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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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

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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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Just to expand on Debby Johnson’s idea for business cards and fridge magnets. Rather than using a business card, try a card sized-textbox with the names of homes assigned, addresses and phone numbers.

Below that, in smaller text, include the Visiting Teacher supervisor’s name, phone number, and the due date for reports. On the back of the card, put the name, address and phone number of each of the sister’s home teachers.

Instead of using card, use plain A4 paper, design on computer textbox (card size) with info on Visiting Teachers (e.g. may put first companionship, then below that put their assigned homes, addresses and phone numbers). Directly next to it, put a textbox of the same size with Home Teaching info.

Make as many of these textboxes as can fit down page (approx. 4-6 different companionships) and to the size of a business card.

Print, fold, glue-stick and cut out (you should have several cards with VT info on one side and HT info on other). It then goes inside a clear adhesive business card envelope that’s attached to a slightly larger laminated card which has, for example, ‘a call to duty’ comment or ‘YOU have been given this sacred opportunity’ stating the sacredness and importance of Visiting Teaching at the top, then an added scripture to give strength to the comment or quote.

You may even make it a little longer where you may add the Relief Society Seal, or do it in Relief Society colours or even bright colours to catch her eye and prompt her. The Visiting Teaching card can be easily changed on the computer and printed as changes occur.

Put a magnet on back. You could even use a clip art house where it opens up to this info. Or a heart with the visiting teaching do/don’t idea on front then open heart to expose this info and on back of front heart could use for a poem/quote etc.

Or on an A5 paper at portrait, fold into thirds, arrange fold so it opens like a flower blooming, with bottom fold on inside and top fold is cover. On top an eye catching poem or thing (e.g. poem of copper coin). Open it up (top page) to reveal Visiting Teaching info in clear envelope, pull that page down to reveal inspiring poems (should be size of A5 now). When folded to original position has a magnet on back. Would have to be laminated or there of the sort as it can be used time and time again except for the VT info paper card that gets changed from time to time.

Lena Gregory

Posted by John in Visiting Teaching, VT-Leader Resources

1 Comment »

I try, but I’m not always successful on doing a monthly handout that I give out on Homemaking night. I have a handout for each sister who is a Visiting Teacher. I have a label program on my computer that prints each sister’s name and district number on a sheet of labels. I apply the labels to the handouts. This way, I know that I have one for each Visiting Teacher and can make sure that each sister gets one, either by seeing her in church or by giving them to my supervisors to distribute to their flock.

Here are some ideas for handouts:

• I found a picture on the computer of a fisherman. I made a handout saying “Catch the spirit of Visiting Teaching.” I applied a Swedish fish to the handout at the end of the fishing line.
• I put a birthday candle on a handout with the saying, “Let your light shine! Visit Teach!”
• A sparkler with the words, “Sparkle when you do your Visiting Teaching.”
• A Gummy Bear with “It’s Beary important that you do your Visiting Teaching.”
• A picture of a Clown with a fireball candy glued to the nose with “No clowning around, get your Visiting Teaching done.”
• A Now & Later candy with “It’s better to get your Visiting Teaching done Now than Later!”
• Picture of helping hands with “Be a pair of helping hands to the sisters that you visit.”
• A Life Saver candy with “You can be a life saver when you do your Visiting Teaching.”
• A tape measure with “By the yard it’s hard, by the inch it’s a cinch.”

Marvelous Mom

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

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When I was the VT Coordinator, I would do monthly “campaigns”. For example, my first month–in the month of November, I made a huge turkey with a feather for each sister who was visit taught. When the sisters completed their Visiting Teaching, they were allowed to pluck their sisters feathers from the turkey. Our goal was to get the turkey plucked before Thanksgiving. Our numbers were higher that month than ever before. The sisters loved the visual that sat in the foyer and even the Priesthood commented on how neat it was to see the turkey lose its feathers. Another campaign involved a contest to see which district could get their Visiting Teaching numbers in first. For those who turned their numbers in the first week of the month, they got 5 points. Those that turned them in during the 2nd week got 4 points and so on. The sisters in the district that won got a treat– a candy bar with a cute saying on it.

–Author Unknown

Posted by John in Visiting Teaching, VT-Leader Resources

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We just had our visiting teaching conference.

When I was asked to put it on, our Relief Society president asked that we reach out and have a spiritual meeting that the inactive sisters might want to come to and gain from. We called it “I CARE ABOUT YOU”.

We sent out invitations with the visiting teachers that were personalized with their sisters’ names. They were told in the invitation that we were having a luncheon in their honor. We then had a program about how we care about them and that the Savior cares about them. Only a few inactives came that day, but some have come out since and I feel that we sent the message out to every sister that we Cared about them personally.

We decorated with blue and yellow, using yellow roses (friendship) that we gave out after it was over. Also, we gave them heart-shaped wooden pins with roses on them. We had a program with songs and narration. I put together a PowerPoint slideshow presentation to go along with the songs with pictures of Christ and other things that illustrated the songs in the program. We used real dishes for the luncheon and had the young women serve us.

It was fun and all who attended felt of each other’s love and the Savior’s love for each of us. I also believe that the sisters got the message that they should care personally for each sister that they visit. If you want a copy of the script or more details please email me and I will send them to you.

Karen

Posted by John in Visiting Teaching, VT-Leader Resources

101 Comments »

I just had our visiting teaching conference.

We did a Garden Party theme. We did not tell the sisters what we were doing. They just received an invitation for a Garden Party. We also had a visiting teaching skit. We had a sister speak that had been re-activated by Visiting teachers. We had a Salad Bar for the meal , using terra cotta pots line with foil to serve the salad fixings in. We used live green plants in the center of each table with miniature garden tools, bird houses, seed packets as decoration. We gave each sister a seed packet with a cute garden visiting teaching quote with a magnet on back for the fridge.

I am the Relief Society president. I closed with remarks about Alma 32:37-41. How that our Sisters need love and nurturing to help them blossom to their full potential. We had a special musical number about friends written By Michael McLean. It was a wonderful evening.

Debbie

Posted by John in Visiting Teaching, VT-Leader Resources

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As I contemplated the Visiting Teaching Seminar that I was to conduct last year, I realized that the sisters that would attend this meeting were faithful sisters that did their visiting teaching each month. A new idea formed, What Kind of Visiting Teachee are you?

The following soliloquy is a result of prayer and inspiration with my Visiting Teaching Co-ordinator.

The essence of the dialogue is to establish that it is difficult to Visit Teach, and the other parties sometimes are not very cooperative.

There is also some doubt cast on the effectiveness of Visiting Teaching, and why we do it.

The conclusion is ambiguous, giving the idea that even though we aren’t always required to do miraculous things, even the small things can seem miraculous at the time.

Visiting Teaching Seminar (Soliloquy)

Shiela Chipman

Posted by John in Visiting Teaching, VT-Leader Resources

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We had the most wonderful Visiting Teaching Conference last year. It was called “It’s A Jungle Out There.”

To prepare the sisters for the event and to catch their attention, we had a big poster with a big cartoon Toucan we named “Tookie,” and every Sunday we put up a different message without letting them know that the event was the Visiting Teacher Conference, like: It’s Jungle out there and never stops raining. Please bring your umbrella. We always included the date. We prepared everything with the Tookie cartoon as a theme, we had magnets to give out to the sisters which read “Don’t Forget Visiting Teaching.”

We decorated the Relief Society Room with big banana trees and other rain forest plants, origami monkeys and lions, a big Tookie on the door, and leaves hanging from the ceiling. We had jungle sounds in the background. We made safari hats for the sisters decorated with the Tookie. We had only tropical foods for the dinner, drinks with straws with little monkeys and as a center piece, an origami lagoon with hippos and other animals.

We also prepared a booklet with Visiting Teaching guidelines and ideas. We had a musical number with the Music of the song New York, New York, but with real funny Visiting Teacher lyrics and had some sisters which we called the “Junglettes” singing and dancing the song like the famous Rockettes dancers of the Radio City Music Hall.

We spoke on the following topics.

About the little miracles that happen when you do your Visiting Teacher. For that the 1st counselor used the music from “The Prince of Egypt” called “Miracles.” Then we had a sister speak on “How to Be of Service to our Sisters,” and the second counselor on “How to Be an Effective Visiting Teacher” and the President (me) on the theme of the conference “It’s Jungle Out There.” I talked on how the indigenous peoples in the South American jungles always do all their work, hunting and fishing in groups and explained the sisters that they did that because there are too many dangers in the Jungle and they have to stick together to help each other, for protection and safety. The same way with us sisters we have to stick together to help and protect each other.

With each talk, we gave away something to remind the sisters about it. We also have a very talented sister that wrote a poem for the Visiting Teachers which we made as book marker. We had a final quick workshop on things you can do to take your sisters, and they took their little craft with them to give away.

The conference was such a success that even sisters from other wards wanted to know what we did. We had such a strong spirit and the attendance was about 85% of our Visiting Teachers. We are already planning for our next one which will be during the spring time.

Carmen Lopez

Posted by John in Visiting Teaching, VT-Leader Resources

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