A few years ago Tina and I were asked to speak
at our visiting teaching conference.
It was held at Dana McArthurs house....
remember that T?
Vanessa, I think you had just moved into the ward....
that was the first night we met.
(so it had to be more than a few years ago.....maybe 5?)
I remember being super excited to meet you,
I think you had some kind of monkey watch on,
it was red,
and I made fun of you for standing like a ballerina.
remember?
Tina and I had fun that night,
we planned and really got into our assignment.
I have always loved visiting teaching,
being one, and having them myself.
Sure sometimes it is an added pressure and a hassle
to get the monthly visits in,
but for the most part I truly enjoy the journey of getting
to know the other sisters on my list.
When I get changes I can't help but think in terms of
oh boy, oh boy......who is going to be my new
FRIEND??
Some of my very dearest friends have developed
because of our simple beginnings as visiting teaching partners
or assignments.
I have kept our little handout on my inspiration board
ever since our presentation...
We had fun coming up with our favorite words that
describe what visiting teaching means
to us -
It means FRIENDS....
our friends are FUN...duh,
we learn to RESPECT
those that we visit and get to know....I find that I am
constantly astonished when I take the time to get to know others.
My preconceived notions are always flying out the window
and my eyes are opened to the person that they really are.
I love the IMPRINT that we can make on each
others lives.
Nothing is better than EXPANDING our circle
of friendship.
My NEEDS have been met on numerous occasions
by my visiting teachers...
i.e. rides to the airport...I love you Nancy!
there have been times I have needed to
DEPEND on my visiting teachers,
my friends, I want those that I visit to be able to trust
and depend on me.
They are my STEWARDSHIP....
my sisters are in my care.
I almost missed this months temple visit....
that would have been a bummer,
on my sixth month running streak!
It was trickier than usual to match up our schedules and
get ourselves out there.
Yesterday a few of us managed it.
I fought tooth and nail trying to stay awake during the session.
......I later heard I was not alone in that fight....
but we made it, did our best,
and I am happy we did.
Maria, Christi - who is brand new in our ward!! -
super stoked to have her, Colleen, and me.
"Visiting teaching is a relationship,
not just an assignment;
it's a search for new ways of
strengthening and developing a friendship."
Ensign, June 1978
5 comments:
Thanks for this. You were my frist companion here and what a great example you were to me as a new mom starting out in a new ward.
I've met some very neat people that way. Do you always stay in touch, or close, with those you used to visit?
HB, yes, usually because by the time a change comes in the schedule we have become good friends, you know what I mean? We no longer need an "assignment" to keep tabs on one another, or get together, we want to. Are you a v.t. right now? Do you have one? It seems like you were a coordinator for a while......can't remember for sure.
No, I was not a coordinator and I actually don't have a VT right now. I think about some of my past ladies in the old neighborhood quite a bit - one would only talk to us on the front porch for 2 years and finally let us in and then always made us eat ice cream sundaes with her. We never gave her a lesson, it was a condition of our visit, but we sure enjoyed her company and I think it was mutual. She moved to Ogden the year before we moved to Summit Park. I have always felt bad for not making time to go up and see her in her new place...I guess I still could.
You should....maybe she will make you a sundae for old times sake!!
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