Monday, September 7, 2009

Visiting Teaching - I will go and do!

Sister Claire taught us about visiting teaching yesterday. She had us refer to 1 Nephi 3 which talks about how Nephi and his brothers obtained the plates and likened it to us doing our visiting teaching.

4 Wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me that thou and thy brothers should go unto the house of Laban, and seek the records, and bring them down hither into the wilderness.

Us: Wherefore, the Lord has commanded Claire that we and our sisters should go and do visiting teaching.

5 And now, behold thy brothers murmur, saying it is a hard thing which I have required of them; but behold I have not required it of them, but it is a commandment of the Lord.

Us: And now, behold sometimes we sisters murmur, saying it is a hard thing which Claire has required of us; but behold Claire has not required it of us, but it is a commandment of the Lord.

6 Therefore go, my son, and thou shalt be favored of the Lord, because thou hast anot bmurmured.

Us: Therefore go, sisters, and we shall be favored of the Lord, because we have not murmured.

7 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I awill go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no bcommandments unto the children of men, save he shall cprepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.

Us: And it came to pass that we, sisters, should say to Heavenly Father: We will go and do the things which the Lord has commanded, for we know that the Lord gives no commandments unto the children of men, save He shall prepare a way for us that we may accomplish the thing which He commands us.

10 And it came to pass that when we had gone up to the land of Jerusalem, I and my brethren did consult one with another.

Us: And it came to pass that when we have gone up to the meeting place, I and my companion(s) should consult one with another.

13 And behold, it came to pass that Laban was angry, and thrust him out from his presence; and he would not that he should have the records. Wherefore, he said unto him: Behold thou art a robber, and I will slay thee.

Us: And behold, it came to pass that sometimes the sisters we visit teach may be angry, and may thrust us out from their presence; and they would not that we should have the meeting.

15 But behold I said unto them that: aAs the Lord liveth, and as we live, we will not go down unto our father in the wilderness until we havebaccomplished the thing which the Lord hath commanded us.

Us: But behold Claire says unto us that: As the Lord lives, and as we live, we should not go down unto our homes until we have accomplished the thing which the Lord has commanded us.

Nephi made many sacrifices and tried many times before he was successful in obtaining the plates. We too may need to make sacrifices and may need to keep trying before we are successful in earning the love and trust of the sisters whom we visit teach.

"The purposes of visiting teaching are to build caring relationships with each sister and to offer support, comfort, and friendship. In visiting teaching, both the giver and the receiver are blessed and strengthened in their Church activity by their caring concern for one another." (Church Handbook of Instructions, page 202)


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks, Sis Claire for the great lesson & reminder. Will put VT on my priority list :-)

Love,

Cathy

eclaire said...

Heavenly Father will be so proud! "Thou shalt be favoured of the Lord."