January Visiting Teaching Handout

January Visiting Teaching Message

Visiting Teaching Message Stand Strong and Immovable in Faith Ensign, January 2009 Teach the scriptures and quotations that meet the needs of the sisters you visit. Bear testimony of the doctrine. Invite those you teach to share what they have felt and learned. Mosiah 5:15: "Be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works, that Christ, the Lord God Omnipotent, may seal you his, that you may be brought to heaven, that ye may have everlasting salvation and eternal life." How Can I Stand Strong and Immovable in Faith? 3 Nephi 6:14: "The church was broken up in all the land save it were among a few of the Lamanites who were converted unto the true faith; and they would not depart from it, for they were firm, and steadfast, and immovable, willing with all diligence to keep the commandments of the Lord." Julie B. Beck, Relief Society general president: "Latter-day Saint women must be strong and immovable in their faith. They can and should excel in living and sharing their testimonies of the Lord Jesus Christ and His restored gospel. We do this as we: Make and keep covenants with Him. Are worthy and worship in His temples. Study His doctrine in the scriptures and the words of prophets. Qualify for, recognize, and follow the Holy Ghost. Share and defend His gospel. Participate in sincere personal and family prayer. Have family home evening. Live principles of self-reliance and provident living. "These are essential things which must be done before nonessential things. These are simple, indispensable practices that almost seem mundane. . . . No one can do these things for us—these are personal practices and habits that set us apart as strong and immovable for that which is correct" ("What Latter-day Saint Women Do Best: Stand Strong and Immovable," Liahona and Ensign, Nov. 2007, 109–10). Cheryl C. Lant, Primary general president: "Our personal conversion comes as we begin to live the way the Lord wants us to live—steadfast and immovable in keeping all of the commandments, not just those that are convenient. This then becomes a process of refinement as we strive to make each day a little better than the last" ("Righteous Traditions," Liahona and Ensign, May 2008, 14). Why Should I Be Strong and Immovable in Faith? Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: "Your faith and your knowledge of the restoration of the gospel will give you the strength to be faithful and true to the covenants you have made with the Lord, and to share your strengths and talents gladly to build up the kingdom of God here on the earth! Your testimony of Jesus Christ is the most important anchor that you can have to help hold you, steadfast and immovable, to principles of righteousness, regardless of the challenges and temptations that may come in the future" ("Steadfast in Christ," Ensign, Dec. 1993, 52). Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:  "You cannot today remotely imagine what that decision to be unwaveringly obedient to the Lord will allow you to accomplish in life. Your quiet, uncompromising determination to live a righteous life will couple you to inspiration and powerbeyond your capacity now to understand" ("Making the Right Decisions," Ensign, May 1991, 34).

December Visiting Teaching Handout

Visiting Teaching Message for December

Visiting Teaching Message

Jesus Christ Is the Light, Life, and Hope of the World

Ensign, December 2008

Teach the scriptures and quotations that meet the needs of the sisters you visit. Bear testimony of the doctrine. Invite those you teach to share what they have felt and learned.

How Is Jesus Christ the Light and the Life of the World?

1 Nephi 17:13:"I will also be your light in the wilderness;... wherefore, inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall be led towards the promised land; and ye shall know that it is by me that ye are led."

Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:"Jesus Christ is the light and the life of the world. All things were made by him. Under the direction and according to the plan of God the Father, Jesus Christ is the Creator, the source of the light and the life of all things....

"Jesus Christ is the light of the world because he is the source of the light which 'proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space' (D&C 88:12). His light is 'the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world' (D&C 93:2). His example and his teachings illuminate the path we should walk....

"Jesus Christ is the life of the world because of his unique position in what the scriptures call 'the great and eternal plan of deliverance from death' (2 Nephi 11:5). His Resurrection and his Atonement save us from both physical and spiritual death" ("The Light and the Life,"Liahona,Dec. 1997, 42–43; seeNew Era,Dec. 1996, 6).

How Can I Find Hope in Jesus Christ?

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency:"The gospel of Jesus Christ has the divine power to lift you to great heights from what appears at times to be an unbearable burden or weakness. The Lord knows your circumstances and your challenges. He said to Paul and to all of us, 'My grace is sufficient for thee.' And like Paul we can answer: 'My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me' (2 Corinthians 12:9)" ("Have We Not Reason to Rejoice? "Liahona and Ensign, Nov. 2007, 19).

"When you were baptized, you became participants in the first great hope, the Atonement of Christ. Every time you worthily partake of the sacrament, you have the opportunity to begin again....Your hope and faith in the Savior will increase as you repent and make personal changes....

"The second great hope is the Resurrection. You are all promised that through our Savior Jesus Christ you will be resurrected....

"With the hope of the Atonement and the Resurrection, you have a third great hope, the hope of eternal life....Because you have a Savior, you also believe in a happy, eternal life of creating, serving, and learning. You are already in the strait and narrow path, and there is hope smiling brightly before you....You just need to stay in, pressing forward with a brightness of hope" ("There Is Hope Smiling Brightly before Us, "Liahona and Ensign, May 2003, 103–5).

Okay, my chaco sandals are missing. Did someone take them? I guess I'll find out on Thursday!

Visiting Teaching handouts for October

This month you have your choice.  Remember to click on the image and it will enlarge so you can print it.

This handout is for women in general.

This handout is for mothers.

Operation Visiting Teaching

Visiting Teaching Conference

Thursday, October 9, 2008

6:30 pm

Dinner will be served

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Please join us for a fun evening with the Cedar Bench Ward sisters.

September Visiting Teaching handout

It's a small world

A few weeks ago I was visiting teaching Merl Young.  She is usually quiet, but that day she talked quite a bit to me.  We started talking about quilting (which she is wonderful at) and it led to how she learned to quilt and she started talking about her youth.  She mentioned riding a bus to Delta from a small community and that she and her family and the Nielson boys would have a great time on the bus.  They would get into trouble and that one Nielson boy even tried to kiss her and she gave him a whopper of a hit instead.  I laughed and laughed and then asked her where she grew up. She said Leamington.  Then I told her my grandpa was Merritt Nielson and also grew up in Leamington and she said that is the family she was talking about.  The boy who tried to kiss her was Sterling, my Grandpa's brother.  We had a talk about them  and how small the world is. When I got home I called my grandpa and he reminisced as well.  It was quite fun.  He called Sterling and they had a good laugh.  That laugh was important.  This last week Uncle Sterling passed away.  I can't help but think what a small world we live in with connections everywhere.  I can't wait to visit teach Merl again and hear any other memories she may have.  

A handout for August Visiting Teaching

If you click on the image it will enlarge and then you can print it.

What does it mean to be a beloved daughter of Heavenly Parents

Julie B. Beck, Relief Society general president: "You are literally spirit daughters of Deity, 'offspring of exalted parents' with a divine nature and an eternal destiny. You received your first lessons in the world of spirits from your heavenly parents. You have been sent to earth to 'prove' yourselves. . . .

"You are treasured children of the promise. If you will keep the Lord's statutes and commandments and hearken to His voice, He has promised that He will make you high above the nations in name and honor and praise" ("You Have a Noble Birthright," Liahona and Ensign, May 2006, 106, 108).

President James E. Faust (1920–2007), Second Counselor in the First Presidency: "A conviction that you are a daughter of God gives you a feeling of comfort in your self-worth. It means that you can find strength in the balm of Christ. It will help you meet the heartaches and challenges with faith and serenity" ("What It Means to Be a Daughter of God," Liahona, Jan. 2000, 123; Ensign, Nov. 1999, 102).

President Lorenzo Snow (1814–1901): "We believe that we are the offspring of our Father in heaven, and that we possess in our spiritual organizations the same capabilities, powers and faculties that our Father possesses, although in an infantile state, requiring to pass through a certain course or ordeal by which they will be developed and improved according to the heed we give to the principles we have received" ("Discourse," Deseret News, Jan. 24, 1872, 597).

How Can I Understand and Attain My Divine Destiny?

President Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985): "All of you need to drink in deeply the gospel truths about the eternal nature of your individual identity and the uniqueness of your personality. You need, more and more, to feel the perfect love which our Father in Heaven has for you and to sense the value he places upon you as an individual. Ponder upon these great truths, especially in those moments when (in the stillness of such anxiety as you may experience as an individual) you might otherwise wonder and be perplexed" (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball [2006], 222).

Romans 8:16–17: "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together."

Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: "We are to be creators in our own right—builders of an individual faith in God, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and faith in His Church. We are to build families and be sealed in holy temples. We are to build the Church and kingdom of God upon the earth. We are to prepare for our own divine destiny—glory, immortality, and eternal lives. These supernal blessings can all be ours, through our faithfulness" ("The Creation," Liahona, July 2000, 104–5; Ensign, May 2000, 86).