home-teachingOne of the most effective ways we can minister to Heavenly Father’s children is through the home teaching program.

“As the priesthood of God we have a shepherding responsibility,” said President Thomas S. Monson. “The wisdom of the Lord has provided guidelines whereby we might be shepherds to the families of the Church, where we can serve, we can teach, and we can testify to them. Such is called home teaching.”

Handbook 2: Administering the Church offers counsel that will help home teachers magnify their ministry to the individuals and families within their stewardship. That ministry includes:

  • Remembering the names of those we visit and becoming well acquainted with them (see Moroni 6:4).
  • Loving them without judging them (see John 13:34–35).
  • Watching over them and strengthening them spiritually “one by one” (3 Nephi 11:1517:21).
  • Becoming friends with them and visiting them often (see D&C 20:47).

As we magnify our ministry as home teachers, we will also prayerfully prepare for our visits and seek guidance and inspiration from our Heavenly Father in assessing and meeting the needs of the families and individuals–including the children–we home teach.

President Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994) called home teaching an inspired program that “is the heart of caring, of loving, of reaching out to the one—both the active and the less active.” He added: “There is no greater Church calling than that of a home teacher. There is no greater Church service rendered to our Father in Heaven’s children than the service rendered by a humble, dedicated, committed home teacher.”

From page 73 of the March 2014 Ensign.

Our stake is doing a “100% Perfection Month” in March to make sure that someone from the ward visits every home during the month. Has your ward or stake done something similar? What was the result?


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