of our Sisters will be without a friend and
someone to help and love her.

FARMER RICH:

By the way Sister Little. I suggest you leave immediately, I hear
they’re serving chicken soup for lunch.

LITTLE RED HEN:

WHEEEEEEEEEEEEE I’m outta here!!!!!

Posted by John in Visiting Teaching, VT-Leader Resources, VT-Poems & Stories

2 Comments »

Since the holidays are coming up, many home and visiting teachers like to give gifts to the families they teach. Here is a list 200+ very inexpensive gift ideas I’ve compiled

Ideas for Small Gifts

I also have a FHE in a Jar printable PDF that makes a good gift for families you home or visit teach here

FHE in a Jar

I hope they are of some use to some of you! Happy Holidays!

Posted by jenny in HT-Ideas, VT-Ideas

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“I hope that home teachers and visiting teachers will experience two things: first, the challenge of the responsibility that is in their great calling, and second, the sweetness of results from their work, particularly with those among us who are less active. I hope that these teachers will get on their knees and pray for direction, and then go to work to bring these wandering prodigals back into the fold of the Church. If home and visiting teachers respond to this challenge, I honestly believe that they will taste the sweet and wonderful feeling which comes of being an instrument in the hands of the Lord in leading someone back into activity in His church and kingdom.

“I am making a plea for us to reach out to our brethren and sisters who have known the beauty and the wonder of this restored gospel for a brief season and then for some reason have left it.

“May all home teachers recognize that they have an inescapable responsibility to go into the homes of the people and teach them to live the gospel principles more faithfully, to see that there is no iniquity or backbiting or evil speaking, to build faith, to see that the families are getting along temporally. That is a very serious responsibility; it really is. But it is not a heavy burden—it just takes a little more faith. It is worthy of our very best effort.” (Instruments of the Lord,” Ensign, March 1997.)

Posted by John in Home Teaching, Visiting Teaching

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Visiting Teaching Do It Reminder - Great Handouts for your LDS Relief Society Visiting Teaching Program.

Posted by John in Visiting Teaching, VT-Ideas

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Home and Visiting Teaching Pyramid - A fun diagram depicting our Home / Visiting Teaching relationships.

Posted by John in Home Teaching, Visiting Teaching

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Visiting Teaching Conference Handout
A simple, yet spiritual handout perfect for the Visiting Teaching program.

Posted by John in Visiting Teaching, VT-Leader Resources

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From the LDS Daily WOOL Archive on Visiting Teaching.

“Today, countless women in the Church reach out to others through visiting teaching and compassionate service, which are still the heart of Relief Society. They bless the lives of others-and buoy up those who may be discouraged or homesick, frightened or disheartened. They remember the counsel given us by a prophet that ‘God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs. Therefore, it is vital that we serve each other in the kingdom’ (Spencer W. Kimball, “Small Acts of Service”, Ensign, Dec. 1974, p. 5).” Sister Joy F. Evans, Lord, When Saw We Thee An Hungred, General Conference, April 1989

“Elder Bruce R. McConkie has so eloquently taught us that service is essential to salvation. I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do. Progress is not created by contented people. It is up to us, you and me, to be uncomfortable in complacency, to refrain from being spectators, and to be players in the game of life. The Lord has chosen His people to perform a mighty work. Our home teaching, our visiting teaching should be more than going; it should be doing with Christian love. It can be done; you can each do your portion of the work because you desire it.” Elder Russell C. Taylor, The Joy of Service, General Conference, October 1984

“The first-line support to the families in the Church organization is priesthood home teaching and Relief Society visiting teaching. These functions provide two important services. They keep the bishop, the quorum leader, and the Relief Society president adequately informed of the physical, emotional, temporal, and spiritual condition of the membership. They also have teaching opportunities and serve as a resource to provide some of the training to the families as they prepare for self-sufficiency.” Elder L. Tom Perry, The Need to Teach Personal and Family Preparedness, General Conference, April 1981

“Welfare services is the full program the Lord has provided us–provident living, personal and family preparedness, home and visiting teaching, producing and distributing goods to the poor, rehabilitating members with especially difficult needs or handicaps, securing jobs for the unemployed, restoring emotionally disturbed souls to full activity in the Church and society, with all of us consecrating our lives to the building up of the kingdom of God on earth.” President Spencer W. Kimball, The Fruit Of Our Welfare Services Labors, General Conference, October 1978

“I bear testimony to you that home teaching is the divinely inspired method by which we can best touch lives within this Church. Right beside this tremendous priesthood process is Relief Society visiting teaching. Paul had the spirit of home teaching and visiting teaching when he wrote to Timothy: ‘And the things that thou has heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.’ (2 Tim. 2:2.)” Elder Robert L. Simpson, These Four Things, General Conference, April 1976

“I have another good friend–a contemporary of mine–Geneva Brown. She has also been a great inspiration to me. A number of years ago she became afflicted with multiple sclerosis. Her health steadily deteriorated, confining her to a wheelchair. It would have been an easy thing for her to give up, but it was not her nature. She was a person who was used to doing and being busy in all kinds of things. But she has shown more determination than ever and has kept herself busy.

We saw her one day just coming out of the temple. I watched as her husband wheeled her across the street from the temple to the car, as he opened the door, and as she lifted herself from the wheelchair into the car. I kept wanting to reach out and help her some way. But she has learned how to manage. She is interested in people and things. How easy it would have been for her to refuse a calling in the Church, even to be a visiting teacher. Certainly she had an excuse. She didn’t need to be a visiting teacher, but it was not her nature to quit. She was able to drive a car with special controls, so she would go on her visiting teaching rounds with her companion. When she arrived at the home of the sister to be visited, a beep of the horn would bring the sister out of her home to sit in the back seat of the car and be taught. Neighbors along the street, seeing the fun that was going on, would come out of their homes and join them until there was a car full. Many were lifted and edified by this wonderful woman who was willing to push on and go the extra mile.” President Barbara W. Winder, “No Joy Without The Struggle”, BYU Speeches of the Year 1987-88, 7 June 1987

“Opportunities to lose oneself for the good of others present themselves daily:… visiting teaching; time for compassionate service; giving comfort to those who need strength; serving with diligence in Church callings;… Truly, the day of sacrifice is not past.” President Ezra Taft Benson, This Is A Day Of Sacrifice, General Conference, April 1979

Posted by John in Visiting Teaching, VT-Ideas

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Visiting Teaching Circle
Great Handouts for your LDS Relief Society Visiting Teaching Program

Posted by John in Visiting Teaching, VT-Ideas

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