Visiting Teaching

What is the purpose of Visiting Teaching?
Visiting teaching gives women the opportunity to watch over, strengthen, and teach one another. Through visiting teaching, the Relief Society president helps the bishop identify and resolve short-term and long-term needs of sisters and their families. (Handbook 2, Administering the Church (2010), 9.5 Visiting Teaching, p.69)

Responsibilities of Visiting Teachers
Visiting teachers sincerely come to know and love each sister, help her strengthen her faith, and give service. They seek personal inspiration to know how to respond to the spiritual and temporal needs of each sister they are assigned to visit.

Taking into account each sister’s individual needs and circumstances, visiting teachers have regular contact (monthly if possible) with those they are assigned. When a personal visit is not possible, visiting teachers may use phone calls, letters, e-mail, or other means to watch over and strengthen sisters.

When appropriate, visiting teachers share a gospel message. These messages may be from the monthly visiting teaching message printed in the Ensign or Liahona magazine and the scriptures.

Visiting teachers give compassionate service during times of illness, death, and other special circumstances. They assist the Relief Society president in coordinating short-term and long-term assistance when invited.
(Handbook 2, Administering the Church (2010), 9.5 Visiting Teaching, p.69 (Emphasis added.))

1. Come to Know and Love Your Sisters

A visiting teacher cares for her sisters and helps them prepare for the blessings of eternal life.
As a Relief Society visiting teacher, you bring an influence that no one else can.

Caring relationships are built as you:
• Have genuine concern for your sisters and visit them regularly.
• Pray for inspiration about how to best watch over them.
• Listen with love. Focus on your sisters with sincere interest in them.
• Avoid gossip and criticism during the visit and at any other time.

Early in the month, plan when you will visit or contact each of your assigned sisters. Consider each sister’s needs and circumstances.

A personal visit is always preferable, but when that is not possible, use phone calls, letters, e-mail or offer service she needs. Contact each sister at least monthly.

Minister Through Regular Contacts:
“The purpose of ministering is to help others become true followers of Jesus Christ. Ministering to others includes:
• Remembering their names and becoming acquainted with them (see Moroni 6:4).
• Loving them without judging them (see John 13:34–35).
• Watching over them and strengthening their faith “one by one,” as the Savior did (3 Nephi 11:15; 17:21).
• Establishing sincere friendship with them and visiting them in their homes and elsewhere (see D&C 20:47).”
(Handbook 2, Administering the Church (2010), 3.2.3 Minister to others, p.12 (Emphasis added.))

2. Strengthen Faith

Share and Testify of Gospel Doctrines:
Prayerfully prepare for your visit. Ideas will come. You will know what to say or do.
When appropriate, share a gospel message, especially with less-active sisters. The gospel message you provide may be the only one that sister receives. Use the monthly visiting teaching message printed in the Ensign and Liahona magazines or the scriptures, whatever best fits your sisters’ needs.

Be aware of the spiritual and temporal needs of your sisters. Sometimes the most important message you can share is to do something to lift their burdens.

“In addition to the prepared message, you should use the scriptures and the teachings of latter-day prophets as your main resources in planning the message. You may supplement these resources with other Church-produced materials.” (Teaching, No Greater Call: A Resource Guide for Gospel Teaching, 10: The Teaching Part of Visiting Teaching, p.147 (Emphasis added.))

Preparing the Message
Prepare each visiting teaching message as carefully as you would prepare a lesson for a Church class. The following suggestions may help you:
• Review the lesson. Counsel with your companion about what each of you will contribute to the presentation.
• Follow the suggestions found in “Creating Lessons from Conference Talks and Other Resources,” pages 100–101.
• Adapt the message and the teaching methods to the circumstances, background, age, and interests of each sister you teach.
(Teaching, No Greater Call: A Resource Guide for Gospel Teaching, 10: The Teaching Part of Visiting Teaching, p.148)
Delivering the Message
The following suggestions will help you as you teach the sisters you visit:
• Pray and read the scriptures together whenever possible. Use the scriptures at every appropriate opportunity. Bring them for each visit. Use them to answer questions or give counsel.
• Follow the promptings of the Spirit as you teach.
• Be sensitive to the time constraints of the sisters you visit.
• Find ways for the sisters you visit to participate in the lessons. Show keen interest in what they have to say.
• Testify of the truths you teach. Share examples of how to apply those truths in everyday life.
(Teaching, No Greater Call: A Resource Guide for Gospel Teaching, 10: The Teaching Part of Visiting Teaching, p.148)

3. Provide Service

Learn of Needs and Offer Appropriate Assistance:
Let your sisters feel that in times of distress they can ask you for help. Help could be listening, caring for children or household needs when a sister is ill, or writing a letter of encouragement. Be quick to observe and quick to provide needed support.

Keep private matters confidential. Share them only with the Relief Society president.

Help the Relief Society president identify both temporary and long-term needs. Visiting teachers are a channel through which the president can be sure all sisters are cared for.

When the need is serious, report it immediately to the Relief Society president. She will call on others, if needed, to give further assistance. As you offer and give assistance, you will come to love your sisters more.

Look for Specific Ways to Help:
Show your sisters you honestly want to share their burdens. Sisters may be more willing to accept help if you offer to do something specific.

It’s less helpful to say, “Call me if you need anything.” Here are some ideas for more helpful approaches:
• “I’ll be home this evening in case you would like someone to talk with.”
• “Would it help for me to take care of your daughter this afternoon? I’d be glad to.”
• “Are there any errands that I could do for you?”
• “I’d like to help—what needs to be done that you don’t have time for?”
• “I could go with you to_______, if you would like.”
• While being sensitive to her wishes, just do something that you are confident will help.

Whatever you feel to say or do, be sincere.

Reporting Visiting Teaching
The Relief Society presidency or those who are called to assist them receive monthly reports from visiting teachers. The visiting teachers report any special needs of the sisters they visit and any service rendered. In addition, presidency members meet with visiting teachers regularly to discuss sisters’ spiritual and temporal welfare and to make plans to help those in need. Confidential information should be reported only to the Relief Society president, who reports it to the bishop.

The Relief Society president gives the bishop a monthly visiting teaching report. Each report includes a list of those who were not contacted. If a sister and her family have urgent needs, the Relief Society president reports this information to the bishop immediately.
(Handbook 2, Administering the Church (2010), 9.5 Visiting Teaching, p.69)


Resources:
1. http://www.reliefsociety.lds.org. Click on, “Visiting Teaching.”
2. Handbook 2, Administering the Church (2010), 9.5 Visiting Teaching, p.69
3. Handbook 2, Administering the Church (2010), 3.2.3 Minister to others, p.12
4. Teaching, No Greater Call: A Resource Guide for Gospel Teaching, 10: The Teaching Part of Visiting Teaching, p.147-148