It is the last day of the month and I am getting ready to call my supervisor to report my visiting teaching. I have been thinking today about our ward and our sisterhood. We have a heavy visiting teaching burden. Out of about 175 sisters, only 75 are truly active. That means that visiting teachers are the only contact that a large percentage of our sisters ever get! I know that visiting teaching can often feel like a burden. How can we even touch the lives of inactive sisters when we feel overwhelmed with just the day to day responsibilities of life?!!!! If your like me- I feel the burden of trying to help my own children develop a testimony of Jesus Christ and His Gospel. Some days the thought of adding one more thing, or one more person to be responsible for, is exhausting!
And yet- I have such a strong testimony of visiting teaching. When I push myself to be faithful in this calling, I am always rewarded with the blessing of a relationship that I probably never would have developed, a newfound friend to rely on, and most importantly for me- a fresh perspective on life. Putting my worries aside and focusing on the needs of someone else is always the best way to pull myself out of the doldrums. Somehow when I see the world through someone else's eyes, I feel a little more empowered to tackle the needs of my own life.
However, I also feel strongly that no sister should ever feel guilty about her visiting teaching calling. If life is too much, or a companionship or situation is just too difficult to coordinate schedules- please let me or your supervisor know. Even though we do have a heavy visiting teaching burden-we shoulder it together. We need to help each other, and part of that is letting someone else pick up the pieces when it is all to much.
I love you, sisters. I love the gospel. I know it is true. Enjoy General Conference!
Sister Laurie Haslam
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