Activation–Visiting Teaching Message March 2013


These lessons are interesting as they are really teaching us how to be better visiting teachers to one another. I hope you are having special experiences as we practice what we learn, blessing the lives of all of us involved.

I would like to share with you my experience with activation. I hope you can feel the joy that comes through my words.

When we first moved into the ward, my husband and I were assigned to home/visit teach a woman who was not active anymore. At one time she had been quite active, but with blow after blow of life and hardships, she became bitter, angry, and tired of a façade she had begun to see in people. She didn’t allow anyone to come into her home, as her former home teacher warned us, because in his experience, she had never let him in.

We innocently went anyway with a prepared message. At that first visit, we made a connection that has only grown stronger since.

Each month, without fail, we have visited her. She is lonely and looks forward to our coming. We always have a message to leave with her, but first we visit for a while. Her health is not great. She suffers from depression that can be debilitating at times. She likes to be independent, so at first, she didn’t ask for anything, but over the years we have been able to help her with her finances, give her advice about medicines and doctors. We’ve brought her food and liquids when she’s been sick. Mostly, we’ve been there to let her talk and release some of that pent-up worry and stress she carries around with her. Soo she began asking for blessings. She realized she missed having the priesthood in her home and soaked in these blessings like a starving child.

As her spirit gathered strength, and as she realized she did need the gospel in her life, she began preparing herself to come back to Church. It took months for her to gather up the courage, and when she first came out she would come for only the Relief Society hour. As we encouraged her, and reminded her what a great strength partaking the Sacrament can be, she came for the Sacrament Meeting hour. Little by little she became stronger and stronger. And after each blessing, with tears streaming down her face, she felt the Lord’s forgiveness and love.

temple-smSoon she was preparing herself to return to the temple. This was another great struggle, because her depression would almost always get in the way. Blessing after blessing helped her fulfill her goal. As we attended that first session together, she had tears streaming down her cheeks the entire time. She was so full of gratitude and humility and love.

Her temporal life hasn’t really changed much for her. She is still medically challenged, fighting depression and other ailments constantly. But her spiritual life is so much better, because she is spiritually more able to confront her difficulties. She has felt the Lord near and acknowledges his many blessings, and even miracles, in her behalf. And I have never met a more grateful person. Now, when we come for our visit, tears are already welling up in her eyes, because she is so thankful we never gave up on her.

Our assignment has changed, but we still visit her regularly. We don’t leave a message for her, (we leave that for her home teachers who are now accepted in), but we always pray with her, and the tears flow.

Here is a woman who was lost. She was mostly forgotten by the ward, and she was spiritually weak and worn out. She learned that she could depend on us to be with her, help her, be patient with her, lend her our strength, and help her get back on her spiritual feet again.

This has been such a sweet experience for us. God truly loves each individual on the earth and he uses anyone who is willing to be His instrument to be a part of the magic of love, service, and joy.