amo Posted October 2, 2016 Posted October 2, 2016 After listening to Elder Holland's talk in PM yesterday eve., I get the feeling that a name change is almost mandatory : From "Home Teaching" to "Family Ministering"... What Sayest Thou...? Amo 1
cdowis Posted October 2, 2016 Posted October 2, 2016 I have the feeling that we can "count" any form of communication to our families as Home Teaching, including a brief interchange at church. That is a significant change. 1
Glenn101 Posted October 2, 2016 Posted October 2, 2016 I believe that a "family ministering" mindset rather than a teaching mindset is the most effective whether the family be active or completely inactive. Glenn
Duncan Posted October 2, 2016 Posted October 2, 2016 I like it. My Mom always says if a family is struggling or something maybe a lesson on missionary work or family history wouldn't be the thing they need to hear. Whereas if they teach the people not a lesson then maybe it'll help them out. Par example, I know a guy who was out of a job for some months and never told the HT's who came faithfully by every month and gave a lesson. I just think what would have happened if he had told them or I suppose they asked things could have been different for them 1
CV75 Posted October 2, 2016 Posted October 2, 2016 5 hours ago, amo said: After listening to Elder Holland's talk in PM yesterday eve., I get the feeling that a name change is almost mandatory : From "Home Teaching" to "Family Ministering"... What Sayest Thou...? Amo We've heard this kind of instruction for over twenty years in the kinds of places where I've lived. It is good instruction and works. It was never an excuse not to visit everyone every month, but elevated our understanding of our partnership with and expectations of the Lord, and of what He could do with His grace with the priesthood quorums in those locations. 2
Scott Lloyd Posted October 2, 2016 Posted October 2, 2016 Not everyone who receives home teachers does so within a family setting.
CV75 Posted October 2, 2016 Posted October 2, 2016 11 minutes ago, Scott Lloyd said: Not everyone who receives home teachers does so within a family setting. Or even in the home setting. Sometimes "virtually." And for those who are more resistant to visitors (yes, some don't want us! Can you imagine?), we have to teach them with guile as they "entertain angels unawares" LOL
cdowis Posted October 2, 2016 Posted October 2, 2016 38 minutes ago, Scott Lloyd said: Not everyone who receives home teachers does so within a family setting. Within the context of the church, the family is the basic unit of the church. This includes a single individual, and Home Teachers are assigned to that one person family.
JAHS Posted October 2, 2016 Posted October 2, 2016 5 hours ago, cdowis said: I have the feeling that we can "count" any form of communication to our families as Home Teaching, including a brief interchange at church. That is a significant change. I have a feeling my stake president will still want monthly visits. Elder Holland seemed to be referring to those circumstances where monthly visits were not practical; where a home teacher had 18 families to minister to, or where distance or lack of sufficient numbers of priesthood brethren was a concern. But the general message of getting closer to the families and ministering to their real needs can apply to all. 3
Scott Lloyd Posted October 2, 2016 Posted October 2, 2016 (edited) 1 hour ago, JAHS said: I have a feeling my stake president will still want monthly visits. Elder Holland seemed to be referring to those circumstances where monthly visits were not practical; where a home teacher had 18 families to minister to, or where distance or lack of sufficient numbers of priesthood brethren was a concern. But the general message of getting closer to the families and ministering to their real needs can apply to all. If anything, Elder Holland's address struck me as calling for greater, not less, effort. Edited October 2, 2016 by Scott Lloyd 3
Scott Lloyd Posted October 2, 2016 Posted October 2, 2016 1 hour ago, cdowis said: Within the context of the church, the family is the basic unit of the church. This includes a single individual, and Home Teachers are assigned to that one person family. Be that as it may, changing the name to "family ministering" is apt to give yet more occasion to single-adult members of the Church to feel marginalized within the administrative nomenclature.
Five Solas Posted October 2, 2016 Posted October 2, 2016 As the Presbyterians down the street like to say, "Every member a minister." They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery... ;0) --Erik
Avatar4321 Posted October 3, 2016 Posted October 3, 2016 4 hours ago, Scott Lloyd said: If anything, Elder Holland's address struck me as calling for greater, not less, effort. That's what my quorum was discussing last night
amo Posted October 21, 2016 Author Posted October 21, 2016 Getting to that time of the month again... Time to report, but, wait a second, report what ? "Everything"...! But then again, define "everything"...! So, how are you all reporting "everything" ? Have you had to change your "report forms" yet ? Amo
Rain Posted October 21, 2016 Posted October 21, 2016 On 10/2/2016 at 7:06 AM, Glenn101 said: I believe that a "family ministering" mindset rather than a teaching mindset is the most effective whether the family be active or completely inactive. Glenn I think along these lines. Rather than more effort I think of "more effective effort". Ministering can be so many different things, depending on who you are teaching and your own gifts and talents. But this is the way I have always thought of home teaching - the ministering part. 1
JAHS Posted October 21, 2016 Posted October 21, 2016 1 hour ago, amo said: Getting to that time of the month again... Time to report, but, wait a second, report what ? "Everything"...! But then again, define "everything"...! So, how are you all reporting "everything" ? Have you had to change your "report forms" yet ? Amo I think "everything" could be considered in just one word; "contact". Did you make some kind of contact with your families (visit, phone, mail, email, text, etc.)? However, along with that question should be the follow-up, "Are your aware of and helping to satisfy the physical and spiritual needs of you families?" 1
Rain Posted October 21, 2016 Posted October 21, 2016 (edited) 1 hour ago, JAHS said: I think "everything" could be considered in just one word; "contact". Did you make some kind of contact with your families (visit, phone, mail, email, text, etc.)? However, along with that question should be the follow-up, "Are your aware of and helping to satisfy the physical and spiritual needs of you families?" Agreed. I think if we really understand the process the second question would be understood with the first. But we have a long way to go for that! Edited October 21, 2016 by Rain
cdowis Posted October 21, 2016 Posted October 21, 2016 (edited) To me his message was simply == don't worry about what "counts" as a visit, but make an effort to have some sort of contact with each family. If your best way of contact is to speak to them at church, then do it and you can get credit for it. I remember the recently assigned home teachers visiting a part member family, and asked to speak to the father. The wife was visibly upset, "He died six months ago." Edited October 21, 2016 by cdowis
Scott Lloyd Posted October 21, 2016 Posted October 21, 2016 12 minutes ago, cdowis said: To me his message was simply == don't worry about what "counts" as a visit, but make an effort to have some sort of contact with each family. If your best way of contact is to speak to them at church, then do it and you can get credit for it. I remember the recently assigned home teachers visiting a part member family, and asked to speak to the father. The wife was visibly upset, "He died six months ago." The most difficult people to contact are not apt to be the ones you see at church.
cdowis Posted October 22, 2016 Posted October 22, 2016 1 hour ago, Scott Lloyd said: The most difficult people to contact are not apt to be the ones you see at church. Precisely the point that he was making. If you have alot of families, see the active ones at church, and reserve you visiting time for the inactives.
Scott Lloyd Posted October 22, 2016 Posted October 22, 2016 (edited) 1 hour ago, cdowis said: Precisely the point that he was making. If you have alot of families, see the active ones at church, and reserve you visiting time for the inactives. Not sure that's the point he was making. What I drew from it is that if I have a neighbor who rebuffs my home teaching efforts but responds positively when I try to be a good neighbor, I get to count my neighborliness as home teaching. Edited October 22, 2016 by Scott Lloyd 1
cdowis Posted October 22, 2016 Posted October 22, 2016 Quote While working through our schedule to visit all homes, which may take some months to accomplish, we would make other kinds of contact with the individuals and families on our list via any of the means the Lord has provided. Certainly we would watch for our families at church and, as the scripture says, would “speak one with another concerning the welfare of their souls.” ....... Now, as for what “counts” as home teaching, every good thing you do “counts,” so report it all
amo Posted October 22, 2016 Author Posted October 22, 2016 19 hours ago, JAHS said: I think "everything" could be considered in just one word; "contact". Did you make some kind of contact with your families (visit, phone, mail, email, text, etc.)? However, along with that question should be the follow-up, "Are your aware of and helping to satisfy the physical and spiritual needs of you families?" Mmm, really...? The same way it's done at RS ?
JAHS Posted October 23, 2016 Posted October 23, 2016 7 hours ago, amo said: Mmm, really...? The same way it's done at RS ? Not sure what you mean by this, but according to Elder Holland's talk, any kind of contact "counts", when it comes to reporting home teaching, but with a stronger emphasis on true ministering and knowing what the families needs are and helping them get it.
amo Posted October 23, 2016 Author Posted October 23, 2016 1 hour ago, JAHS said: Not sure what you mean by this, but according to Elder Holland's talk, any kind of contact "counts", when it comes to reporting home teaching, but with a stronger emphasis on true ministering and knowing what the families needs are and helping them get it. " 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. " (Handbook 2,2010, #9) So, when it comes to reporting, what Elder Holland said is pretty much the same visiting teachers from the RS do, right ?
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