As I pondered on the training resources available, I decided it would be of value to highlight some of them here.
- Handbook 2: Administering the Church, Section 9.5 provides information and instruction regarding the visiting teaching program and responsibilities of visiting teachers.
- Daughters of My Kingdom, Chapter 7, "Pure Religion: Watchcare and Ministering through Visiting Teaching" is an amazing chapter that recounts the history of visiting teaching and provides insights on how visiting teachers minister and serve in the building of Zion.
- Visiting Teaching: The Priviledge of Ministering is a page on lds.org with content and links provided to help us learn how to serve as visiting teachers.
- Relief Society: A Sacred Work, Julie B. Beck (15th Relief Society General President), Oct 2009 is one of the best talks given about the purposes of Relief Society and includes an inspiring and instructive section on visiting teaching.
- Responsibilities of Visiting Teachers is a training video in the Leadership Training Library on lds.org which provides a short overview linked to the Handbook 2 instruction. It is a short, yet visual way to instruct us in our "job".
- Reporting Visiting Teaching is another training video in the Leadership Training Library which specifically addresses reporting and reminds us that visiting teaching is more about people than a task to be completed.
- Visiting Teaching in the Work of Salvation is also available in the Leadership Training Library and helps us to see the importance of our assignments in the larger picture of bringing souls unto Christ.
"Visiting teaching becomes the Lord’s work when our focus is on people rather than percentages. In reality, visiting teaching is never finished. It is more a way of life than a task. Faithfully serving as a visiting teacher is evidence of our discipleship." (Julie B. Beck, 15th Relief Society General President, Oct 2009)
Is visiting teaching easy? Is it convenient? Does it sometimes feel forced? Perhaps No, No, Yes might be your answers - they have sometimes been mine. But as I have thought about my own visiting teachers over the many years since I turned 18 and about the sisters I have taught - one thing becomes clear - this is the Lord's work and when we "let" Him participate with us the burden is lighter and the work is sweeter.
-Lorie Pierce
