Sister Holmes makes a treat every night after we come home
(I'll probs be 15 pounds heavier by the end of this transfer. It's fine.) Treat
of the week: Apple pie. Fall has arrived in NYC 💛 I LITERALLY HAVE
TO WEAR TIGHTS NOW AND IT'S REALLY TICKING ME OFF. Ugh. Love/don't love fall.
(Fall also means Halloween so you defs know I'm not excited about
that............) Transfers happend and Sister Horton is on a plane right now
going back to San Diego. Lame. I miss her. But! I'll be spending my last 6
weeks with Sister Holmes in Harlem. #HarlemForDayz YAY!
In church on Sunday we talked about Visiting Teaching and
all the sisters were like "well I never had super great examples of
diligent visiting teachers because of reason xyz" and I was sitting there
thinking "well my mom is a rockstar and does her visiting teaching and
always makes cookies and writes cards so come to my house and my mom will teach
you." To me- visiting teaching is SUPER important. SISTER HOLMES AND
I WOULDN'T HAVE TO CLEAN UP THE WARD LIST IF EVERYONE DID THEIR VISITING AND
HOME TEACHING. I'm just sayin. But it got me thinking about the purpose of
visiting/home teaching- we are called to find the one- the one that's lost, the
one that's broken, the one that needs extra love, the one that needs a friend,
the one that needs a hug....Christ ministers individually to us so if we are to
FOLLOW HIM and do as He did, we are to find the one and minister to them. WHAT
AN AWESOME OPPORTUNITY! Because my brain is fried from a head cold/sneezing
literally every 10 minutes, here's a quote by President Kimball that explains
what I'm feeling.
"I have always been impressed that the Lord deals with
us personally, individually. We do many things in groups in the Church, and we
need organizations of some size to allow us to administer the Church well, but
so many of the important things—the most important things—are done individually.
We bless babies one at a time, even if they are twins or triplets. We baptize
and confirm children one at a time. We take the sacrament, are ordained to the
priesthood, or move through the ordinances of the temple as individuals—as one
person developing a relationship with our Father in Heaven. There may be others
nearby us in these experiences, just as there are others in your classroom, but
heaven’s emphasis is on each individual, on every single person. When Christ
appeared to the Nephites, he said:
“Arise
and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also
that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet. …
“And
it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his
side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and
this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did
see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and
did bear record” (3 Nephi 11:14–15).
That experience took time, but it was important that each
individual have the experience, that each set of eyes and each pair of hands
have that reaffirming, personal witness. Later Christ treated the Nephite
children exactly the same way. “He took their little children, one by one, and
blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them” (3 Nephi 17:21).
It will be hard for you to give all of the personal
attention some of your students both want and need, but try the best you can to
think of them individually, to let them feel something personal and special in
the concern of you, their teacher. Pray to know which student needs what kind
of help, and remain sensitive to those promptings when they then come. Remember
that the very best teaching is one on one and often takes place out of the
classroom. In your search for individually teaching each student, you will most
certainly discover that some are not doing as well as others and that some are
not making it to class at all. Take personal interest in such students; give
extra-mile effort to invite and help the lost sheep back into the fold.
“Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God” (D&C 18:10). An
incalculable price has been paid by our Savior for every one of us, and it is
incumbent on us to do all we can to assist Him in His work. It is incumbent on
us to make sure that the gift of the Atonement is extended to every young man
or woman we have responsibility for. In your situation, that means keeping them
in full activity in your classes. Give special attention to those who may be
struggling, and go out as necessary to find the lost sheep. A written postcard,
a telephone call, or, if possible, a personal visit to a home in many cases
will have a wonderful result. Personal attention to a young person just
beginning to stray may save hours and hours—indeed, years and years—of effort
later in our attempt to reclaim that person to activity. Do all you can to
fortify the strong one and reanchor the wayward ones at this age."
I love that! Sister Cole from the RS shared a story that
shows this concept of finding and ministering to the one. She said that
her mother-in-law was asked to visit teach this girl that had been inactive for
most of her life. She had gotten into some trouble with the law multiple times,
had become addicted to many illegal drugs and was all around in a bad spot in
life. Sister Cole's mother-in-law would go every month to drop off a card, a
little treat, called, texted, sent Christmas cards...everything....but never
got a response back. Then one day, Sister Cole's mother-in-law was doing her
daily routine when she got a phone call- from this girl that she was assigned
to visit teach. This girl had gotten into some trouble again and was in jail
and needed someone to come and get her. She called her visiting teacher and
said "I knew you'd come and help me because I know that you care about
me." We never know how much good we do as we act on our faith to reach out
to the one. I know that Jesus Christ does this for all of us. And I know that
we will see miracles as we reach out and minister to those we are called to
teach.
I love this work. I know it's the Lord's. I know that our
Heavenly Father loves His children and I know that He will always find us when
we are lost BECAUSE HE LOVES EACH OF US.
Love always,
Sister Keauna Bain 🍍
